Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-17


ditors estimate to have risen in the last nnr wears
To 80 5 per cent, which is equivalent 80 per cent
ier ten ycars-this may be owing to some errur in
the Auditors estimate. it may perhaps be- account
ted Tor, upon the suppositon that emigration from
That district has diminished. within the last nine
Years, and grafton it increased 1t is certainly
however, not according to the usual of things
tnat the ratio ot increase, newly settled
Should rise, as the population becomes more dense
You will observe that the Vallry district having
remaned nearly sta ionary tor the ten years from 800
to i8l0-ncreased III per cent for the next len
years and Ii 2-5 per far the last nin;-that the
middle district remaining nearly stationary tor 90
years from 800 to 1920, appears have increased
upwards OF D per cent for tho last nne;--and that
the Underwater district being nearly stationary for
20 years from 1890 to 1910. Increased in the next
10 years 50 per ceut, and in tue last nine about 81
per cent.
There can be no doubt that these IRREGULARITIES
proceed In great degree from the difference of ON
iSration at different times, and that the emigration
from all the districts in tine Stale is fast diminishing
as the western States and territories are becoming
populous, and western lands rising in price. The
time therefore is probably distan, whom the in
crease of population will he left chiefly to it's
natur causes, and wbea the ratio iu each district
Will be nearly the same
have made Calculation of the probable white
population OF the several districts, in the year 1850
upon the suppositioH--.hat the Auditors estimates
nre Correct, thai the western district will iucrense
20 per cent for the next ten'vears. and 10 per cen,
for the succee ling tsn,-that the Valley district will
increase 10 per cent for each period of ten yeas;-
and that the Eastern dis riots will increa Der
cent tor each period of ten years. The rcsult Of
THIS Calculation -, that IN the year 1850 the white
p pulation Of the western district would be about
23i,UoO-that of the Valley I67 .0OO,-of the middle
district 7,)00and the tide water district 78 600
giving to the west Of the Blue Ridge about .o6 GEO
and to the east about 395 900. This am persua
ded is Il Calculation more liberal to the west than
they are entitled to, and it results in giving them
sm1li maJority of white population in 1850. From
thencefOrward they have no reason to exoect
that their population would increase, more rapidly
than that of the Look for moment at the
comparative extent of the two districts and at some
of the which would affect the increase of their
population
The two districts west of the Blue Ridge contain
1896 square miles;-,he two east of the Ridge con-
tain 26, "a square miles Considering the vast OK
tent of mountains beyond the Blue Ridge, it would
be giving to the west most liberal estimate to it's
arabic lands suppose Them equal quality to the
arabic lands east of the mountains Reflect then on
the circumstance that the whole lands OF the must
be always employed in planting and farming while
very large proportion of those Of the west.-The
whole extensive district from the north mountains to
the western boundary, with the exception only Of
those narrow valleys which lie convenient to the
navigabe waters, must for ages to come, he in the
hands of the grazlerrecoect too that, if we should
have large towns and extensive manufactures
they will seek the marts of foreisn commerce. and
probably be found about the falls of the eastern rv
ers--and think you will find strong reason to be-
licve, that the eastern side of The mountains will al
why's maintain greater population than the west
ton.
have heard it said, that the eastern districts con
tain already, nearly as much population as they
could notwithstanding can be more erroneous =
The middle district counting all lis inhabitants, has
population of about %, and The tide water district a
population of about 90, to the square mile. Compare
this with the population of older countries. In rs l.
Scotland mad population of about 64-Wales 10
England SO, to the square me-France about tbe
beginning of this century had population of I79 Ia
the square milc.-Can any one doubt, that the cour
try between The blue ridge and The ocean, is capa
bic OF sustaining more population than Scotland or
Walcs?-and any good easpn be assigned WHY
il may not be as populous us England or France2
1t am right III my estimate of the future pro-
srFesS OF white population and we can be satisfied
that i'll the course OF twenty years. there will be a
few populous counties beyond the mountains essen
tally slave holding counties, having u kindred inter
est with the east, in the good government of that
property, and its exemption from unjust burtbeus
hcu you have that the basis OF white moi,
ation will not carry the power of the government.
into unfrendly hands,
Referring again to our tables find that the
Tide of slave population has been ting strongly to
the west, and that IT s swclrd TO It's urcatest
height, at the very base OF the blue ridge-tat i'm
due time, it will fiDd its !evel, through the passes of
that mountain, there be little To doubt
We fave seen by how much the slave population ex-
ceeds the white population in the eastern dis
tricts, and by how much it falls short, IN the two
western. Let see what has been the ratio
ofincrease from 1890, to the present time. |, stands
thus
In tie First District
From I79l 10 13OO-l56 per cent.
:" 1900 to 18IO-G5J per cent.
=" 1910 to 1905 per cent
4" 1890 TO 829-28i per cent;
IN The Second District
From 1880 to 100000 per cent,
" 1900 to 131O-51l per cent.
d" 1910 To 162U-25l per cent;
q 4