TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 109 



Many of the developments of the census already made known were glanced at. 

 1st. The influence of the foreign population in their midst, which he contended was 

 of so pernicious a character, "that common humanity required of foreign nations 

 more attention to the education of their indigent population, if the subject was 

 viewed only as affecting the destinies of their people when scattered over the new 

 world, setting aside entirely its value to the peace, welfare, and happiness of those 

 at home." Mr. Kennedy affirmed that ignorance multiplied crime, and adduced 

 facts to prove, that to the ignorance and degradation of the foreign population in 

 America could they point as productive of the most terrible evils to themselves, 

 and as the cause of nearly all the pauperism and crime which could be shown to 

 exist in the northern states. 



He took a view of the proportion between sexes and colours, and the relative 

 increase of each, showing from the facts developed that the coloured population 

 would become rapidly extinct if immediate emancipation of slavery was to occur. 



He alluded to the advances made in the seeking out and providing for the deaf 

 and dumb, blind, insane and idiotic, paupers and criminals, and gave a gratifying 

 account of their progress. He dwelt at some length on the reciprocal advantages 

 arising from their protection of their manufactures, to their morals and agriculture, 

 estimating the capital invested in the former at 400,000,000 dollars, but that their 

 agricultural resources would justify a double amount of investment in manufactures, 

 to which they looked as the natural supporter of agriculture in all time to come; 

 that while England could purchase cheaper from the continent, they need not rely 

 on her as a great consumer; and that as things now were, tlie gold they dug in Ca» 

 lifornia was " silently but surely passing through their own mints into those of 

 Europe for recoinage, and thence into the coffers of European capitalists." 



He next alluded to their principle of taxation, that on real estate, as the proper 

 one, and the only rational one, to induce persons to bring into cultivation the 

 immense bodies of wild land being accumulated by capitalists. In giving an account 

 of this important branch of their investigations, he dwelt on the extent and character 

 of education bestowed upon tiie youth of America, and exhibited its influence on 

 their morals and the good of the state, traced the origin of provision for education 

 in the several states, and their movements in its behalf up to the present time, when 

 there were in the schools of America two and a half millions of scholars and a school 

 fund of 30,000,000 dollars. 



On the best Means of ascertaining the Number and Cojidition of the Infantile 

 Idiots in the United Kingdom. By Edw. J. Tilt, M.D. 



At the last Meeting of the British Association at Edinburgh, it was suggested in a 

 paper read by Dr. Coldstream, " that it was advisable to obtain statistical information 

 as to the number of idiots in Great Britain." The knowledge to be tlius obtained is 

 still most desirable, and requisite to the due carrying forward of the work of forming 

 institutions for their relief. Since the last Meeting we have renewed proofs that the 

 Swiss cretin is in many cases capable, not only of relief, hut of cure. The late visit 

 of Dr. Guggenhiihl, the founder of the institution on the Ohendberg, has caused fresh 

 observations made on this subject to be made known and confirmed. He was unable 

 to remain in England to attend this Meeting, but he is very anxious that all possible 

 research should be continued concerning the numbers of those afflicted with the 

 malady in this country, and the degree of idiotcy to which they are reduced. He 

 made several journeys, through different counties of England, the result of which has 

 been partly made known in a " Letter addressed to Lord Ashley on some points of 

 Public Concern and Christian Legislation." Although the disease exists under dif- 

 ferent forms in different countries, yet in all its states it must always be considered 

 as the greatest calamity which can afflict a family or an individual ; and each country 

 is deeply concerned in ascertaining how far it may be relieved or cured, as well as in 

 what manner it may be averted or prevented by timely care. That it is a question 

 peculiarly affecting the present attention to sanitary measures both in towns and vil- 

 lages is undoubtedly evident. It may be denied by some that any true cretins exist 

 in England, although Dr. Guggenbiihl relates that " of 500 idiots lately discovered 

 in Lancashire, a considerable number are marked with the character of cretinism ; in 



