89 



Should this rate of increase continue, we shall have 

 between six and seven millions of inhabitants within 

 95 years. If we suppose our country to be bounded, at 

 some future day, by the meridian of the mouth of the 

 Great Kanhaway, (within which it has been before 

 conjectured, are 64,461 square miles) there will then be 

 100 inhabitants tor every square mile, which is nearly 

 the state of population in the British Islands. 



Here I will beg leave to propose a doubt. The pre- 

 sent desire of America is to produce rapid population 

 by as great importations of foreigners as possible. But 

 is this founded in good policy? The advantage pro- 

 posed is the multiplication of numbers. Now let us 

 suppose (for example only) that, in this state, we could 

 double our numbers in one year by the importation of 

 foreigners; and this is a greater accession than the 

 most sanguine advocate for emigration has a right to 

 expect. Then I say, beginning with a double stock, 

 we shall attain any given degree of population only 27 

 years, and 3 months sooner than if we proceed on our 

 single stock. If we propose four millions and a half as 

 a competent population for tins state, we should be 54i 

 years attaining it, could we at once double our num- 

 bers ; and 81| years, if we rely on natural propagation, 

 as may be seen by the following table : 



In the first column are stated periods of 27^ years ; 

 in the second are our numbers at each period, as they 

 will be if we proceed on our actual stock ; and in the 

 third are what they would be, at the same periods, 

 were we to set out from the double of our present 

 stock. I have taken the term of four millions and a 



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