The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-10-11
Ths COlOred Popula ti0n OF the North.
from the Buffalo Caurier Oct 4

From the Buffalo Courier Oct
The late census discloses many curious facts rela-
tive TO the colored population Of this country We
knew that, with few honorable exceptions all
the more worthy of honor, because they are excep-
tions and because the circumstances against which
the individuals have struggled are such as would
have discouraged most men of any race-the color
ed population Of the free States live in degraded
condition. They chiefly to be found in the pur-
lieus of our larger cities, obtaining q livelihood by
the lighter and most mental services, in s,me Of
which, fashion, initiating the habit, of southern
life, and perhaps pleased with their easy subser-
vence, give them preference over whites. Al
though many of them must have been accustomed,
in early life, TO agricultural pursuits, know of no
instance where any colored man has successfully
attained, through rugged labor, the Independence
and dignity OF prosperous farmer, although he
may sometimes be seen often creating dlsreputa-
BILE neighboihood by llcentious and lazy habits, q
mile or two from large city, chopping wood by
the cord, living in snty, and half culsvatng,
in an indolent and dirty manner, some four or Eve
acres of land, from which he obtains about hafthe
crops that would be yielded under the common sys-
tenn Of farming.
We write with feelings of commiseration- not
with any desire to find fault-but it is matter of
notoriety that this population degraded itself and
degrading others, it now exists, furnishes alarge
proportion Of criminals, and has barred the pro-
gress of political discussion on other subjects, by
constituting itself the absorbing topic between the
North and the South We do not charge the lat.
ter as a fault, but it is a fact And when we turn
to the census, we find statistics going far beyond
anything that we anticipated, In proving that the
Northern States are not 6t home for the colored
population.
New En- gland has been generally looked upon as
the land of promise to the emancpated slave 1t is
probably that there his relative position has been
less degr aiding, and more sympathy and kindness
have been extended to him, than in any other part
of the Union. But even there, where it may be
supposed that his social condition was most favor
able, his race has net increased ia other States,
where its happiest condition is that Of slavery. We
find that the total increase of the whites in New
England within the last thirty years has been
l,O66294, or Do per cent upon she number existing
in 1870, though the constant migration to the
Western States has not been fully counterbalanced
by the number Of foreign immigrants introduced.
During the same period the increase Of blacks has
been $50, or only 81 per cent, notwithstanding
the coBitant influx Of fugitves. Since the previous
Of 1910, the number has absolutely decreased.
Ii would seem that climate has q material iafu-
ence in these results upon population springiug
from tropical country, and, in its aboriginal
state, frequently inhabiting regions where the
white man cannot live. We find that the greatest
falling off is in New Hampshire, where of all other
States, most has been done for their safety and pre-
cent protection, and where attempt has thus far
been made to pursue q runaway; yet, even there,
the decrease is about two. ifths of the whole. In
Vermont and Connecticut 1t is also visible, and
the increase in Massachusetts, is only l05.
The following table shows the number of colored
persons in each Of those states, at the periods to
uhi