in the United States in Fifty Years. 97 



affords persuasive evidence that the natural increase of the free 

 portion of the coloured population is less than that of the slaves. 

 The number of the former in 1820, was 238,197, and in 1840, 

 386,348, showing an increase in 20 years, of 62.2 per cent; and 

 the slaves in the same time, showed an increase of 61.1, although 

 the number of slaves emancipated in New York and New Jersey,* 

 was probably more than 15,000 ; and which, consequently, made 

 an accession of near six per cent to the free coloured in 1820. 

 Making, then, but a moderate allowance for their gain from this 

 source, the increase of the slaves shown by the census will con- 

 siderably exceed that of the free coloured. It is true, that whilst 

 this class gained largely by emancipation, it is known also to have 

 lost largely by emigration, especially in the last decennial term ; 

 but such emigration is not likely to have much exceeded the 

 diminution of slaves from a similar cause, and certainly not enough 

 to balance the gain from emancipation. 



But further : the proportion of children under 10 in this class, 

 thus compares with that of the other two classes in 1830 and 1840, 

 viz : 



Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 



Whites, . . in 1830, 32.54— In 1840, 31.61— Difference, 0.93 

 Slaves, . . " 34.90 " 33.94 " 0.96 



Free coloured " 30.04 " 28.88 " 1.12 



By which it appears that the proportion of free coloured children 

 under ten was, at both enumerations, more than two per cent less 

 than that of the whites, and more than four per cent less than that 

 of the slaves. Now we cannot refer this inferiority to emigration, 

 which, so far as it has any effect, tends to increase the proportion 

 of children ; and whether we refer the whole or part of it to eman- 

 cipation, (which, by adding only adults to the class, unquestionably 

 diminishes the proportion of children,) an inferiority in the rate of 

 increase is the necessary result. If we refer the whole, then we 

 suppose such an accession from this source that, when deducted 

 from the total number of the class, the remainder would prove a 

 slower rate of increase than the census exhibits in the slaves, and. 

 perhaps in the whites ; and if we refer only a part of the difference 



* In 1820, the number of slaves in those States was 17,645, and in 1830, it was re- 

 duced to 2,329. It may be presumed that the whole, or nearly the whole of the differ- 

 ence, was the effect of emancipation in the intervening ten years. 



9 



