TWENTY-FOURTH REGISTRATION REPORT. (1865.) IN presenting the following comments upon the mass of observations which constitute the Twenty-Fourth Annual Report of the social life of the State, it may not be unprofitable to look for a moment at its object. Many will ask themselves, "What is the practical benefit to be derived from these figures?" It is the knowledge of human development in communities, subject to many influences promoting or retarding their growth and welfare. These influences may be changed by public opinion, and by legislation. Exactly what they are may be suspected, but cannot be demonstrated except just in this way. This is not a work the full measure of whose results can be clearly anticipated. Much we already perceive, but very much is yet to be made clear by the patient accumulation of facts in a long series of years. Within the recollection of the present generation, improvements in physical well-being have been made which should lead us to search eagerly for others equally beneficial; and in no way is the clew to them so readily to be found as in the mass of facts contained in these and similar reports. The obligations of a true philanthropy are not answered by a relief of suffering, but require that it should be anticipated and averted. The observations which during the past quarter of century have been made in various countries of Europe, as well as in Massachusetts, clearly prove that many calamities which in a less enlightened age would have been regarded as a part of man's inevitable destiny, are preventable by improved social arrangements. What duty can be more imperative than to endeavor to discover those noxious agencies which shorten our lives and limit. our happiness? The year 1865 was one of war. Happily it saw the conclusion of the fearful strife; but during the first five months of the year this State had as large a number of men in the field as at any former period. The disturbing influence of this condition upon the matters with which we have to deal has been remarked upon in several preceding reports. We shall see that it still deranges the relations between births, deaths, and marriages, which the experience of many years previous to the war would warrant us in expecting. There is, however, an evident foreshadowing in the reports of this year of a return to normal relations. The whole number of names registered during the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five, was eighty-two thousand five hundred and five. These are divided as follows: thirty thousand two hundred and forty-nine (30,249) children were born alive, of which fifteen thousand six hundred and fifty-nine (15,659) were males, and fourteen thousand five hundred and ninety (14,590) were females. Thirteen thousand and fifty-two (13,052) couples, or twentysix thousand one hundred and four (26,104) persons were married. Of this number, seven thousand eight hundred and fourteen (7,814) were purely American marriages; and five thousand two hundred and thirty-eight (5,238) were marriages either of foreigners exclusively, or in which one party was foreign. The whole number of deaths was twenty-six thousand one hundred and fifty-two (26,162,) of which thirteen thousand one hundred and seven (13,107) were males, and thirteen thousand and fortyfive (13,045) were females. A comparison of these numbers with those of 1864 shows, first, a'decrease of 200 births; second, an increase of 538 marriages; third, a decrease of 2,571 deaths. Here are the first indications of a return to the usual relations. The army was disbanded, for. the most part, in the early summer of 1865. In April, however, nine months before the close of the year, it appears from information which we have derived from the office of the adjutant-general of the State, more than 33,000 men were in the field. How many Massachusetts men were at that time serving in the navy it is very difficult to determine; but the whole number absent from the State on public service was probably greater than at any time during the preceding three years. This offers a satisfactory explanation of the diminished number of births. The large increase of marriages is evidently due to the close of the war. The number is greater than ever before reported, except in 1854, and an unusual proportion occurred in the last quarter. The diminished number of deaths, although greater than ever recorded previous to 1863, also marks a year, half of which was exposed to the casualties of war, and the other half in the enjoyment of peace. In the next year we may reasonably expect a material change in the relation of births, deaths, and marriages, from that which the past four years has afforded. The natural increase of population, or the excess of births over deaths, for 1865, is only four thousand and ninety-seven (4,097.) This is better than the preceding year by two thousand three hundred and seventy-one (2,371.) The population of the State being 1,267,059, one living child was born to every 41.89 persons. One person in every 48.54 was married. One person in every 48.45 died. The average number of births daily was 82-87. The average number of marriages daily was 35.76, or 71.52 persons. The average number of deaths daily was 71.65. The percentage of births, deaths and marriages was as follows: The excess of the birth-rate over the death-rate was therefore -323 of one per cent. It is remarkable how nearly the marriagerate and death-rate correspond. one. The excess of deaths of males over those of females was sixtyIn 1864, it was twelve hundred and sixty-six. In 1863, it was twelve hundred and sixty-four. In 1862, it was eight hundred and twenty-two. While in the ten years which preceded the war, the deaths of females exceeded those of males. By comparison with the returns for 1864, it appears that the births have diminished in all the counties except Barnstable, Berkshire, and Suffolk. The marriages have increased in all the counties except Franklin and Suffolk. The deaths have notably diminished in every county except Nantucket and Dukes. The average age of those who died was 28-68 years, an i of 38 of a year over 1864. The lowest average is as us Suffolk County, (24-24,) owing evidently to the large pro of deaths of young children of foreign parentage. Throwi Nantucket and Dukes Counties, where the numbers are s that they are of little value by themselves, the highest av are in Franklin (37.97,) Barnstable (35-07,) Plymouth (3 and Berkshire (31.95.) TABLE showing the Number of BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, and I Registered in Massachusetts during the past nine years The above table shows how the natural increase, that is, the ference between births and deaths, has been interrupted du the past five years. It also shows how the return of peace in last six months of 1865 is beginning to restore the natural healthful relations. It can hardly be doubted that another will make this perfectly evident. |