The New York herald., 1869-01-26

| Operations at Castle Garden Tor tho Year
| ISGS-lntcresting Statisfics-Numb of Im-
migrants and Whore They Como From
Where They Go To-Obssacics to Emigration
10 the South.
II is needless 10 say much OF the great Importance
OF immigration to this country. Every schoolboy
knows or ought to know, that the marvellous and
unparalleled advancement Of America in population,
national wealth and political influence In the world
Is IN great measure due to the influx OF the people
from other countries and ciimcs to whom the hos
pitabe and liberal policy Of the albers or this
try offered not only nome, but also an enlarged
field Tor remunerative enterprise. Taking the popu-
ti0n OF this country to be- In round numbers about
3J 00000) at present IL Is safe say that half OF
them atleast are either descendants Of Immigrants
since 1850, or have directly immgrated themselves.
No country on the globe presents such spectacle as
this. The increase Of population everywhere else is
confined to natural causes, to the exccs, OF births
over deaths and nowhere enters such q largo pro-
portion Of foreign clements. and 30 constantly into
the growth OF the nation. All the great nations OF
the carth-Germany, France, England for instance
retain the undsputed supremacy OF their Indigenous
race. They are TO the manor born" ana II here or
there. through some social upheaval In neighboring
States-as for instance, the religious prosecutions
Ia Spain tho revolutions in France other troubles
In different countries-some portions Of tteir people
were compelled to seck other homes distant lands
the immigrants or refugees were in numbers but an
insignificant Portion and contributed little to the
material or political advancement or the State where
they settled.
The immigration to the United States from almost
all parts OF Europe has had different charac-
ter. partook more Of the nature OF the voluntary
migration Of peoples, differing from that known by
that name In the history OF the first ten centuries
nf In hiatt
instead OF being, like that OF the Gorhs the Huns or
other Sarmatic or scythian tribes. q sudden ava
anche, crushing all opposing forces in its path 1t
was like the gentle stream, flowing onward
In regular constancy, increasing and occasion
ally dmfnishngin volume and fructifyng the
land 1t touched in Its course. This stream
has flowed with steady regularity to our
SHORES; 9 Inc political system OF America promised
mcn ior the enterprise and capacity OF every indi
vldual Besides the vast expanse Of fertile coll IN
ment; and as the etrcam OF Increasing migration
rolled further and lurther to the West a. the
OF ofagricutura labor, as centres OF Industry ana COM
merce began to take firm root and to expand into
the magnetic attraction became stI more poWerfu
and Immigration came faster and thicker-sprcading
itself iar and n wids bringing 70 light the boundlesi
contributing to its progress and welfare.
Many were the attempts within the last twenty
stream Of migration into other channels. In Ger.
many It was sought To attract the emigranfs to
Brazil, IN Ireland to Australia but only with III sue
cess. The few isolated colonists whom money
promises or home influences succeeded In allurfnr
70 other countries than America but ns the rain
drop to the ocean in comparison with the great
bulk OF tho people seeking new homes with
us. Hence II Is that while America continues
to gather within her dominion the most useful
ana at the same time the largest number
by far OF all those who leave their native
soil Tor new homes 1t has been found necessary for
the benefit OF the emtgrant as wei! as OF the country
10 bring the control OF this new population under
some kind OF system upon its arrival. New YORK is
the port where most OF them land aud whence most
OF them start out for the Interior either to select
place Tor their settlement or to reach the place
already determined on. This gave rise TO the esab-
lishment OF the Emigrant Depot ut Castle Garden in
charge OF body known as the Commissioners OF
Emigration: correct record Il here kept OF all the
arrivals The captain Of every vessel bringing pas
sengers - bound by law to report their names and
ages and nationality to the commissioners or Emil
grafton, through the Mayor Of the city. To control
these reports-manifests, as they are technically
caled-the commissioners employ a number OF
boarding officers, who meet each arriving ship in the
bay ana report directly to the superintendent at
Castle Garden the number OF passengers ana their
nationality, az they ascertain them on board.
NUMBER OF EMIGRANTS FOR 1855.
From these reports 1t IL ascertained that during
the year 1865 there have arrived at this port PIC $50
persons, which, according to their naonalities
divided as foilows:--