"The Anglo Celt" Cavan; Thursday, October 28, 1852 IRISH AND GERMAN EMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES A curious change has taken place during the last few months, in the character of the emigration to this country. In the former years Irish emigration always exceeded that of all other countries put together, and was more than double that of the German emigration. In the year 1851, the whole amount of emigration to this port was 289,601, the number from Ireland was 163,256, and from Germany 69,863, thus showing that the Irish more than doubled the German emigration, and was considerably greater than the aggregate of all countries, including Germany. For the present year, up to the 22nd of this month, the emigration has been as following: - Total 226,976, Ireland 88,664, Germany 92,686. We have compiled the following table from the records of the Commissioners of Emigration:- Ireland Germany Other Total January 6661 3426 1505 11592 February 2834 1378 1136 5348 March 13213 3816 4697 21726 April 10914 11694 5485 28093 May 12875 13929 6568 33372 June 15876 22339 11010 49225 July 9193 12573 3087 24853 August 11615 15653 7268 34536 22-Sep 5483 7869 4908 18260 Totals 88664 92686 45626 226976 From a glance at this table it will be observed that the Irish emigration has gradually fallen off, while the German has tremendously increased. It will also be perceived that the increase in the German emigration only commenced with the month of April, the Irish emigration for March far exceeding it. The number of emigrants from Ireland in March was 13,213, from Germany only 3,816. The change, therefore, has taken place during the last six months, and it is wholly unprecedented in the history of emigration to the United States. The figures stand as follows: From April 1st to Sept. 22:- Irish emigrants to this port 65,956 German emigrants 84,066 This remarkable increase on one side, and decrease on the other, has led us to inquire into the causes of both, and we have ascertained them to be as follow: - The German communes or parishes have, during the last few months, commenced sending out the pauper class of Germans wholesale. They have paid their passage to the United States, giving them the alternative either to come out here or to starve at home. Whole cargoes of that class have come together, and hence the vast increase of German emigration. What is the cause of the decrease in the Irish emigration? It arises from several causes. During the last few years the emigration from that country has been excessive, so that the country is now drained of its redundant labour, and those left behind will get employment. Almost all had come out who could afford to come, and were disposed to emigrate. The classes remaining are chiefly the wealthy, and those who are extremely "poor, too poor" even to emigrate. Th! e potato crop, too, has not failed this year, as it has done in former years, and many therefore remain in the hope of future improvement. Another cause of the emigration being diminished in this country, is the impetus given to Australian emigration. Great numbers of the better class of the Irish have gone during the present year to the new El Dorado in search of gold. It is estimated that 1,000 per day, or 30,000 per month are emigrating there from Great Britain and Ireland. The following table exhibits the proportion of Irish and German emigration, and the whole amount from all nations, to this port during the lat four years:- Country 1849 1850 1851 1852 Ireland 112251 116532 163256 88664 Germany 55706 45402 69883 92686 Other Countries 35647 50862 56462 45626 Total 226503 212796 289601 226976 These tables show that before this year the German emigration has not been half the amount of the Irish, and that the Irish had been invariably more than half of the aggregate of all nations, while for this year the Irish emigration is only about one-third of the total, and is below that of the German population. It will be found at the end of the year that the emigration to this port will not be far short of three hundred thousand passengers, and this increase will be owing to the tide that has set in so strongly from Germany. If it proceeds in the same ratio, in a few years hence the language of "fatherland" will so prevail in many parts of the country that it will be difficult to find any person who can speak the English tongue, except in a broken manner. This influx of Germans may also have a very remarkable effect upon the American race, the character of our institutions, and upon the social condition and habits of the people. Hitherto the Anglo-Saxon and Cel! tic elements prevailed. Henceforth the German race, which is far more numerous in the Old World, threatens to absorb all others, and to become the predominant element in that mixture of race which constitutes "the Corinthian brass" of American humanity. County Cavan Newspaper Transcription Project (Note: The tables include figures that were almost totally illegible. and, in some cases, appear to be typed incorrectly. So everything doesn't balance. Hopefully, it will give a good idea of the figures. Best I could do.)