Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-01-14

,hs uouul;i:n i. .iay! ~! !r tccss % nc ~ -
n became more cun!irag Notwithstanding the ris'i u
the Laws enumeration rsgnsy goes on while me natural
incrense itself III the free backs apnus'y S"eis INC
Jude in ou midst From the foundation u INC oo"l.o.i
-, y, Tho ,uesru, liu,c the ratio OF lncIease OF
,.~rocs has been greater than The ratio Of in
either OF The whites .: slYts MAI "h'ie rom li9v
TO 1850 Ike whites have increased only io-s pc, .u ; u
tho slyes only 6Ia cent the Tree negroes nave lti
nI al the rae 30l per CENT us will appear from inc ol-
iowin. tabular statement:
JTRits pep Of Va. Free Mssross SECS s6s 60,
1 $50 s ss5.5da 55sss 47252s
,.2la7 Ioe63 lss 90
l02n pcr c Sol prT cl Ga Per. CT.
Tie free negroes lhus increased about three times
more tly tie white and about hve times more ra-
pdly Than Tic slave population Should INC increase con-
ljnuc ONLY al the ordinary rate ri Increase OF PoPulaton
throughout the Union doubling sclt once IN every TWEEN
" f.e ycars,the fee negro population oil me ea'e, py
tic al another period OF sixty years "ouo DC aseH
UPWARDS OF two hundred thousand s1nis:
Whether the past ratio of increase will continue, or how
far il will te affected by the prospective political ana soea
condition of Tie county, Is 70 ,o bo
moved Emigration other States VII not hereafter occur
Man, OF The Northern and North Western Stes, 10 winch
free have hitherto chiefly g"ne aHs noo nn
ware have passed laws nhtitins negro lmgfa'on'
New York and Pennsylvania are seriously considering te
subjcca Tic general tendency OF Northern ieelslatoh
nnte in thnt direction Southern States are forced 10
adop the same policy from fear OF the evs winch we no"
endure Several cl The Southern States hoeea haVe hhi-
hy actual settlers residents From these iacls We
infer that emigration other States will not In future checK
the grow IN of free negro population In our midst me
natural increase and the daily manumsslon OF slaves Will
regularly 90 on multiply al fearfuy rapid rate inns aho
n,n!ous and unfortunate class OF persons anumsSons
will tukc place despite OF statutes Inc pese laws upon INC
subject are perhaps stringent as the just reeoom OF con-
science and proper regard the benevolent feelings oil mas
irs will allow Leave given IL eaclpae; he pf.yiese
the slave of remaining in me State penn cTn,su 10 T
The master and the good character OF the slave are kho"n
lh discretion OF the courts seldom regards Tue hafsh ocy
Of the law During the year ending e Isl auS o ina a
Census 2l5 slaves emancipaed In virginia ana per
m,ed TO rc.uiu in the State. Even II manumiason were
fbii.n BY the law easy cvasons would constantly nccur
lien would stand nominal masters for slaves Virtually sci
fee Nor can bc denied that The tendency toward eman
cipalion increase as popniaon become more ochse
and the interests of society become more connclns
Shoud ,hat period in Vrgina which has long
nee arrived in every country OF Europe when y ~l be
CHEAPER Ia hire the white abore Than to rear and Iced anu
clohe and take care U, the slave, lho'es VI 'e'' ~"
compel emancipation.
But even ii this element be omitted in tho Calculation an
aa2avation and multiplication OF the evils whch we now
suffer may lie clearly NO" that emgI'on D'tl
white, ana black from Virginia has comparatively ccaaed,
every cIencn, her population must much more rapidly In.
crease in future tan heretofore Should Inc c negro pn.
