Population : its law of increase / by Nathan Allen.

  • Nathan Allen
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Population : its law of increase / by Nathan Allen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    causes for these changes or differences. It is justly said that the population of New England has been very much affected by constant emigration to the West and elsewhere, but when a careful examina- ~ tion is made as to the actual numbers emigrating, and then, as to — what should have been the natwral increase, it does not account sat- isfactorily for all the changes in its inhabitants. Moreover it should be borne in mind that the comparison here instituted, is between the same number of married women, whether living now or one hundred years ago, of the same stock, or between the same number of families of different races living at the present time. | It has been alleged by writers upon this subject, that unfavorable climate, bad government, want of food, epidemic diseases, war, want of marriages and prudential considerations, have always been found to be the principal causes in preventing an increase of population. But it will not be pretended for a moment that the four first named causes, viz:—climate, government, famine and pestilence, could have had any effect in the cases here mentioned—and war could not prior to 1860, and then only for a few years; neither could the want of marriages, as the marriage rate has fallen off comparatively but little from former times and is almost equal to that of European nations or of their representatives in this country. Modern times disclose the fact that it is not the number of marriages, but the fruitfulness of this relation that tells on the increase of population. The only re- maining cause—prudential considerations—cannot be passed over so lightly. These have had their influence in a great variety of ways ; in postponing marriage till a later age in life; in regarding the care and expense of children as a burden, as well as in preferring pleasure and fashion to domestic duties and responsibilities. To such an ex- tent has this “prudence” been carried that a great variety of means has been adopted to prevent conception, and in case of pregnancy, to produce abortion. This practice has been carried on so extensively as to affect somewhat the increase of population—partly by its direct effects, but, more indirectly, by its injury to the health and constitu- tion of its victims. But passing by for the present the deep crimin- ality and fearful extent of this practice, why should such a crime become so prevalent in all classes of society—even with married women among the intelligent, the refined and the religious? Why, too, should the natural instincts of women be so changed in regard to offspring? Why should so low an estimate be placed upon ‘the value of human life? Why should such a persistent effort be made to defeat one of the most important objects of the marriage institution,
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