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part of the emigrations from them have been either to other States in New England, or to the State of New York.

In 1750 New England & New York together contained 444,000 In 1790 ditto............

1,348,942 having more than trebled their numbers in forty years, and increased during all that period, at the rate of more than 5 per cent. upon their original number; and in the compound ratio of nearly three per cent. And as many more persons have emigrated from these States than have come into them from abroad, all this, and something more, is their natural increase.

In 1750, Massachusets contained thirty-two persons, and in 1790, about sixty persons to each square mile.

In 1750, Connecticut contained twenty persons, and in 1790, about fifty persons to the square mile.

In 1750, Rhode-Island contained about twenty-three, and in

1790, about fifty-two inhabitants per square mile; so that besides the numerous emigrants these States have sent forth, they have more than doubled their numbers in forty years, and nearly trebled them since they contained twenty persons to each square mile.

* Mr. Jefferson has taken some pains to prove that the inhabitants of Virginia double their numbers once in twenty-seven years and a quarter. He also proves by an ingenious calculation, that

+ In 1782, the numbers in Virginia were ............ In 1790, the same country, (part of which made the State of Kentuckey) contained....

96

567,614

821,287

giving an increase of 4,2%, or very nearly 5 per cent. and doubling their numbers, not in twenty-seven years and a quarter as Mr. Jefferson endeavoured to prove, but in less than twenty-one years.

Virginia, (exclusive of Kentuckey) added about 180,000 to its numbers between 1782 and 1790, the period when the numerous emigrations to Kentuckey caused so great a drain upon its population.

In 1780, the number of Militia, West of the Blue Ridge, in Virginia, was 11,440, which multiplied by four, gives for the number of inhabitants............

45,760 ..... 151,235

In 1790, the same county contained those counties having more than trebled their numbers in ten years. It is to be observed that these facts (and many more of a similar tendency might be adduced,) are drawn from the former and least prosperous state of America; and from periods which were either

* Jefferson's Notes, p. 132. + Ib. p. 128.

Ib. p. 131.

absolutely those of public calamity, or at best, were not those of national prosperity: yet, it is apprehended, they sufficiently prove that the inhabitants of the United States increase, at least as fast, as at the compound ratio of three and a half per cent.-that should foreigners cease to remove there, it would not prevent more than one fifteenth, or one twentieth of this increase; and that there are, as yet, no symptoms of this rate of increase being at all diminished by the crouded population of the country. The United States must contain 18,000,000 of people to equal the average of New England, and 55,000,000 to equal the rate of population in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The causes of this great increase of population, so peculiar to America, might be readily and satisfactorily explained, by a review of the state of manners, society, property, and government in that country. The discussion would, however, be too long for the present paper, and is therefore foreborn.

Calculation of the Present Number of Inhabitants in the United States. At the end of the year 1790............

Increase 1 year at 37 per cent

4,000,000

140,000

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SECTION II.

Of the Territory of the United States.

It appears from the statements in Sec. I. that the increase of inhabitants of the United States, is in the compound ratio of about three and a half per cent. and that at the end of the year 1797, their number is about

The territory of the United States has been usually reckoned, after Mr. Hutchins, as equal to a tract one thousand miles square. This computation, though probably too large, will be followed.

It gives in acres

From which deduct for water

And there remains of land.........

5,088,890

640,000,000

51,000,000

589,000,000

Of this quantity it is known that about............... 220,000,000 are contained in the territory North West of the river

Ohio, and is nearly all of it uninhabited. Of the ... 369,000,000 which remain, it is difficult to form any just estimate as to the proportion of the inhabited and appropriated parts, to those which are not so.

It is, however, thought reasonable to suppose, that in America, whenever any part of the country has acquired a population of about twenty persons to the square mile, or 150 or 200 acres to a family, that then, the land must there have acquired nearly the average price of cultivated land, and the surplus population will incline to emigrate. Assuming this as a rule, the lands in the United States, so occupied, would, in 1796, be ......

Remains

a great part of which is, in fact, inhabited in some degree, the remainder is owned by states and individuals, and much of it not for sale.-Add for the North West territory .....

157,337,664 211,662,336

220,000,000 431,662,336

Lands of all kinds yet to be settled .... The increase of the population of the United States, calculated upon the principles established in Sec. I. will, if applied to the settlement of new lands at the rate of twenty persons to each square mile, or thirty-two acres each person, occupy the lands of the United States in the proportions, and at the periods following, viz.

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It has usually been supposed, that the great rise which has taken place in the value of American lands, has been produced by caprice or accident, and not derived from any fixed and certain sources of profit: but it is allowed, that this rise in their value has been constant, and very great, ever since the first settlement of the colonies, and during periods which were very far from being those of public prosperity. Without taking any advantage, however, of the present favourable state of public affairs, it will be attempted to shew by facts, and calculations drawn from the former and least prosperous state of the country, that the great increase in the value of lands is derived from fixed and necessary causes existing in the country, and is, in a great measure, subject to strict calculation.

The following calculation is founded upon these principles, viz.— 1st. It is supposed to be proved in Sec. I. that the inhabitants of the United States increase in the compound ratio of three and a half per cent.

2d. It appears from the same Sec. that at the end of the year 1796 the number of inhabitants in the United States is about 4,916,802. 3d. It appears from the statements in Sec. II. that the quantity of vacant lands, in the United States, is about 431,662,336 acres. 4th. Of consequence, there are in the United States, 1139 persons to each 100,000 acres of new lands.

5th. It is supposed that new lands, on an average, are worth one dollar per acre; and that lands inhabited, at the rate of twenty

persons to the square mile, are worth fourteen dollars, or three guineas per acre.

The following statement, therefore, shews the increasing value of any 100,000,000 acres, (taken equal to the average) upon the principle that the increase of 1139 persons may be applied to the settlement of it, and that as much land as they settle, at the rate of twenty persons to the square mile, is worth fourteen dollars per

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