Litchfield enquirer., 1880-06-03
Immigration.

Immigration.
 The great influx of immigrants of the pas few months indicates future outpouring o European population into America exceeding any known of late. It is too early yet to fee the effects of the recent Irish famine, bu there can be little doubt that it's ultimate resul will be much the same as that of the grea famine of 1846, when the few following year saw the heaviest Irish immigration eve known. It is from Germany and the Swed ish peninsula. however, that the largest nun bers are pouring into this country at present.
 The northern hive" we used to read of ir books of ancient and medieval history seems as prolific as ever, but it swarms with a peace. full population very different from the hordes of barbarians whose progress was checked by the arms of Cincinnatus, Marius, and Julius Cesar; and who afterwards crushed the fee. ble power of imperial Rome. Centuries later successive invasions of our immediate ances- tors; Saxons, Normans, and Danes; kept western Europe ID a turmoil of war and bar barism for hundreds of years Probably these immigrations took their rise less from the over- flow of a warlike population than from the pressure of invasion from the East. For the last thousand years northern Europeans have beer chiefly busy clearing and subdding their own country, and civilizing themselves. Within two hundred and fifty years, however, the Swedes; first under Gustavus Adolphus and then under Charles XII; have invaded the countries south of them with marked success. The final repulse of Catholicism in the Thirty Years War was due to the former; and his brilliant successor, with a grain of caution and sounder judgment, would perhaps have permanently crippled the power of Russia in its formative period under Peter the Great.
 It is only during the past quarter of a centu. ry that any great influx of German population has occurred, and the Scandinavian emigration has only become matter of moment within the past decade. Now, however, there seems every prospect of very large accession from Ireland, Germany, and the. Swedish domin- ions. The famine can hardly fail to start hundreds of thousands of the more energetic population of Ireland on their travels. The Scandinavians are just finding us out, as it were and are coming over in numbers already very large and constantly increasing. Our readers cannot but have noticed the great in- crease of Swedish laborers in this vicinity, during the past few years. At the West, large Swedish colonies are filling up, and they are becoming an nimportant, t, and on the whole valu- able element throughout the country.
 The German emigration will no doubt form the largest and most important portion of the new blood infused into our. society. There is every inducement to the German to dodge if he can, the conscriptions, the taxes, and the other crushing burdens of German imperial isms. Alsace is an acquisition for which Ger many has but just begun to pay. Her enor- nous army, her increased civil expenses the growth of spirit of speculation and reckless expenditure among her people; the great in- f1ation of prices and depression of industry all have contributed to arouse feelings of dis content such as were formerly but little known among the docile, German speaking population of Europe. The efforts of the government to check emigration show how serious the disaffection has become; and the rush of emigrants in spite of that opposition, how futile those efforts have been. The re- sources of the new Empire are being over- strained in the effort to keep pace with France in ornaments and preparation for the contest which both countries manifestly expect.
 The social aspect of this large foreign emi- grafton is of great importance. It will no doubt intensity social features which are al- ready marked in our community. Former accessions of population have tended to make an aristocracy of the old Yankees. Their stunning of manual labor, crowding the mer- camille, and professional avocations their rushing from country to city; and their pro- portional decrease in numbers are the ind- rect result of foreign emigration, of the im- provement in the machinery of manufacsses and agriculture and of our facilities for trans portation. Without our manufactures and our tShAOouS1 tuC Souuty WOulu uOt b1OTu RalIl- full occupation for large numbers of imml- grants. AS it is, the field of manual labor is very largely their own.
 The political aspect of the emigration ques- tion is one that is more thought of than talked of by politicians. The Democratic party owes the ascendency i: had gained in the country just before the rise of republicanism largely to the Irish emigrant The Germans are divided between the two parties, though leaning per- haps to Republicanism. What political side will the Scandinavian element tske? This is question to which the practical politician has no doubt already turned his attention, but if he has arrived at any conclusion, he gives DO sign, as yet.
 The work begun by Brumidi in frescoing the capitol rotunda at Washington is to be A