[27] The celebrated David Hume, in his Essay on National Character, advances the same opinion; Doctor Beattie, in his Essay on Truth, controverts it with many powerful arguments. Early prejudices, had we more satisfactory information than we can possibly possess on the subject at present, would render an inhabitant of a country where Negroe slavery prevails, an improper umpire between them.

[28] See Spirit of Laws, 12-15.——1. Black Com. 417.

[29] The immense territory of Louisiana, which extends as far south as the lat. 25° and the two Floridas, would probably afford a ready asylum for such as might choose to become Spanish subjects. How far their political rights might be enlarged in these countries, is, however questionable: but the climate is undoubtedly more favourable to the African constitution than ours, and from this cause, it is not improbable that emigrations from these states would in time be very considerable.

[30] As it may not be unacceptable to some readers to observe the operation of this plan, I shall subjoin the following statement:

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

1. The number of slaves in Virginia by the late census being found to be 292,427, they may now, in round numbers be estimated at300,000.
2. Let it be supposed that the males and females are nearly or altogether equal in number.
3. According to Dr. Franklin, the people of America double their numbers in about twenty-eight years; and according to Mr. Jefferson, the negroes increase as fast as the whites, they will therefore double, at least every thirty years.
4. Let it be supposed that in thirty years one half of the present race of negroes will be extinct.
5. Let it be supposed that in forty-five years there will not remain more than one-fifth of the present race alive.
6. Let it be likewise supposed, that in sixty years the whole of the present race will be extinct.
7. For conciseness sake, let the present race be called ante-nati, those born after the adoption of the plan, post-nati.
FROM HENCE IT WILL FOLLOW,
1. That the present number of slaves being300,000.
2. In thirty years their numbers will amount to600,000.
3. But at that period as one half of them will be extinct, (rem. 4.) their numbers will stand thus:
Ante-nati,150,000
Post-nati,450,000
———600,000.
4. The mean increase of the post-nati for the next thirty years will therefore be 450000/30, annually, or15,000.
5. If one half of these be males, who are still to remain slaves, there will in the first sixteen years, be born120,000.
6. After the first sixteen years, the post-nati females will begin to breed; the proportion of males born to slavery in the next twelve years may be estimated at one-fourth of the whole number born after the commencement of that period. Their number will be52,000.
7. The number of slaves living in Virginia at the end of thirty years from the adoption of the plan, will be,
ante-nati (prop. 3.)150,000
Post-nati males born in the first 16 years,120,000
Post-nati males born in the last 12 years,52,500
———322,500.
8. The number of negroes at the same time will stand thus:
Slaves,322,500
Post-nati free born,277,500
———600,000.
9. After twenty-eight years from the first adoption, this plan of gradual emancipation will first begin to manifest its effects, by the complete emancipation of one twenty-eighth part of the post-nati free born during that period each succeeding year, for twenty-eight years more; their numbers will be, 277500/28, or9,910.
These will be all females.
10. It being admitted that the negroes double every thirty years, the supposition that in forty-five years, their numbers will be half as many more as in thirty, will not be very erroneous, if so, the whole race of them at that period will be900,000.
11. Their numbers will stand thus:
Ante-nati,60,000
Post-nati,840,000
———600,000.
12. After twenty-eight years are past, the number of slaves born must continually diminish. Suppose their number born in the last 17 years, to be one-fourth as many as those born in the preceding twelve years, they will be 52500/4, or13,125.
13. The slaves in Virginia in forty-five years will then be,
ante-nati,60,000
Post-nati males born in the first sixteen years,120,000
Ditto, born in the next twelve years,52,500
Ditto, born in the last seventeen years,13,125
———245,625.
At this period the emancipation of males will begin.
14. But after twenty eight years it has been shewn that 9,910 negroes will annually arrive at the age of emancipation, their whole number in forty-five years will be168,470.
15. The state of the negroes at the end of 45 years, will then be,
slaves,245,625
Post-nati fully emancipated (females),168,470
Post-nati not emancipated,485,905
———900,000.
16. In sixty years the whole number of negroes will be1,200,000.
17. At that period the whole of the present race will be extinct; and we may also infer that one half of those born in the first thirty years will be also extinct; the number of slaves born in that period has been shewn, (prop. 7.) to be 172,500, the number of these then living will be 172,500/2, or86,250.
18. One half of the post-nati free born, during that period, being now fully emancipated, may be likewise presumed to be extinct; their numbers (prop. 8.) will be, 277,500/2, or138,750.
19. The state of the negroes at the end of sixty years, will therefore be:
Slaves born during the first thirty years,86,250
Ditto born after that period,13,125
Post-nati fully emancipated,138,750
Post-nati under 28 years of age,961,875
———1,200,000.
20. At the end of ninety years the number of negroes will be2,400,000.
21. Of this number, those only born after the first thirty years, being supposed to be living, the number of slaves (prop. 12) will then be reduced to13,125.
22. And as the last mentioned number of slaves are supposed to be born within forty-five years, their whole number will be extinct in fifteen years more, that is, in one hundred and five years from the first adoption of the plan.
23. By prop. 19. it appears, that out of 1,200,000 negroes, there will then be 961,875 under the age of twenty-eight years, the period of emancipation.
24. We may therefore conclude, that from two-thirds to three-fourths of the whole number of blacks will always be liable to service.