The New York herald., 1869-06-23
IMMIGRATION.

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Comparative Tables ON Immigration-Rapid
Increase Of the swedes in This Country
Arrivals from Ireland and Germany-Inte-
resting Statistics from Washington.
The question OF immigration Is one OF preeminent
Importance II so, not only IN respect OF the ac-
tual accumulated wealth-money-whcht the immi-
grants bring 10 this country, thus enrching IT with
out any productive labor OF its own; not only In
view OF the constant increase OF population, with
which the increase in consumption and the conse-
quent increased demand OF the products OF the c0un
try keeps pace; but In more extended sens s Its
addition TO the abOring force OF the country, to its
productive power, forcing itself upon the attention
OF every one, be he statesman IN official position or
citizen In private life. The student OF political
economy-and neither statesman nor citizen can sue
cessfully manage affairs in his charge without being
such-cannot overlook the constant stream Of
immigrants pouring upon our shores and
spreading thence through and over the
whole country. 1t has. in years past
changed the material aspect OF many vast
region or our land. Where there was wilderness
and desolatiOn, where thick forests encountered the
land or lone praries extended their dreary waste.
there, IN many States blooming farms gladden. the
eye the catter of the mill is heard, and the cheering
voice Of the teamster farmer, bearing his produce
to market. No one will or can assert that the
stupendous development Of our Western country
could have been but for the enormous immigration
which has flied ana is now filing the land with
thrifty labor and energetic HANDS. Three millions
could never have peopied continent from ocean to
ocean. rise to 40 COO COO Of souls constituting one
Of the powerful nations OF the EARTH IN the short
space uI eighty years without the aid OF immlgra
ton.
But this matter Ia Of stil greater importance at the
present day, and In its influence upon our national
finances. Burdened as we are with debt and taxa
t0n 1t concerns every one. Immigration lessons the
burden the debt and the taxes to each one OF u.s.
for the Immigrant Immediately upon landing takes
his share upon himself Thus If 500, 600 people, who
were not here last year, come and settle among
during the present, they will take from the shou
ders OF the people who were here before their
comparative share OF the burden Taking our pres
ent population at 100000 souls and our national
debt S. 500 0oO the share OF eacn is sixtytwo
and half dollars, while with the addition OF the
half million or immigrants it would only be sixty
| one dollars and fraction half dollar. This
| would however, be too narrow calculation OF the
benefits brought 10 the country and its people by
immigration. They increase consumption, and
thereby contribute, by being compelled to pay midi
rect taxes ON all they consume to the national
| nue.. They open new territory to cultivation, add
10 the productive industry OF the country, enlarge
the volume Of trade and thus create lie in places
where sagnatiOn had been before increase the ma
l tOnal wealth, ana Dy thus increasing tne WnOe eX-
tent OF property to be taxed lessen the rate Of
tonsO long us the amount to be raised remains the
| same. 1t would be impossible, In mere
newspaper reference TO the subject to even hint at
the manifold advantages which the whole country
and every individual reaps from this source, from
| this steady flow OF European immigration to the
United States. All that can be done ia to note the
fact and to give the reader an important subject for
| studi0us reflection and deep contemplation.
And now for the figures. Here 1t should be re.
marked that between the different Offices in Castle
Garden, and also between them and the records OF
emigrant arrivals kept at the office Of the German
Society, at No. 15 Broadway, there ls always a slight
| different methods Of keeping the account of the
numbers. Some officers take the date Of the arrival
Of the vessels at Quarantine, others the day when
| the emigrants pass through Castle Garden, and
Others again when they reach the dock, between
which dates there is often difference OF one more
days, and hence the number of the arrivals for q
particular day, week, month In the year may
vary on the books OF the several Offices; but the
difference always only few hundred or at most
near thousand, and does not vary the aggregate OF
the result the accounts for the year. when the in
dividual items become to be compared and regu-
lated, are, In general, correct Another circnm.
| stance should here be noticed. There Is always a
| large number Of persons arriving who are American
citizens and returning from foreign trip They are
given in the tables below as 'cttzens," and their
humber must be deducted from the total of pasSen-
ger arrivals at this port to get at the exact num-
onalities could only be obtained up to the 18th OF
June. and In the tables below the principal nations
| OF Europe are only given from which we draw I'M
migrants. The smaller countries all over the world,
whence regular stream OF population flows to our
| shores. have been omitted.
| The arrivals for the first five months Of the year
| 1863 and the first sixteen days OF June fol-
| lOws:-