Here are grants, perfected and in embryo, which embrace nearly 115,000,000 of acres of the lands which had been consecrated to free homes. Vast as is the quantity, the remainder is still large enough, as will be seen hereafter, for many millions of families.

CHAPTER II.

Number of Free Farms-Population, Present and Future-Increase of Public Wealth-Past and Future Immigration-Gold Mines-Farms-Enough for All.

Ir is known that when land could be obtained from Government at $1.25 per acre, the demand was very active, both from settlers and speculators. As the same description of lands are hereafter to be given away, many persons will presume that they will be rapidly absorbed by claimants. But there are two potent causes to prevent such result-first, the obligation to occupy the land for five years before any title whatever can be acquired, and secondly, the enormous quantity to be distributed. The following remarkable statistics on this subject are given by Mr. Samuel B. Ruggles, in his late report to the International Statistical Congress :

"The territorial area of the United States at the peace of 1783, then bounded west by the Mississippi river, was 820,680 square miles, about four times that of France, which is stated to be 207,145, exclusive of Algeria. The purchase from France of Louisiana, in 1804, added to this area 899,680 square miles. Purchases from Spain, and from Mexico, and the Oregon treaty with England, added the further quantity of 1,215,907 square miles; making the

total present territory at 2,936,166 square miles, or 1,879,146,240 acres.

"Of this immense area, possessing a great variety of climate and culture, so large a portion is fertile that it has been steadily absorbed by the rapidly increased population. In May, 1863, there remained undisposed of, belonging to the Government of the United States, 964,901,625 acres.

"To prevent any confusion of boundaries, the lands are carefully surveyed and allotted by the Government, and are then granted gratuitously to actual settlers, or sold for prices not exceeding $1.25 per acre to purchasers other than settlers. It appears by the report of the Commissioner of the General Land-office, that the quantity surveyed and ready for sale in September, 1862, was 135,142,999 acres. The report also states, that the recent discoveries of rich and extensive gold fields in some of the unsurveyed portions, are rapidly filling the interior with a population whose necessities require the speedy survey and disposition. of large additional tracts. The immediate survey is not, however, of vital importance, as the first occupant practically gains the pre-emptive claim to the land after the survey is completed. The cardinal, the great continental fact, so to speak, is this: that the whole of this vast body of land is freely open to gratuitous occupation, without delay or difficulty of any kind."

All these lands will necessarily rise in value as settlements are scattered through them. Our population is increasing with a rapidity not witnessed in any other country, and it is notorious that it is population which gives value to land. In 1860, we had 31,455,080 inhabitants, of whom 4,441,766 were colored, and of these, 3,953,760 were slaves. Henceforth they may be counted as freemen. The increase

of population since the establishment of the government has been as follows, as given by Mr. Ruggles:

1790.

1800.

1810.

1820.

1830.

1840.

1850.

1860.

3,929,827,

5,305,937, increase 35.02 per cent. 7,239,814, increase 36.45 per cent. 9,638,191, increase 33.13 per cent. .12,866,020, increase 33.49 per cent. .17,069,453, increase 32.67 per cent. .23,191,876, increase 35.87 per cent. .31,445,080, increase 35.59 per cent.

"This rate of progress, especially since 1820, is owing in

part to immigration from foreign countries.

"There arrived, in 10 years,—

66

Being a yearly average of 126,560 for the last 40 years, and 270,762 for the last ten years."

The rebellion checked the tide of foreign immigration; but in 1863 it again commenced setting towards our shores. Mr. Ruggles says:

"The records of the Commissioners of Emigration of New York show that the arrivals at that port alone have been, for

18,724 about 98,000

1863, up to Aug. 20, 73 mos...64,465

"The proportions of the whole number of 5,062,414 arriving from foreign countries in the forty years from 1820 to 1860, were as follows:

117,142

From China (in California almost exclusively)
From all other countries, or unknown.......

"It is not ascertainable how many have returned to foreign countries, but they probably do not exceed a million. If the present partial check to immigration should continue, though it is hardly probable, the number of immigrants for the decade ending in 1870 may possibly be reduced from 2,707,624 to 1,500,000.

"The ascertained average increase of the whole population in the seven decades from 1790 to 1860, which is very nearly 33 per cent., or one-third for each decade, would carry the present numbers (31,445,080)

By the year 1870, to.

From which deduct for the possible diminution of immigrants, as above....

There would remain..

41,926,750

1,207,624

40,719,126

"Mr. Kennedy, the experienced Superintendent of the census, in the Compend published in 1862, at page 7, estimates the population of 1870 at 42,318,432, and of 1880, at 56,450,241. The rate of progress of the population of the United States has much exceeded that of any of the European nations. The experieneed statisticians in the