Just at this instant of change and point of both arrival and departure, we come to the usual decennial enumeration of the country. Its figures, covering the whole term of our troubles, will enable us to know what our losses and gains have been. This solid footing of absolute knowledge will direct our steps on many internal questions, and upon those mightier ones that are heralded in regular steam transit from Canton to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to Phil States to apologize for the sins of its peo-driven from the continent; one has becn ple in relation to the Fenian matter. Amer- bought out; another is struggling desperica cannot ask the Government of England ately against deposition; a fourth is trying to apologize for the sins of its people in re- to avert the same fate by concessions and lation to the Civil War. If, as we heartily changes in its functions. believe, the only even disputable point as regards legal liability, is the negligence of the Government in permitting the escape of the Alabama, how is it possible to ask us to express formal contrition till it is decided whether even then we were not acting strictly within our legal competence? Mr. Sumner's real grievance and the real grievance of the Northern people is, that the English Parliament displayed a hearty sympathy with a cause naturally hateful to it, the Slavery cause, out of some poor jeal-adelphia, and from Philadelphia to Liver ousy of the growing power of the North. pool; in the agitations that seem likely to Well, that is not a breach of international rend Cuba from Spain; in the slow settlelaw. By all means let us do what we can to ment of Mexico, and the gradual gravitation wipe out a blot on English national charac- of the Canadas to a nationality that promises ter which many of us always marvelled at to be continental. For seventy years we and sorrowed over. But, on the other have made an average popular increase of hand, let the more moderate and sensible 34 per cent. each decade. This ratio would statesmen of the United States restrain their give us 42,000,000 population in 1870. sensitive politicians from the undignified And though the war interfered with the inweakness of confounding an act of marvel-crease, it is hardly probable that we shall lously bad taste and bad feeling, though fall below 41,000,000, against 38,000,000 one which unfortunately is too often imitated returned by the last French census, and less by America itself without any formal re- than 30,000,000 in Great Britain. If this proach from us, with an international is so, the rate will establish 54,000,000 in crime. From The Philadelphia North American, May 6. FROM its birth this country has lived more in the future than in any present. The great increment of every sort that has marked its career and signalized it beyond other histories has been employed chiefly as an index to other increments, surpassing all previous. To-day this tendency to forecast is more displayed than ever; anticipation runs riot. The causes leading to it in a measure ex'cuse the tendency. We are at last on the grave of slavery, that so long acted as an eccentric agent upon every interest, and therefore on every computation. We have passed the crucial test of a great rebellion, and demonstrated both the homogeneity and permanence of our empire. We have stood up under a debt that was hardly ever paralleled, and it is being lessened. We have crossed the whole continent with railways. The government has been maintained, and the great struggle has only approved it more completely, and shown its efficacy in all departments to equal what we knew of it in some. One foreign government has been 1880, more than 71,000,000 in 1890, and about 95,000,000 for the twentieth century. And this though our borders should not be enlarged. But our whole history is one of increase. This is the positive territorial growth since 1786-from 815,615 to 3,578,393 square miles, gained from England, from France, from Spain, from Mexico, from Russia, from all contiguous countries. There is nothing in all this to prove that the greater powergreater in population, in development of all sorts, in communication, in wealth and in prestige will not attract to itself as strongÎy as the less, and that at the close of the century our population will be less than 100,000,000. In 1810 a calculation of future growth for the future decades of the century was made that has been verified within three hundred thousand on every oc- | move south. It is in order for the pendulum casion, and within less than one hundred to swing toward the equator, and only to thousand in a majority of instances. That touch the pole again on the rebound. estimate placed our census at 31,753,824 in | There are 218,339 square miles populated 1860; it was 31,445,089; at 41,328,432 in waiting that momentum. A Mr. Webster, 1870, 56,450,241 in 1880, 77,266,989 in who is urging immigration to Canada, says 1890, and 100 355,985 in 1900. This esti- that the annual increment to the United mate was further followed to 133,000,000 States is $100,000,000 from immigration in 1930, 177,000,000 in 1940, 236,000,000 alone, and urges the fact as a reason why in 1970, and 283,000,000 in 2000. The the Dominion should struggle for that help. correctness of so much of the calculation as The subject is one that affects our immedihas been tried lends