IMPORTANCE OF COLONIZATION TO THE BRITISH PEOPLE.
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.