pulnon increase only the ordinary rate oil population In
tu United Stuies have TINT at The expiration OF
another period Of sixty years. il will largely exceed Two han
ded thousand souls II would resch thai amount II IN
ased OILY one fourth fast as hitherto. Meanwhile,
should the other elements OF population be doubled once on
Is in thirty years below the usual a'ernge-the white po-
nulaon will hy 1910 amount ISL 2I6 and the slave w
nulaiun 10 1890 ll2-mnkng aggregate Of oSo 9ob
Similar calculations for longer period may easiy DC tade
Nav when SD large and increasing multitude shall occupy
The places occupied by no, one million and hu or
people the OF living must be with greater acuiy 90
tanned The universal struggle between capita! ana labor,
which always grows crcer population cnarges aud civil
cation advances will DO in full activity The existing relations
the races being peser. ed free negro must be-
the first suffer in The competition Ignorant himself ne
will contend h still higher and more universally anu
thano hA
ow,r of "A fax superior wealth. Still more han al present
crushed BY tho combined pressure OF higher Intelligence OF
greater cupa by educated white labor ana oy organized
slave labor the hardshps the necessities the Inevitable de-
nr.daun OF hs position must proporllonaoy increase I'M
III slavery shall become boon whose blessings he may ask
in vain. The powerful impulses OF want and despair WI"
Dive him 10 crime Corrupt and coruptng now, the INA
nnatvn may conceive the Upas Influences he vi" men
dse around him. communicating ak. me ~hlie population
and Tie slave But from future filled with gloom We
turn away sketch of that future mi ht be dce'ed ercs
dream OF the fancy not the hopeless poverty me uer
Degradation the constant crinlna!ltics IN when even le
free blacks scattered among Tie dense population OF
Ire Northern States stepped ahd 5tnlfei noorl'
nus and terrible facts exciting the symPates and mo alarm
~ all humane and patriotic men When Indeed IN
10 consideration that The degradation OF TINS population
necessarily increases their crimes yearly multiply rs
.c viGaIuS influence daily spreads corruption throughout
the community, white aa black as they become more Dan
porous instruments the hands OF designing fanatics 10
kindc The flames of instruction and ebeon our laws and
the whole OF policy toward them must through Inc
urgency Of seIpreservatlon become more and more s.n
harsh and severe and that thus all parties concerned must
continue 10 su! accumulave evils from The longer exist
encc of this population In our midst we may well turn IN
diSmay rora prospect whose shadows loom 30 dHrAs on
The vision. -,
Win these evils everywhere surrounding u.s. and still
greater evils gathering the horizon OF the iulue be-
comes vice and patriotic 10 adopt efficient measures by
which this vicious, couupng and dangerous ponsii'io
may be removed from the State. The only feasible pan
which has hecn suggested for tho accomplishment OF this
object Is that presented by the Colonization Society The
plan which your mornists PROPOSE they believe would
not only elect the object in view but IN SO DONG ry oen
eft Al parties concerned II would rid the State OF great
nuisance IL would confer upon Tie opulauoh removed te
greatest possible blessings.
This Commonwealth may well feel an honest pride In
what she has FOR The advancement OF go wise and hn-
,nanc The pa! indeed, which virginia mas Ia
ken this geu. enterprise deserves 10 be generally KNOWN
and the noe results which hnvo been SO lar developed u-
Is warrant the State in continuing the policy It has hereto
fore pursued. IRE history OF this movement VIII show mai
rho very idea OF African Colonization had tie origin in Viz
GINA and that State in the conedeacy has given
more uniform and liberal snp2nrt ~i be seen that the
committee appointed lf76 by the first "gis iurc asscn
bcd under Tie auspices oi American frccdon to revise ana
remodel The Virgniathe acting members oil which
COMMITTEES were Edmund P.ndeon Thomas Jefferson AID
| George WYlhc-proposed scheme oil cuonzing tho free
colut population OF The State the very ms2hlu OF when
prevented its adoption will be that subsequent lie
.-laurcs aud that FirGnias most useful and distinguished
statesmen have from time time, down 10 the present pc
Rod approved and advocated The plan now IN The full tide o
successful operation. The ncts of $780, OF lsUl, lsO2
1916 23 '2s 49, 81 and 1850 all give 10 IL the sra OF The
States approval while such Jefferson and Monroe
Madison Marshall Randolph and Mercer have f"s,eled
und lent To IL the ot their great minds
and the influence OF their powerful usnes II IN &C
cudance with the recommendation in the first
RIGS of those acts and Of the Efforts OF such wise and pat
otic men that territory obtained 20 which the free
blacks of Virginia and Of the other States of the Unor
nigh, be removed BY The sagaciy and inepdty Of Com
modcre Stockton acting under the authority OF Congress
and On agent Of American Colonization Society in 1872:
land was purchased along the coast OF Af'ica 10 which per
sons Of color captured under The act Of Congress ulbdnl
the slave trade might b. transported With the permission
Of the General Government the American Colonization SO
c;cty the origin Of which Is due Virginia, made the
OF land purchased the nucleus oi lis operations
Presided over aud cherished by The first statesmen
and patriots of the cannt'y. BY The Wastingons
the Cays the Keys, the Jacksons, the Crawford
and Wensters of tho Jay. that society has sue
cucJod in planting colony, which for Tie seady energy
s,i! progress and The encouraging prospects wicI
brighten a"u:d 1t, is unparalleled in the history cf The
wol. In scarcely thpu quarter OF a century, The
elements Of an empire have been established that seems
destined with the blessing of Providence to bring under
dominion OF republican government nnd christian cviizl
lion the dnascd and idnattous millions OF bcnigiled
ncnl. Like ever great political and sncal movement
this entr !isc has commended with ditfcIr. aud met will
partial oil fortune. But its progress has
ward comparison OF s history with the carly history
the Cnl"ny ni Plymouth Of Jamestown, from which Ibis
pow eiial aad happy naioa has sprung to existence will
show thI point %! expenses incurred OF morality suffer.
ed OF difficulty experienced in subduing The natives. es
tablishi. the foundation Of good and u