58 



Progress of Population and Wealth 



* It will be recollected that by the change of the day of taking the census from the 1st of August to 

 the 1st of June, the periods referred to in the two last columns want two months of the terms men- 



The very great disparity exhibited by the preceding table be- 

 tween the rate of increase in the three first divisions, which com- 

 prise the thirteen original States, and that of the two western divi- 

 sions, is to be referred almost entirely to migration, the Atlantic 

 States losing yet more than they gain by emigrants, whilst the 

 Western States gain largely and steadily both from foreign and do- 

 mestic emigration. There is, moreover, a small difference in their 

 natural increase, as we shall see in a subsequent part of this me- 

 moir. 



The distribution of the population into the three classes of whites, 

 free persons of colour, and slaves, at each census, with the decen- 

 nial increase of each class, are presented in the following table : 



The total increase of the three classes in fifty years, has been, 



of whites, as 100 to 447.3 



" " " of free coloured, . 649.7 



of slaves, .... 356.4 



" " " of the whole coloured, 379.4 



The relative proportions of the three classes, at each census, is 



as follows : 