probability to the rest. ate policy and prosperity, but it is not one But the author of this estimate did not al- to be decided with a few words at any time. low for annexations. He calculated only Its result was marked in the memoirs of from ordinary sources of growth. The Talleyrand, now soon to be published, in pending census will be greater by one ex- which he said: traordinary accretion. What will the next be—that in which our tale is estimated at 56,450,241 ? That for which preparation has already been commenced is liable to same strange modifications. Cuba is gaining power over Spain, and if Cuba gains freedom her annexation is certain. The Dominion of Canada is not indissolubly tied to Great Britain; if loosened, she gravitates naturally and necessarily to the great federation. Two years ago, the Dominion had 3,700,000 inhabitants. The increase she has had, if maintained, would give her 14, 800,000 residents at the close of the current century 59,200,000 a century hence. Canada has doubled her population every eighteen years since 1800; this country every twenty-three. It may be doubtful whether our proximate growth will first take in this territory, or whether it will again "On the side of America Europe must always have her eyes open, and not furnish any pretext for recrimination or reprisal. America is increasing every day. She will become a colossal power, and a moment must arrive when, placed in more easy communication with Europe by means of new discoveries, she will wish to say her word in our affairs, and have a hand in them. Political prudence, therefore, imposes on governments of the old continent the care of scrupulously watching that no pretext shall be offered for such an intervention. The day when America shall plant her foot in Europe, peace and security will be banished for a long time." These considerations lead to grander speculations that can be comprehended. All of them are, however, friendly to us, and the opening of the great railroad and the national enumeration are but integers in a product it dazes the mind to consider. 576 ILLE HAPLESS LOVE. Alas, O friend, it happed to me How could I dream that words could move Thou sayest that I a queen should be," And even with the latest word, But when she let her eyelids fall, Then on his horse he set the maid Through shade and sunlight on they rode, But ere the sunset, came a rout The rest I sought, nor wake forlorn But none was there to give me rest, There lay the knight who would be king And ever my love cried out and said, The gods this day have had their will Our parting and our death might be." Then did she rise and look around, PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION AT THIS OFFICE: HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE II. These very interesting and valuable sketches of Queen Caroline, Sir Robert Walpole, Lord Chesterfield, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, The Young Chevalier, Pope, John Wesley, Commodore Anson, Bishop Berkeley, and other celebrated characters of the time of George II., several of which have already appeared in the LIVING AGE, reprinted from Blackwood's Magazine, will be issued from this office, in book form, as soon as completed. LETTICE LISLE, PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY LITTELL & GAY, BOSTON. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year, nor where we have to pay commission for forwarding the money. Price of the First Series, in Cloth, 36 volumes, 90 dollars. " Second " The Complete Work, " 20 50 " Any Volume Bound, 3 dollars; Unbound, 2 dollars. The sets, or volumes, will be sent at the expense of the publishers. PREMIUMS FOR CLUBS. For 5 new subscribers ($40.), a sixth copy; or a set of HORNE'S INTRODUCTION TO THE Bible, unabridged, in 4 large volumes, cloth, price $10; or any 5 of the back volumes of the LIVING AGE, in numbers, price $10. MOTHER ENGLAND ON THE TORPEDO. AH lawks-a daisy, little good in these times one can often mention! But now one thing I will allow to be a capital invention. "Tis & machine sunk in the sea, to serve our arbours for protection, Which have been by ingenus men brought very nearly to perfection. Oh what a blessed appy thing to live in peace By bein able at a blow to spifflicate the orstile and out of danger, When upon all the people of the earth around stranger, We shall look out o' winder like, and as it were in war delightin, at dogs a fightin! Wrack, ruin, olesale, sweepin, hinstantaneous To them as ever dares to lay a finger on this death, annihilation, No wrong, harm, hurt to nobody, whilst we be peaceful nation! But hands off, all you foreigners, or bang at left alone would we do; you goes our torpedo! THE ANCIENT CLOCK. OVER the white, bleak, barren land, Level and golden, has dropt the sun; Down on the wild shore's icy sand Boom the long breakers, one by one. Punch. Out from the blue east, fierce and round, And angrier, louder the billows wake, There, in the empty, solemn house, Sitteth a woman while shadows fall, A feeble monotone, vague to hear, Is sweet with the music of long ago! For the ancient clock from its corner dim And tick, when the mood so pleases him, Back through a thousand yesterdays! And to her who listens at hours like these, Or boundless calm on the ocean's breast. How often (perchance with dreams to weave How the ancient clocks in our lonesome halls) |