in the United States in Fifty Years. 103 



degree of density which supposes indeed a progressive abatement 

 in the rate of increase, such as we are now witnessing, but certainly 

 none arising from the difficulty of obtaining subsistence. That is 

 not likely to be an efficient check on the progress of our population 

 until it has reached an average density of from 60 to 80 to the 

 square mile. 



Without doubt, other checks to natural multiplication, those 

 arising from prudence or pride, will continue to operate with 

 increased force as our cities multiply in number and increase in 

 magnitude, and as the wealthy class enlarges. These circumstances 

 will have the effect of retarding marriage ; and in the most densely 

 peopled States, the fall in the price of labour, and consequently, the 

 increased difficulty of providing for a family, may operate also on 

 the poorer classes. It is even probable, that these checks operate 

 sooner in this country than they have operated in other countries, 

 by reason of the higher standard of comfort with which the Ameri- 

 can people start, and of that pride of personal independence which 

 our political institutions so strongly cherish. The census shows 

 that their influence has been felt ever since the first enumeration ; 

 but we have no reason to believe that they will operate with a 

 more accelerated force than they have done, until the lapse of near 

 a centnry. 



We find that each of the States exhibits a similar diminution in 

 the ratio of increase to that which we have seen in the whole 

 Union, and that it is equaily manifest whether population is dense 

 or thin — is rapidly or slowly advancing — is sending forth emigrants, 

 or receiving them from other States. This fact, which seems 

 hitherto not to have been suspected, will clearly appear in the 

 following tables, in which the progress of population from 1800 to 

 1840, is shown in all the States whose numbers at the former 

 period have been ascertained : 



