nature and history, so to speak, combined to offer to a vigorous race a golden opportunity of founding society on a new and sounder basis, free from the inheritance of ancient misery and crime which clings to it in the States of Europe - an opportunity perhaps singular in the past annals of the world, an opportunity which assuredly can never recur. Proportionately great will be the disappointment if such an opportunity should prove to have been in a measure neglected or misused, if from the want of a little judgment and foresight at a critical moment the evils and follies which in Europe have grown to be almost part of its people should be suffered to spring up anew in America, to spread as only evil can spread, and poison the life of our remote descendants.

CITY OF BOSTON.

IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN, May 13, 1872.

Laid on the table, and five hundred copies ordered to be

REPORT.

TO THE CITY COUNCIL :

The undersigned herewith respectfully submits his Annual Report of the Births, Marriages; and Deaths in the City of Boston, for the year 1871.

BIRTHS.

The number of children registered during the year (including about 250 who were born in other places, but who were not registered elsewhere) was 8,555 - 4,355 males and 4,200 females; an increase of 463 over the number recorded in the preceding year. Using the census of 1870, which gives to Boston a population of 250,526, it appears that there was one birth to 29.28 of that population. If the number of stillbirths (543) be added, the ratio will be 1 to 27.51. In 1870, the proportion of children born alive to the population was 1 to 31; including the stillbirths of that year, it was 1 to 29.

1. BIRTHS IN 1871. — NATIVITY OF PARENTS.