The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-08-04

| There was not single bank IN the colo
nies in 1776; there are more than 5000
now. Internal Improvements and COM
mon-school system have kept pace with
immigration.
POPULATION.
At the outbreak of the revolution the
centennial congress ascertained approxi-
mately the population of the thirteen
colonies, in order that the burden of the
war might not fall too heavily upon any
section. The total population was esti-
mated at 2,250, 900, exclusive of 500, COO
slaves at the south. In 1870 the nation
which the representatives of these colo
nies founded was the fifth of the great
empires of the world in respect to popu-
lation and it is now undoubtedly the
fourth The Chinese empire in 1870 had
AT 500, 900 inhabitants; the British en-
pire, ia, 200, 900; the Russian empire,
76, 500, 900; the German empire, 40, ,200,-
600; the United States, 3S, ,556, 81. The
average increase in the aggregate pohula-
ton in 1870 in fifteen states in which a
census had been taken is 16 per cent,
and at the same rate of increase the total
population in 1875 would be A, ,675, 900,
while of the German empire according
to the recent census is AZ, ,757 ,S12. Dur
ing so years (1S00-60) the population of
the United States increased 500 per cent;
that England and Wales. 131 per cent,
and that of France, 81 per cent. The
great factor of the marvellous growth OF
our population has been immigration.
Annexation has contributed very little.
The purchase of Louisiana, Florida, Cal
ifUr1ia. and New Mexico brought in
fewer than 100000 inhabitants, and the
acquisition Of Texas and Oregon merely
restored to citizenship those who had en-
igrated from the United States.
The colonies were founded in reli-
gious age, under the best possible condi-
tiotls for ultimate selEgoveTnment
Nearly all the early settlers belonged to
the industrious middle classes of the~I
world. A substantial equality existed
among the Puritans in New England,
the Dutch in New York, the Quakers |
and Germans in Pennsylvania, the |
Swedes in New Jersey and Delaware, the !
English Roman Catholics in Maryland,
the English churchmen in Virginia, the
Nonconformists in North Carolina, and |
the HTguenots in South Carolina. AT |
the time of the English revolution of |
1858 settlements had been made in all
the thirteen colonies except Georgia, and |
Growth was slow and unequal, and it was |
not until 1850 that the population ex-
ceeded 900, 900. During the next |
twenty years the population of the colo
nies was doubled, and on the threshold |
of the revolution there swept a great |
current of immigration from Germany |
and Ireland into Pennsylvania and New |
York and the CaI Olinas. The first CEN
sus of the United States was taken in
1890. The result chilled the over |
wrought enthusiasm of Mr.. Jefferson, |
and he took pains to caution his cores |
pOndents at foreign courts against ac- |
cepting the figures inasmuch as they fell |
short of what he thought was the truth. |
The population was 1923, PA, including |
757, ,208 slaves. From 1890 to 1920 about !
234 600 immigrants arrived. A great |
wave of immigration then swept across
the Atlantic.
At the outset America was regarded |
as refuge for oppressed labor. The i'm
migrants were accustomed to the simplest |
forms labor, and were ready to build |
canals, and subsequently railroads. The
of manufactures in New
England changed the aspect of immigra-
tiOn, and foreigners came to regard the
United States as a market for skilled la
Dor. The cheap lands offered under the
homestead bill attracted an immense num-
ber of industrious farmers. During twelve
wears an area greater than that of New
England was occupied and titled by |
$4,000 families under the operation OF
this act. Inter state migration has been
from the first popular instinct. There
was a constant movement from the halt
settled states to the unsettled territory, |
and those who were left behind manu-
factured for those who were on the from
tiers. From 1845 to 1854 there was a
great exodus from Ireland and Germany. |
After the famine of 1916 immig' alton |
from Ireland more than doubled, reach |
ing its maximum in 1851. During this |
period nearly l, 500, 900 Irishmen landed !
in Castle Garden. German immigration |
reached its highest point in 1854. After
the years 1887, 1857 and 1873 there was |
a most remarkable decline in immigra-
ton, commercial revulsiOn acting as
wet blanket The total number of i'm
migrants from 1920 to 1873 was S.8OS.-
141, of whom 2,907 ,265 were from Ire
land, and 2,663,437 from Germany.
About 60 per cent. (after deductlDg
women and children) where in the prime
of life; 46 per cent. were trained to
various pursuits, and 10 per cent. were
traders.
Nearly 100000 OF our population
are foreigners, or the descendants of for
eigners. 1t has been estimated that, il
the fusion of elements were complete, OF
$50 drops of American blood % would
be Angfo-Saxon, 27 German, 2 Dutch or
Scandinavian, 304 Celtic, Romantic,
and 121 uncertain. The white, red,
black and yellow races are all repre-
sented. In 1870 the ratio of the colored
to the whole population was IA to 100.
The rate of increase of the colored race
during the decade was far behind that OF
the whole population. From 1853 to
1874 small percentage of immigration
has come from China. The total number
of Cinnamon who arrived during that
period was I44,328. The total number
of Indians in the United States in 1870 /
was $50, ,6I2, of whom 1896 were ON
reservations. As regards /
sex, the population of the United States |
a. IL Hoo Vf.-aFn