Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-05-23
r8B CATHOLICS Nv .zaxsaIC.s.

Tue Christian Era, referring 10 former
fears that the largo Catholic emigration to
this country will give predominance 10
the Catholic element in our national life,
says:
The danger II real, has long since pass
ed. IL need create no alarm. The number
of Irish emigranls is fast diminishing, aud
the ratio of emigration to the older popula-
ton grows steadily smaller with each s,,c-
cessivo year. Ireland has nearly exhausted
itself. The hive no longer ovcrhows, push
ing its vigorous swarms 10 seek new homes.
The population is even now too small for
the needs of the country. The demands
for la Dor are abuI dant and remunerative;
and all, OF industrious hab Is, can find con.
slant employment Mt satiS factory wages
Motives to teihpt emigration are still pow
erful. The hatred of English supremacy
is deep rooted and impela zu1'ous patriots
10 escape from the yoke. The letters rom
friends in the United States are frequent
and eloquent urging Ill to seek homo in
he new word. But tho attachment to tho
Emerall Isle is strong. and rs it improve
IN wealth and comforts an; wages Tor Inc
industrious, its sons will be less Inclined
to desert tie mother land Recent ira, ~
lers in Ireland uniformly refer to great
social chan re in Ireland, resembling that
so often noticed in New England. The
period for large tanIilio, has gone by. 1t
is rare event to find II PEASANTS cottage
crowded with ten or fifteen children.
Even five or six children are seldom seen,
and it is moro common to find only two OF
three. The contrast to the old times, pre-
c "ding the famine, when every hovel
sw6rned both within and without with un-
washed urchins, Is said to be extraordinary.
Whether the lecUu iitv fthe national stock
is weakened, or other .ccial causes have
induced the chat ge, the result Is the same
in its influence on migration. The change
is not yet apparent in this country. Large
families in Irish districts are the rulo rath-
cr than the exception. But either the
change oil climate, or careless habits OF liv-
ing, occasion an. alarming mortality. Tine
dea,h-rate among Irish children is two-iold
larg II than in native families So that tho
NUM- o. of those who reach a1ut years n
the latter is probably as great as in the
former, in spite of the great disparity of
births. Nor should it be forgotten that
emigration has less disturbing influence
or the national life every year. When our
population ranged from five 10 twenty
millions, the aunuM incoming OF three
hundred thousand strangers WAS an I'M
portant event, whose effect every states
man was bound to consider. But the in
flow of the same number, when the nation
has grown TO forty millions, is scarcely
felt. 1t makes but slight ripple on the
surface, and soon disappears, swallowed
up in The great mass. The Irish element
iu tho migration is already smaller than
the German OF the English. and may soon
be inferior to the Swedish or Norwegian
The national influences which tend TO fuse
al race, into one, ought TO be mightier
than clannish divisions, though the latter
arc nurtured By ~ vigilant priesthood. The
danger from ini"raton has gone by. II
ON ~ remains for American citizens 10 pro
serve llirit Institutions intact. especially
tn system OF publ" schools aud in the
end patriotism will draw even the Irish
/ C.No.ir~ into IN intelligent and hearty
/ i.V.utt