The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-16
Total. 1870, ,027

The foregoing suggests to the philOsophic
mind "a number OF grave reflections and conclu-
sions that are both painful and astounding.
Although Philadelphia has increased during the
present beyond any former decade, these statis-
tics would indicate that the whole increase is
from without and not within, her own borders
that there were fewer births in 1868 than 1861
This fact would seem to Indicate that the pOpu
lation was retrograding, or at least stationary
The bipths in 1861 were 1871, and in 1868, 1929
just l2 less. The deaths, we perceive, in 1861
were ID, 46S, against Ia, ,693 in 1868. This latter
fact would clearly show that though the popula-
ton is fifteen per cent. greater, the mortality is
nearly the same. This would indicate an i'm
provement of the public health. Such (when the
increased mortality, as a consequence of the
greater prevalence of drunkenness, is taken into
accoun) shows that the sanitary and curative
condition of the people is improved at least
twenty per cent.
But what shall we conclude when we turn to
the statistics and compare the marriages with
the births? 1t is most significant record and
full of solemn admonition to the statesman and
moralist. Look at the figures. In 1861 there
were 44l7 marriages recorded and 1921 births
or about four births to one marriage during the
year. Now look ut 1868. There were during
the past year 631 marriages and only IL 259
births, the latter being about in the proportion
of 10-1O0 births to each marriage; or, in other
words, there were 12 more births to 4417 couples
(including those born to the previously married)
than are recorded of the 637l marriages in 1868!
But this startling Discrepancy will appear more
marked still when we consider that in 1861 a
large part, perhaps fifteen per cent, of the male
population were in the army and away from
home; while in 1868 we were enjoying the bless
ings of peace, with the conjugal relation uuds-
turbed. How is this? If the resident population
of Philadelphia has been increased (say) fifteen
per cent, there ought to be ut least fifteen per
cent. increase of births, but the table shows the
natural increase to be none at dU Now, if the
marriages were stationary, showing no increase,
owing to hard times other causes, it would
not excite surprises but look ut the figures again.
There is an increase of marriages in 1868 over
1861 of thirty per cent. exactly. This seems to
tell the whole story men and women get mar
ried, but they have children born to them.
This is fearful thought to the moralist and
political economist. The laws of nature have
not changed, and II given increase of marriages
ought to produce corresponding increase of
births and yet If the natural law be not changed,
some social law custom must have intervened
to produce this striking result.
This appears to be exactly in accordance with
popular statistics in the New England States,
where the same result is seen, and where political
economists are looking forward to rapid decayof
the original stock, and the infusion of foreign
element at war with our American civilization.
New England writers and staticians affirm that
only among the foreign and poorer members
of society do births keep pace with deaths and
emigration in their section, as is doubtless
true with us. This is pretty commentary
the assumed wealth and virtue of both see
tions-that in colonial times, when we were
poor, we Increased rapluly, ana now we are
struck with sterity and decay. 1t used to be
argued against promiscuous intercourse and
RIGHTEOUSNESS between the sexes that they di-
mnshed population, but it seems now to be not
peculiar to those classes alone. Now, without
intending to do more than hint at the causes of
this unfortunate state of things-fOr any cause
that retards population in new country is un-
fortunate-l venture to affirm that it is equally
at war with Christian morals and eli
lightened political economy. People, and
not money and material improvements, are
the wealth and glory of the country; and
if Philadelphia and New York do not want their
cities, at some period in the early future, sur
rounded with pestilential Campagna as ancient
Rome they had better amend their social ethics.
Indeed, the social system of the Chinese, which
develops and maintains for unbroken centuries
the densest population of the globe, has far
higher claim, it would seem, to true civilization
than we who claim to be Christian. | attribute
the change referred to to two sources, the ar
resting the laws of natural reproduction by
voluntary and criminal sterility, thus evading
the Divine command to increase and multiply"
and the more criminal and wicked evasions of
maternal duty by mothers, who, aided by
medical quackery through the public press, con-
tinue childless. This is subject that notwith-
standing its delicacy demands discussion by the
pulpit and press, if not immediate legislation for
its cure. NJ. a.
Norristown, April 13, 1869.