Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-02-10

sue in State and county matters. II the
state of Maryland has any thing In her
system, which destroys or INJURIES her
prosperity, which retards the improve
menl and lessons the value OF her lands,
and checks the increase ct her popula-
ton, she ought to consider how she may
remove or diminish this evil. Ii IN look
ing to her D-ighboring states she hnds
one suffering from the same cause, and
another which once suffered from the
same cause, prosperity III its removal,
she will be more anxious TO avoid tt1e
bad policy OF the one, and make the
change which has been SO beneficial TO
the other.
ADply these remarks TO the state OF
things in Maryland, in relation TO her
black population. II il can be shewn
that this peculiarly in our system re-
tards the increase Of our population, and
the improvement and the rise in value
of our lands, then il is plainly shewn TO
be an evil, and in proportion as II produ-
ces such effects, is the evil great, and
the obligation to remove or lessen 1t is
obvious and urgent.
To prove that it does produce those ell
fccts, shall resort 10 experience that
cannot deceive US, and to documents
thai cannot be questioned.
First-Il diminishes the increase OF
our population. The population of Ma
ryiand, as appears by the census IN 1870
was 3l9,728: and by t G census OF 1920,
4O7,55o. SO tina, the Increase within
the thirty years was 81 672. Now com
pare this increase with that OF those
states where there IS none or bn, little
OF this colored population, aao the real
and great difference 10 our disadvan-
tage will be seen at once. Pennsyiva-
MA, for instance, in 1890, had popo a.
ton OF 434,373, exceedln ours 4,545,
and in l82o,her population was l,049,459,
exceeding ours ID 1899, by 642-l09.
/. The increase OF Mawlani in those thIrty
years was 1902, while that OF Penn
! sylvana in the same period WAS 6l5 0S6.
| A reference to the census Will snow thai
fair comparison OF the increase OF the
other slave states with that of the other
| free states. produces the same result,
and makes the cone lus!on 70 which we
come as to the operation OF this cause in
affecting our population, demonstra-
ton.
| Compare Virginia with Pennsylvania
| in 1870 Virginia had 747 81 10 Inhabitants,
ard Pennsylv MIA Asa 1873, SO that Vir-
g,nia exceede her Sl3237. In 1920,
! Pennsyivania had | O49 ,459 and Virgil !
j MIA 1865, lis, making the excess Of,
! Virginia dwindie down to 1854 Per
hsps it may be thought that Pennsyiva.
MIA has more land to employ her own
| citizens on, aud to invite settlers from
| other states, than Virginia. No, Penn
! sylvania has twenty-nne millions OF
acres, and Virginia forty millions
| This assertion, respecting the effects
| OF black popu! ation. can, however, be
made good without going out of our own
state.
What counties have increased in po-
pulaion in the ten years between the
two last census?
Frederick, Washington, and A''egha-
ny, where there are but few slaves.
What counties have decrease in the
same period Montgomery, Prince,
Georges, Charles, and ali the counties
on both shores, w ere there is large
proportion of this population, will be
found to be either ationary, decreasing,
or increasing in ouch less ratio. lie
population OF Fred rick coonty in 1910,
was 34,437 in 1890, 4o,A5o. 'ncre.-.Ng
in the ten years, upwards of 5000. Wash
ington county in the same period, has
increased npw irds Of 900, and a lleghs-
ny about 900. Frederick had in 1920,
about 5000 saves, Washington about
5000, and Allegheny about 700. In
Charles counv the black population in
i Charles County, in the sane ten years,
J in which Frederick, Washington, and
I Allegheny have thus increased has lost
J 3745 inhabi ants, about one fifth OF her
population!
/ Now is there any other cause to which
/ all these various results, tending SO
clear to the same conclusion, can with
any plausi5il.y be referred: None can
be imagined. Nor will the cause to
which we attribute them be thought in
capable of effecting such consequences,
| if we properly consider it.
Why does free county or state re-
tain and increase its population! Because
from greater improvement in agricul-
|ture, there is greater demand for la
Dor. Because white laborers Of all de-