The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-07
An English Analysis Of the Last Census OF
the United States.

In 1880 the territory of the United States ex-
tended from the frontier Of Canada to that of Flo
rida, aud from the Atlantic TO the Mississippi the
population of the republic fell short Of four millions
1T was only 3,9z9,s27. In 1850 the territory Of
the United States extended from the Atlantic to
the Pacif,, and from the Canadian frontier to tie
Gulf Of Mexico and San Francisco; the population
had increased TO upwards of twenty-three millions
to 267, i9S In 1880 the mineral treasures Of the
United states were almost unknown. 10 1850, not
to speak Of the California gold about which all the
world Is running crazy. it has been asceraned that
Pennsylvania alone contains stores Of coal, iron,
and lime in the same happy juxtarposi.ion to ich
other, and with the came facility of access to the
sea, which has gone far to make Great Britain the
wealthy seat Of manufactures it is, spread over a
territory Of immensely greater extent. The young
Hercules Of the ives ;ern world grows in stature,
and knits his sinews with preterna,ural rapidly.
The results of the census Of the United States
for ls50-a summary of which has recently been
publshed-are profoundly interesting, not only as
displaying the rapid advance Of the republic in
numbers, and their distribution over its immense
territory, but as indicating the moral character o:
the population and the silent changes in the allot
meDt of political power which are in progress.
Tbefree population of the United States increased
during the decade $1,000, from l7,3Ig,970 to
% 267 ,d9S, that is by 5,2 ti6; the slave popula-
tion increased in the period from 2, is7 lib to
3,l1g,5s9, that il, 692 i76 The ratio OF increls
amor the Tree population has been about 81 per
cent; that among the slave population only ~ per
cent. IL must, however, be kept in mind that
immigration has contributed largely to swell the
numbers Of the whites, and that there has been no
importation ofslaves. The numbers Of the colored
portion of the free population have not increased
With the same rapidity as those of their dusky
brethren held In slavery. In 1910, tho free colorci
population of the United States $50, 2a'; in
100, 1t was ilel13 an increase Of only 81 80, or
Z - per cent. The emigration of free people Of
color to Liberia, aud the eyasons 10 Canada, are
Insufficient to account for so ich more tardy
Of increase.
The ratio Of increase among the slaves is not
md of lnv nf onit al
comfort among these unfortunate creatures. The
truth would efore, appear TO be, that in 20 far
as mere feeding, clothing, and lodging are con-
ceintd, they ale tolerably well of aud that stripes
aud other bodily toftures are less frequently in
Gicted in excess than is generally supposed. This
stands with reason. No slaves can no y be imported
into the United STATE from abroad, and there a
steady growing demand for them in the slave States
OF more reccnt origin. The slave Il too valuable
commodity TO be wantony tortured or killed. I'M
LEES in exceptional cases; he is petted end taken
care Of az good horse is with US. IL is the moral
cOniamiraii IN that is the crying evil of slavery in
the United states. Laws have been pssscdin slave
states prohibiting the slaves to be educated; in
resfcc, Of the sexual intercourse all decency aud
decor are set AZ defiance where slaves are CON
ctri cd. Not only is the negro, but the colorcd
man or woman, with the least possible adinixture
Of African blood, treated as a nero animal This
is ttate Of affairs revolving 10 all who ,rvc ma,
bad The misfortune to be familiarlSed with il from
infancy.
The ssalanec Of political power between the slav,
and the free states in Congress Is sil too closely
adjusted to afford any prospect ola speedy termiDa
ton TO negro slavery by any measures that would
not endanger the permanenco Of the Union. In the
Senate every state has equality Of presentation
with every other; and the slave states are 10 in
number, the free States It, In the House Of Repre-
sentatives the altered relations Of population have
increased the representatives Of the free states by
three and diminished those Of the slave States By
the same number since 1910.
But there are other considerations TO be taken
into account besides the mere aggregate numbers
Of the representatives of slave States and free
States Ia tho SD Congress eight Of tho old Allan
tic tree States will have fewer members by ~ than
they had in The 9th, and SIX Of the old Atlantic
slave states by 25. On the other hand, six Of the
new Western free States will have more members
by 70 in the sd than they h ,d in the 27th Com
gress, and six of the new Western slave states by
II. The old steady-going Atlantic States are
becoming less powerful IN the House of Represen-
tatyes the more reckless pioneers of settlement in
the Far West are becoming more powerful there
and the ratio in which tho representatives Of the
Western fee states increasing exceeds that at
which those Of the Western slave States are in.
crtarg even more than the ratio ut lish the rep
Itsontativts of the Atlantic slave states is de-
crtHst = exceeds that ut 1ich those of the Allan
tic free states are decreasing POiit al ascondancy
is passing from the Eastern 10 the Western states;
the slavery question which now convulses the whole
Union will BE- contested among them at greater
disadvantage for the slave states and the struggle
viii DC less controlled by sentiments Of eonyen.