New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-02-01
Freedom & slavery for Africa m orleans.


To the Editor Of The Tribune:
Figures cannot be charged with fanaticism.
Like the everlasting hills, they give cold, silent
evidence, unmoved by the clouds and shadows OF
whatever present may surround them. Let Us
see what they say of the
VITAL STATISTICS
of the Slaves Of the South OF the SCUM anu u
the Free Blacks of the North. There are one OF
two preliminary remarks necessary to enable Us
to iuige of this matter they relate to what sta
lists call the disturbing Influences" 1t Is gen
erally assumed that the rlgor Of the Northern
winter is more destructive to the Afric-Amerlcan
constitution than the milder influence OF the oout
ern cline. How much should be allowed LOT liiis'
I am at loss to say: by the late CENSUS
ever. the free colored population Oh 'ne io NV
and Southern States have nearly ah eq.Si
cont, oo above SO years Of age not more IMAM -
20 IS oen, being in favor of the South. But TINS
!, nor centage is more than balanced by the Ia
III, With which colored men and women turn
While at the North The keen and practsed eyes
of Southern men can instantly detect the most
remote admixture of African blood; and interest
and pride urge them to exercise rlgld conserVa-
tism. But here at the North, the boundary llhe
70 lose distinct: the colored white has merely 70
change his place of abode cut his old associates
and courtesy will do the rest-he is Whlte'
There is not path in literature or science IN our
State. in which | could not point out very dis
tnguished colored men. OF one hundred boys
who attended with me the N. Y. African Free
School in 1867, could name SIX now living
all white.
There is another disturbing influence" You
have probably heard Of the great AngloSaxon
race, the Irish people and the Berseklrs. You
have also heard of their indomltable energy winch
overwhelms all opposing obstacles-and races
During the last thirty years, the Northern States
have been the scene of silent struggle j ne
combatants have been, and are, on the one hano
the great Anglo-Saxon race, and the IRISH people
and the Bersekirs q have borrowed the name from
Mr.. EMERSON having In their possession the arts
OF war and peace their numbers sweled by an
immigration of $4,000 per year, which has fallen
into rank and file by naturalization and enfran-
chising lawson the other hand, are the Tree
blacks, taught to believe themselves naturally IN
ferior barely admitted to common school lnstruc-
tion shut out from the temples Of igher literature
and tainted with ignorance, barred trorn the jury
bench and driven from what are called churches
vet branded with implety. This has been no
trifing conflict The Indian race have persisted
in like encounter. 1t has severely tried the VI
tality of the free blacks, whilst the slaves OF the
South have had no such battle to fight IN their
struggle for bread This should show the per
centage of longevity in favor Of the slaves, other
things being equal.
The Texan slaye-trade, or migration, consisted
chiefly of slaves under So. The voluntary mig
ration to Canada of the runaway slaves (about
10000 has also consisted, chiefly OF a class OF
persons under SO years of age. Both Of these dis
turbing influences would throw the balance OF
longevity largely in favor of the slaves Of the
South for the medium ages being diminished,
the extremes. should be greater.
Longevity is an admitted test of relative con
dition. Take two classes of persons, equal IL
other respects, and place them in like condition
their longevity will be equal: place the SAM
classes of persons in different condition, and tina
condition which yields less longevity will be tn
acorse condition. BY the census of 1910, it ap
pears that there are of
FREE CoLoRED IN THE FREE STATES,
Aged So and under 55-l6.i2 per CT 1852 per c,
IL IS and under 100 6.5 per CT. II per CT
SLAVES.
Aged &c and under 55-i65 per ct. IT'S 2g per ct
IS, and under 100 All per ct. 4. per CT
THAT IS TO SAY:
Free colored of So and under l00-22. 60 per cent
Difference
Here we find that whilst 226o per cent. of the
free black population of the North live beyond sc
years of age, only l54e per cent. of the slaves Of
the South pass that period of life; showing diff
ference of 7l9 per cent in favor of the longevity,
j. e. of the condition of the free blacks. And as
the only difference between these classes of popu-
lation is that the one is free and the other ensla
ved it follows that slavery has actually destroyed
at the very least 7.l9 per cent. of the slave popu
lation. Had the slaves been In no worse condi
ton than the free blacks of the North, instead o
numbering only 2,4S7 ,355 in June, 1910, they
would have numbered 9 1865, 440 the difference
RS9.0S5. having been MURDERED by the sys
tenn of slavery. What mockery it is for men t
talk of the kindness Of masters in taking care o
aged slaves when Death has relieved them of 81
large share of the burden! Have not the North
ern States a right, IN view Of this awful fact, t.
call upon the South to emancpate her slaves 81
that she may "do no murder" If hundred
thousand dollars, sunk in the mire of reputation
Is sufficient cause for great and pious men t.
whine about, wha; rush OF sympathy is sufficient
ly rapid, what language Is temperate, which plead:
for the loss of a hundred thousand human lives
cut off in their prime, and blasted from all useful.
ness /! This Is no accidental result Of a single
census by reference to Professor fuckers very
able work on the (" Progress of population, &C.
Press of Hunts Merch Mag n. Y, it will b,
seen that IN the census of 1920 and of 1880, the
same per centage of the slave population, only |;
per cent live beyond the age of IS years, Wills
shefree black population has steadily improved it
per centage beyond that period of life from II pc
cent. 10 22.6S per cent
Here, then, is evidence from unpreudiced wit
nesses, that the Free Blacks of the North are no
worse off than the Slaves of the South and tina
the former have gradually improved in longevity
that is, In the comforts OF life, since their emanci
patton. AS a portion of these comforts must D