The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-05-06
ALEXANDRIA, Ia, WEDNESDAY,, MAYs6, 1874.

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| ing-off in the number Of births. So
far, therefore, as all but exceedingly
small strips here and there Of the
Secessionist States is concerned, the
extraordinary retardation in the rate
Eof the negroes that has occurred has
taken place only in the latter half Of
the decade under review. Moreover,
It must also be borne in mind that in
the Border States emancipation was
peaceably effected. No part Of the
retardation there observable can con-
sequently be attributed to the direct
influence Of war. And lastly, it
should be remembered that the pro-
portion Of blacks enlisted on either
|side was comparatively small. How,
|. .rs.-l- 'r... - Il -
then, are we to account for the fact
that the rate Of increase of this pop
|ulation 50 slightly exceeded the rate
Eof increase of the population that
suffered SO terribly from battle, dis
Tease, want and exhaustion? It is to
be accounted fol, in three ways
From the very opening to the very
closing Of the struggle, wherever a
Northern army appeared, the slaves
of the neighboring plantations took
refuge within its lines. AT first they
were most frequently repulsed by the
commanding Generals; partly be :
cause the government was anxious
to disassociate itself from Abolition
ist propagandism, partly because the
generals were supporters Of slavery,
partly because they dreaded the pre-
sehce of spies amongst the refugees,
and partly because the reception of
|lshem would impose a very expensive
burden on the commissariat. The
miserable slaves, thus repealed, and
without means Of subsistence of
their own, died in thousands Of slow
hunger, or their distress bred pesti-
Hence that swept them away in crowds.
Az length their sufferings created a
scandal, and the Government was
obliged to undertake their relief
Wherever afterwards a Federal army
made its way, a commission, special
/ ~ appointed for the duty, organized
employment for the runaway negroes.
A notion has prevailed in some
quarters, both in America and in
this country, that the negroes are
gradually drifting to those parts Of
the South where, on account Of the
climate, they possess! an advantage
over the whites in the matter Of la.
bour, and that there they, will iulti-
mately form the bulk Of the popula.
ton. Baron Hubner, as we had
lately occasion to point out, inclined
Ito this opinion. The statistics Of
the Census lend this notion little
countenance, I'VE should say lend il
none, were it not that there has been
an actual decrease of, the coloured
/ population In Kentucky, and that We
are unable to offer a satisfactory ex.
Iplanation Of the fact. There has
been a slight decrease in both Vir
ginia and Missouri also. But these
two States, it will be remembered
lwere the theatre Of the most despe
rate and long continued, fighting o.
) the war; they were trayersed in al
most every direction again and AGAR
BY the Federal armies, and conse
} quently the slaves had abundant OPP
[portunities to escape in multitudes
:. while for this very reason, the, mas
tiers would naturally send great mum
bers Of them further South. il
; these two States, then, it is natura
, to expect a decrease. On the othe
hand, in Georgia, a State not pecu
: liar favourable to the negro, the in
: crease has been very nearly doubl
the average coloured increase. Agar
) in Louisiana, where if anywhere til
blacks have an advantage, as it ]
!. not only great sugar State, the &
: Toured increase is considerably lei
9 THAN half the average. In Alaban
/ also It is the under the average. ]
Mississippi il il below two p
! cent; and in South Carolina it is q
$ tually less than one per cent. Y
e these are the cotton States par e E
e lence. It IS true that Texas is 4ik
wise 9 great cotton State, and the j
3 crease there has been enormous. B
then the increase Of the whites h
e very nearly equal. Moreover, Tex
= was the last portion Of the. Sou
10 s,,hdrod Crn..; : : s., ~ ~ xl> ~ -