The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-04-29


whites ! per cent, in Kentucky ia pc
: cent, in Missouri. Al pei cent. The rela
tive violence Of The change may, therefore
= Fbe somewhat loosely indicated by the figure
: y, IA, and 81. No doubt great allow
ance should be made for the rapid growth O
Missouri, and the nearly stationary eondi
uon OF North Carolina; but after all du,
weight is given TO that circumstance, III,
difference is very remarkable. The FOL
lowing tables are copied from the censu.
returns
IN. isS lsI Isso 100 ls4o.
y c.'a' was.. sse. e; Mo. 'ls..9 ssss .sss,
K,suet an ssS 49, 49,, s ss $500 ISL
slaves ii'slo slsa sa.sl ss,Ta Iss.ali So
\ slave. 1.0H iefls ss.tsI ssss
1 Now upon an examination Of the re
turns OF Arkansas, lying Immediately
South OF Missouri, Of Tennessee lyins
South Of Kentucky. and Of South Carroll
ma, which is protected on her northern from
liter by the Old North State, we .ind then
entirely unaffected by the great change.
which have occurred North Of them. In
all Of these States the slave race is still in.
cressing more rapidly than the white, and
has done so as far back as We have any &C
count Of their population. So slight, par.
tial, and temporary are the exceptions to a
broad general rule, that in all States South
OF Kentucky and North Carolina, the slave
race has always, and does yet, increase
more rapidly than the whites, thar it may
with confidence be regarded as fixed and
general law. Out OF thirty-one enumera-
lions Of population in these States, there are
three which show a slight increase Of the
whites over the blacks, and twenty-eight
which snow the reverse in marked and
striking characters. These three exceptions
were local and temporary, and cannot
shake the general rule, which rests upon
causes well understood, and which have or
ten been elucidaled.
have said that the last stage Of slavery
was naturally closed by legislative act Of
emancipation. That this has been the case
in the States north Of Mason and Dixon's
line will not be disputed and need not be
shown. Whether the same result may or
may not be expected in the northern slave
States, is question upon which different
opinions may be expected to exist. But if
such a result were to occur, we would nalu-
rally suppose, from the remarkable regu-
lan,y which has marked the other stages OF
the movement, that Delaware would take
the lead, that Maryland would follow, and
that Virginia, Missouri and Kentucky,
would succeed. Now ii Is well known,
that less than two years ago, bill for the
emancipation Of her slaves, passed one
branch Of the Delaware Legislature, and
was arrested in the Senate by single vote.
That her Representative in Congress, during
the last winter, was seen voting upon the
Wilmot Proviso with the northern men,
bers against the south IN unbroken array.
and without distinction Of parties, and that
for all practical purposes Delaware is now
to be regarded as essentially free State
Assuming that an act OF emancipation will
pass the Delaware Legislature in the year
1850. aud that the same intervals Of time
will marx the last act, which have diStin-
guished the preceding stages in the several
States, the great problem Of the duration Of
slavery in the frontier States, would be east
ly solved. Maryland would then pass an
act Of emancipation in 1870; Virginia in
1890; Kentucky, Missouri and North Caro-
lima about the year 19l0-unless the rapid
movement of Missouri should cause her to
outstrip her sisters and anticipate the usual
period. | will readily admit, however, that
such prediction, however amusing to the
fancy, and however possible in its accom-
plishment, would rest upon no such secure
and immoveable basis, as does the great
proposition which have endeavored to il.
Iustrate, to-wit that slavery is not peIma-
nent in the northern slave States, but is
slowly receding in Southern direction,
and if time be allowed, will disappear
from our borders. There are in the natu
raj as well as in the moral world, great and
slow movements, both Of recession and ad
vance, often continued through centuries o
change, which arrest the eye Of the Natura
list and Philosopher, and the final result o
which is confidently predicted long before
it is clearly unlolded TO the busy masses o
mankind. No naturalist hesitates with alb
solute certainty TO declare, that the buffalo
the beaver, and the Indian races, are draw
ing near the close Of their career, and ar,
destined in few brief years to disappear
forever. Their recession from east to Yves
commenced nearly three centuries ago
when the bark of the Pilgrim race frs
grated upon the Plymouth sands. Th'
wild barbaric chivalry which now chase
the buffalo, or follows the war path owe
the bOuadless Prairies Of the far west, onc'
roamed upon the banks Of the Delawar
: and drank of the mountain sources OF thu
Hudson. The fated race Of the Anglo
Saxon came over the blue waters from tn
distant east, and from that moment tn
death knell Of the indigenous tribes ha
wrung mournlully in the ear Of the world
No human power, not the combined armie
and nayies Of christendom, no paper pr }
tests, or legislative enactments, can anes
the melancholy march Of the Indian rae
to their ocean grave in the far west. Thel
retreat from the Atlantic to the Paclh
/ shore, running through three centuries
: time, and illustrated by the heroism o
King Philip and Tecnmseh, will live il
the annals Of the world, but all else vii
perish. Even now, in the language OF tn
Prophet OF Old, we may say, ''rheir time
E near to come, and their days shall not b
prolonged. No less distinct, although o
d far later origin, is the recession Of the Span
, ish and the advance Of the Anglo-Saxo'
: race from North to South This has beel