The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-08-02

ana dumD OF tne Tree DlaCkS OIL the nOn-SlaVenOld-
ing States was one out of every 996; and of blInd
one out of every s93; whereas, we have seen, by
the census OF 1910, the number of free blacks,
deaf and dumb, in the non-slaveholdng states,
was one out of every $50; and of blind, one out OF
every SIG. In the last ten years, them the alarm
ing fact is proved, that the proportionate number
of free black deaf and dumb, and also of blind,
has increased about fifty per cent. No statement
as to the insane or idiots is gwen in the census Of
1880.
Let us now examine the future increase of free
blacks in the States adjoining the slaveholding
States, If Texas is>not reannexed to the Union.
BY the census of 1890, the number of free blacks
in the States (adding New York; adjoining the
slaveholding States, was 1883. In the States
(adding New York; adjacent to the slave holding
States, the number of free blacks, by the census
of 1910, was las, JOY; being aggregate increase
of nearly eleven to one in New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Now,
by the census and table above given the aggregate
number of free blacks who were deaf and dumb,
blind, idiots, insane, paupers in prisons, in
the non-slaveholding States, 26, ,342, or one in
every six of the whole number. Now, if the free
black population should increase in the same ratio,
in the aggregate, in New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, from
1910 to 1890, as it did from 1890 to 1910, the ag-
gregate free black population in these six States
would be, in 1890, 600 ,000 in 1865, 800 ,0O0;
in 1858, 100000; and The aggregate number in
these six States of free blacks, according to the
present proportion, who would then be deaf and
dumb, blind, idiots or Insane, paupers or in prison.
would be, in 1890, 266, ,666; IN 1865, 1873 1888; and
in 1858, 66 ,666; being, as we have seen one-sixh
of the whole number. Now, if the annual cost
Of supporting these free blacks in these asylums,
and other houses, including the interest on the
repairs, and the money disbursed for the arrest,
trial. conviction and transportation of the criminals
amounted to fifty dollars each, the annual tax on
the people of these six states on account of these
free blacks, would be in 1890, 1913 1888 200; in
1865, SO, ,666 900; and in 1858, So, ,s33.sOo.
Does, then, humanity require that we should
render the blacks more debased and miserable, by
this process of abolition, with greater temptations
to crime, with more of real guilt and less of ac-
tual comfortsl As the free blacks are thrown
more and more upon the cities of the north, and
compete more there with the white laborer, the
condition of the blacks becomes worse and more
perilous every day, until we have already seen the
masses of Cincinnati and Philadelphia rise to expel
the negro race beyond their limits Immediate
abolition, whilst it deprived the South of the
means to purchase the products of the North land
West, would fill those States with an inundation
of free black population that would be absolutely
intolerable. Immediate abolition, then has but
few advocates; but if emancipation were not i'm
mediate but only gradual, whilst slavery existed
to any great extent in the slaveholding States
bordering upon the States of the North and
West, this expulsion, By gradual abolition, of the
free blacks into the States Immediately north of
them, would be very considerable, and rapidly
every year. If this process of gradu-
al abolition only doubled the number of free blacks
to be thrown upon the States of the North and
West, then reference to the tables before presen
ted proves that the number of free blacks in New
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana,
and Illinois would be In 1890, 1920 900; in 1865,
600, 900; and in 1858, 100000; and that the
uual expenses to the people of these six States,
on account of the free black, would be in 1890,
$26 666 400; in 1865, $l3,333 200; and in 1858,
S6 ,666 600.
1t was in view no doubt, of these facts, that Mr..
Davis, of New York, declared, upon the floor of
Congress, on the 29th of December, 1s43, that the
'abolition of slavery in the southern States must
be followed by deluge Of blackpopulatiOn to the
North filling our jails and poor houses, and bring
ing destruction upon the laboring portion Of our
people" DR.. Duncan also, of Cincinnati, Ohio,
in his speech in Congress on the 9th January, 1874,
declared the result of abolition would be to inun-
date the North with free blacks, described by him
As "paupers, beggars, thieves, assassins and des-
peradoes; all, nearly all, penniless and destitute,
without skill, means, industry or perseverance to
obtain livelihood; each possessing and cherish
ing revenge for supposed or real wrongs No
mans ireside, person, family, or property, would
be safe by day or night It no,o requires the whole
energies of the law and the whole vigilance of
he police of all principal cities to restrain and
Seep in subordination the few struggling free ne
yroes that now infest them" If such be the case
now, what will be the result when by abolition,
gradual or immediate, the number of these free
negroes shall be doubled and quadrupled, and de-
,uplcd in the more northern Of the slaveholding