New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-10-01

Tiyipq ID We a. 10 one of the extreme South West
own states we think it our duty to keep our readers
il advised Of important events, current transactions
hearing upon the institation of slavery rs they de-
yeop themselves in the border States The duty is
not pleasant one for conscientious discharge rem
jers Indispensable the revelation of disagreeable
facts but it ia duty we shall not fail hereafter
| we have not failed heretofore, in the premises. To
be the bearer of welcome intelligence is always de-
ightful but to be the herald Of unwecome truths is
exactly the opposite Yet the attec is more impor-
tant duty than the former and he who might be ex-
eused for neglect III the one case would lay himself
liable to severe censure for neglect in the other. We
intend to meet the requirements Of our position in
both.
Not long ago we commented upon the extent to
which slave stealing had progressed in Maryland and
quoted some forcble remarks FROM that able and re-
liable journal-the Baltimore AsnericRn--going to
show that if some adequate measures were not de-
vised to put down the Infamous practice that the in
stitution was doomed to speedy death in that State
| We have now before Us the Baltimore American Of
the 10th inst, and in it We find strong editorial
arguing against proposition from a correspondent
1 published in the same edition) contemplating the
| emancipation of the slaves Of that commonwealth.
The correspondent is in favor of the States purchas
ing the slaves and freeing them and contends that if
i that was done free white emigration would take
place at once which would be vastly beneficial in
every respect, and than reeompense for the
rifces incurred. The American maintains that there
are too many free negroes in Maryland at present for
either good morals general usefulness and thinks
the doubling Of that class of population at once would
be fraught with undesirable, it not injurious conse-
| quences. The Americans reasons are conservative
and sound, so far as they apply to Maryland bat the
opposition to the plan of the correspondent is based
more, it seems to us, on grounds Of interest to the
State than any love for the institution of slavery
But is not our purpose to discuss this portion Of
the question; and we will, therefore, present our
readers with the concluding paragraph of the Ameri
cans article, In it may be found some figures of
considerable interest to the Shareholders OF Louisiana
All important movements, affecting interests so
vast and liable to encounter opposition so violent
as that which /" Compromise proposes, must be
gradual and progressive in their growth, and be ad-
yaBeed rather by natural and irreyesbe causes than
! BY the spasmOdiG efforts which would anticipate re-
suits before their accomplishment is either desirable
or possible. The question Of slavery in Maryland is
emphatcaIly one Of those which be best treated
4 by the mastery inactivity that commits its sOlu-
tion to time and its results IL cannot be hurried but
\ may be greatly retarded by unwise iutermeddling.
The decennial statistics Of the population Of Mary
land exhibit steady increase per centage OF white
population and an almost equally steady decrease of
Iaed PEI Se IeI snrgS eo 5e ta
,gas "a per eent: between 1910 and I820 lo67 ner
cent; between 1920 and $780, ll.S6 per cent; be-
tween 1880 and /, 1870, $50 per cent. and between
doao aau 49, ~ ~" S so H.
decrease was 26s her cent: in 1880 40g per cent:
in 1910 the decrease was 1887 per cent and in 1850
there was an increase OF 010 per cent; the number
Y se go oe " W o'ote y l94o neag = III y
nonn1ation from ISl0 to i95O has been 7I.5s ner
cent whilst the decrease Of the slave population from
1870 to 1880 has been 2956 per cent These figures,
w f ma Igata W. 'e ~ ~ Ill z etat T o1
Itself gradually to be sure. vet quite as rapidly as Is