We do not share in the least the opinion of those who thinkthat the tropical countries of America offer less advantages toGerman colonisation than those of temperate climate in NorthAmerica.However great, as we have openly confessed, is ourattachment for the last-named country, and however little we areable or desire to deny that an individual German emigrant whopossesses a little capital has greater hope of permanently makinghis fortune in Western North America, we must nevertheless hereexpress our opinion that emigration to Central and South America,if it were well led and undertaken on a large scale, offers in anational point of view much greater advantages for Germany thanemigration to North America.What good is it if the emigrants toNorth America become ever so prosperous? In their personal relationthey are lost for ever to the German nationality, and also fromtheir material production Germany can expect only unimportantfruits.It is a pure delusion if people think that the Germanlanguage can be maintained by the Germans who live in the interiorof the United States, or that after a time it may be possible toestablish entire German states there.We once ourselves entertainedthis illusion, but after ten years' observation in the countryitself, on the spot, we have entirely given it up.It lies in thevery spirit of every nationality, and above all in that of theUnited States, to assimilate itself in language, literature,administration, and legislation; and it is good that that is so.
However many Germans may now be living in North America, yetcertainly not one of them is living there whose great-grandchildrenwill not greatly prefer the English language to the German, andthat for the very natural reason that the former is the language ofthe educated people, of the literature, the legislation, theadministration, the courts of justice, and the trade and commerceof the country.The same thing can and will happen to the Germansin North America as happened to the Huguenots in Germany and theFrench in Louisiana.They naturally must and will be amalgamatedwith the predominant population: some a little sooner, others alittle later, according as they dwell more or less together withfellow-countrymen.
Still less dependence can be placed on an active intercoursebetween Germany and the German emigrants to the west of NorthAmerica.The first settler is always compelled by necessity to makefor himself the greater part of his articles of clothing andutensils; and these customs, which originated from mere necessity,continue for the most part to the second and third generation.
Hence it is that North America itself is a country which makespowerful efforts in manufacturing industry, and will continuallystrive more and more to gain possession of her home market formanufactured goods, for her own industry.
On the other hand, we would on that account by no meansmaintain that the American market for manufactured goods is not avery important one, and well worthy of regard, especially forGermany On the contrary, we are of opinion that for many articlesof luxury and for manufactured articles which are easy oftransport, and in which the wages of labour constitute a chiefelement of the price, that market is one of the most important, andmust from year to year, as respects the articles above named,become more important for Germany.What we contend is only this,that those Germans who emigrate to the west of North America giveno important assistance in increasing the demand for Germanmanufactured goods, and that in reference to that object emigrationto Central and South America requires and deserves very much moredirect encouragement.
The above-mentioned countries, including Texas, are for themost part adapted for raising colonial produce.They can and willnever make great progress in manufacturing industry.Here there isan entirely new and rich market for manufactured goods to acquire;whoever has here established firm commercial relations, may remainin possession of them for all future time.These countries, withoutsufficient moral power of their own to raise themselves to a highergrade of civilisation, to introduce well-ordered systems ofgovernment, and to endue them with stability, will more and morecome to the conviction that they must be aided from outside,namely, by immigration.In these quarters the English and Frenchare hated on account of their arrogance, and owing to jealousy fornational independence -- the Germans for the opposite reasons areliked.Hence the states of the Zollverein ought to devote theclosest attention to these countries.
