Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-10-25

THn V1rALrrY OF NEGROES IN TIE SoUTH.-Dr
Bennett Dowler the learned editor OF the New Or
leans Medical and Surgical Journal, has written an
article the Vital Statistics OF Negroes IN the UNI
ted States which contains much invaluable ntorma'
tioa. He adopts the celebrated axiom OF Jeremy
Bentham that "of all the actions of man, those
which preserve the individual, and those which pre-
serve the species are undoubtedly the most beneh-
cal to the community and he satisfactorily proves,
that the vitality of the negro in the South is far
greater than that of the most favored classes in En-
rope. We give the following extracts which should
be attentivey studied by croaking philanthropists
If the vital statistics Of the negroes of the South
ern States of this Republic be compared with the
vital progress of the arstocratc classes in England
it will be found that the comparison will be to the
utmost degree unfavorable to the latter Inc est
minister Review for April 1847, says, that sin
England, in great majority Of cases the Barone-
tages beco me extinct for want of male heirs though
many of each have female representatives"
NJ Galignan in his Guide to Paris, Qs44,) says
that nearly ak the old Partisan families are extinct
particularly the male portion and that in the great
city of Paris, not thousand persons can reckon
their ancestors as far back as Louis XIII.
The numerical history of the slave population OF
this Republic compared to the ratio of increase in
France is UNNECESSARILY unfavorable to the latter:
According to NJ. DAngeville and other earlier and
later authorities the ratio of increase in France re-
quires 139 years, and according to the very latest
census l42 years. for the duplication OF the French
population. .-..--.
five times faster than the population Of France.
In 1910, the slaves numbered l 1893 centenarians,
and in 1850 the number was ,425, while all France
had in 1897 but 120 of this an unusual proper
ton of whom were concentrated in the valley OF the
Garonne. The French population had then, accord
ing to the census, but one centenarian to 24O,OOO
inhabitants According to the last census of the
United States there was one centenarian in every
,44s slaves, ratio 80 times greater than in the
French Empire.
The physiological deterioration of the free blacks,
particularly in the non-saveholding States Of this
Republic, as set forth and uniformly confirmed by
every official census is unparalleled in the chronological
history of mankind. This extraordinary degenera-
ton does not apply the low ratio of increase but
to the high numerical proportion of the insane, the
idiots, the deaf dumb. blind and so forth. The In
dian race in North America, estimated by Mr. Calm
at 16 600 900 at the time the Caucasion family Set
tied in the country, has dwindled down to few
hundred thousands without having suffered from
similar deteriorations.
Mr.. Alison, the Scotch Historian, in his work on
population in comparing the condition of the Irish
with the blacks of the West Indies says: "Un.
questonaby the condition of the negroes in the
West Indies prior to their late emancipation, gener.
ally speaking, was infinitely preferable. 1t is per-
haps the worst effect of that we'll meant but disas-
trous measure that it will approximate the condition
to that of the Irish peasantry" Indeed this writer
lays it down as an axiom that "slavery results una
voidaby from the dependent condition Of the labor
ing classes"
The condition of negroes in their native land is
thus drawn:
The negroes of Africa now more than ever eat one
another. They are everywhere crushed out beyond
the limits of the slaveholding States.
A French naval officer, who with his suite was
Hospitality entertained by the negro King of Daho-
mey, during the Presidency of Napoleon, now Em-
peror Of the French relates that the King feeds his
large army of female and male soldiers the flesh
of his captives, whom he can now no longer sell to
the whites. The French officer shocked at seeing
human beings thus butchercd, frequently plead with
the King to abandon this practice, but was always
by his Majesty and Cabinet, with hearty
laughter for his inefable absurdity.
The chief ornament of the royal residence con-
tanning IL, 900 inhabitants is human skulls of which,
when a number was wanted to pave a court or dec
orate ceiling it was not unusual process to have
some scores of persons massacred for the purpose.
The female part of the army is nearly large the
standing army of the United States usually is in
Times of peace.
From the Murfreesborough Gazette.
At meeting of the citizens of Murfreesborough,