40

has resulted in an already perceptible efflux of the African
population.

This fact increasing the demand for laboring forces, com-
bined with the removal of the competition of slave labor so
distasteful to the white, especially to the German workman;
multiplies the attractive features of our State for immigration
and opens the blooming shores of our lower counties with
their large tracts of fertile and cheap land, and their mani-
fold avenues of industrial pursuits to the sedulous husband-
man; the skilful mechanic and the enterprising merchant of
other states and countries, whilst previously, only the upper
counties were chiefly selected by the immigrant as is exhibited
in the above table of population, in which we sea every where
the highest number of foreigners where there is the smallest
number of negroes and vice versa. But we are to speak of
the condition, experience and prosperity of the already exist-
ing foreign and more especially the German population of
this State.

The census of 1860 tell us, that of 77.536 foreign born
citizens, 43.884 came from Germany; 24.872 from Ireland
and 8.780 from other countries, thus verifying the ratio above
mentioned, and exhibiting a preponderancy of the German
among the foreign element equalled or surpassed in but few
states of the Union. How this preponderancy is proportioned
in the single counties, it is difficult for us to determine with
accuracy, except in Baltimore city. However, it is well known
that Baltimore, Allegany, Frederick, Washington and Car-
roll counties have, what may be called specific German settle-
ments with German schools and churches and other manifest-
ations of original habits of life. We regret not to be able
to give exact statistics in this regard and admit that these
settlements in the counties are not as numerous and densely
populated as in other (especially the Western,) states of the
Union, but this is attributable partly to the religious freedom
and the free-school system introduced previously in most and
now in all the counties; and partly to the circumstance that
in country regions or rural districts, the immigrant comes
more in contact with the native element and hence acclimatizes
and assimilates himself much sooner than in cities. So much
however is certain, that the German element is highly esti-
mated in every county and sought for, that there exists very
little of crime; no pauperism and scarcely any poverty among
them and that their general standing and influence is regard-
ed so important by the State authorities as to cause the pub-
lication of laws and other important public documents in the
German language and the favorable legislation toward the
increase of German immigration.

To form an opinion of the calibre of the German element
from the vitality which it can display only sporadically and
upon a small scale in the counties, would be unfair, therefore