Certain nations, or rather races of men, have a disposition to increase
in numbers and are continually throwing off swarms; while other nations
or races, from some progressing deficiency of vital stamina similar
to the gradual decline of old age in the individual, are sinking in
population, and the countries they have occupied becoming open to the
immigration of the prolific and more vigorous races. The causes which
tend to produce the one or the other condition of human vitality, seem
to lie beyond the bounds of philosophic inquiry, but the fact itself
is sufficiently clear. Hitherto the swarming or emigration of the
more prolific races has been left to little else than instinctive or
brute feeling of necessity--has at least not been entered upon by any
government or society with any thing like the vigour and compass of
plan which would result from a rational estimation of its importance,
under proper regulation, to the comfort and happiness of the community.
When more than one-half of the earth is wilderness, and transport
become so easy, it is treason to the human race to speak of preventive
or destructive checks. As things are now situated, every adult in
Great Britain has a right to demand of the Government to be put in a
condition of marrying, should he incline, with the certainty by common
industry of providing comfortably for a family. This condition of
things is the great, the only test of a good Government. The Government
that cannot or will not provide for this, is either grossly ignorant,
impotent, or criminal, and unfit for its place. A sufficient emigration
of the labouring and property classes, would improve the home field
for labour and capital, and raise wages and the returns upon capital
so high that every industrious man would be able to maintain a family
in comfort as soon as he had reached maturity, say the age of 21, and
had attained a fair proficiency in his calling or business. Marriage
about 21 is desirable on several accounts. The head of the family is
stronger and healthier to provide for his children, and more likely to
survive and provide for them till they attain strength to provide for
themselves. The children are also stronger and healthier and easier
provided for:--And the earth is comparatively a desert. The British
Navy ought to be employed during peace as transports, carrying out
emigrants to our colonies--in laying the foundation of future empires.
By this, two very desirable ends would at once be gained--a sufficient
and safe means of transporting our surplus population to new lands, and
the proper discipline and experience of the Navy itself.
Colonization is merely sowing the seeds of future prosperity. The
perfection and extent of our manufactures, the source of our national
wealth and of the value of our landed property, are owing to the demand
and supply of the United States and other colonies which we have
planted,--our trade to which exceeds that to all the world besides.
During depressions of trade, we give charitable supply to those who
cannot find employment, keeping up numbers of unemployed people, ready
should labour come a little more into demand, to compete with those
in employment, and thus keep down wages to the lowest pitch. This is
merely a nursing of misery. Were those who could not get employment, or
who could not live comfortably upon what they received for their work,
sent out to fruitful new lands and properly located, each person sent
away would give employment to a person at home in fabricating articles
for his use, and for which he would make return in raw produce, thus
converting our paupers into rich customers, and raising the price
greatly of home labour. Emigration is going on to a vast extent from
the Eastern and Middle United States, keeping up a most favourable
field for industry, and rendering a family highly advantageous in these
countries. Nothing hinders Britain from enjoying the same advantages
but her stupid and guilty neglect. Our colonies are fully as extensive,
as healthy, and as favourable a field for industry, and it is not more
difficult now for a native of Britain to emigrate to some of our very
extensive colonies, than for an inhabitant of the Atlantic States to go
to the banks of the Missouri or the Texas Territory. It would be more
so were Government to give its aid in Navy transports, and by so doing
the Service would be greatly benefited. Why, then, should the condition
of the working population of Britain not be as favourable as that of
the people of the United States?
But if the Legislature and Government of Britain shall fail to do
their duty in providing for the welfare of the community, and the
community are not able to procure a Government capable and willing to
do this duty, still there is no reason why the British people should
sit down in despair. Not only can working small capitalists emigrate
in a sufficient number, especially by uniting their efforts, but
working men without any capital, have it in their power by forming
Emigrant Associations, with weekly subscriptions, to invest money in
new lands,[12] and to export portions of their own body to these lands
should the hire of labour be too low here, or whenever the want of
labour-demand threatened to reduce wages. To diminish the supply and
increase the demand is the only legitimate way to keep up the price.
And the increase of wages which would thus be obtained, would more than
pay the subscription necessary to carry out and supply with land and
commencing stock the number of their brethren requisite to be sent off
to keep the labour demand in a salutary state. Trades’ Unions might
work very advantageously in conducting this. This is a better plan of
keeping up wages than strikes, which in nine cases out of ten are the
means of lowering wages. Were the money which has been injuriously
expended on strikes, and still more were the money that is injuriously
expended by the working-men upon ardent spirits, strong ales, and other
baneful intoxicating drugs, employed in planting a sufficient number of
their body in fruitful new colonies, the condition of the working-men
in Britain would be immeasurably elevated.
They have allotted a certain portion of the price of fresh land to
carry out working emigrants without means. This plan might be worked
advantageously perhaps were the price of the land _sufficiently
low_,--that is so low as to command the desired amount of sales,
and not impede the emigration of working small capitalists, or the
purchasing of the land by working-men, say about five shillings per
acre, as in the United States. There is, however, something ungracious
in their schemes or manner of conducting them, which has not met
the approval of the British working-men. The emigrant is exported
and set down in a strange land, without funds or friends, and under
the necessity of engaging as a servant to others (his reason for
emigrating is to escape from servitude), and certain regulations are
adopted, and troublesome certificates required,[13] which impede
the working of the system. As soon as the Scots New Zealand Company
shall have located itself and made the necessary arrangements, it
will be ready to co-operate with emigration societies of working-men
in Britain, in carrying through any plan which may appear most
advantageous;--not with a view to procure servants, but to obtain
friends and neighbours. In the mean time, emigration societies should
be formed, and funds collecting.
There will, no doubt, be servants or helps in New Zealand, and need
for them, too, in some cases, independent, even, of what the natives
will supply. But any scheme of emigration to encourage the system of
master and servants to such an unnatural excess as to allot (as it
is said they propose) 75 per cent of the whole price of the lands
to carry on the _servant-trade_ from Britain to New Zealand, would
be attended with the most injurious consequences, not only to the
employment and civilization of the natives, but to the prosperity of
the settlement, if it did not ruin it altogether. Servants or helps
should, like every thing else, be left to the salutary direction of
demand and supply,--that is, the trade should be left entirely free,
without exclusive tax or bounty, provided, indeed, it shall not be
thought _contra bonos mores_, and prohibited. And if Government or the
Legislature interfere, it ought surely to be to encourage, by affording
means of transport to that class which experience has proved to be the
most advantageous,--in fact, the only class by which free colonization
can be successfully carried on,--_working small capitalists_, and which
the system of master and servants, attempted to be achieved by the
“sufficient price,” would do much to obstruct.