1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900
North Atlantic 15 16 18 23 27 39
North Central 14 18 27 39 43 50

This increase has been rapid—much more rapid than elsewhere; but he remains, and must always remain, insignificant. The increase has been due to immigration, for it is conceded that his natural rate of increase in the North will not even maintain his numbers. Left to himself there, he would certainly die out. This immigration will certainly continue and will actually contribute to the destruction of the race, as it were by steadily lopping off the extreme boughs of the tree.

Of the West, nothing need be said. For the South Atlantic and South Central, the record is as follows:

185018601870188018901900
S. A.,W.282331364466560671
N.186206222294326373
S. C.,W.281373423590749982
N.149204 220[36]301 350[37]419

Here we perceive, at once, that the situation on the Atlantic is unequivocal. The Black tinge is fading away; that population has exactly doubled itself only in fifty years, while in the South Central it has doubled in forty years. Compare now the White record in the same (South Atlantic) regions. Owing to the Civil War, the growth during the decade 1860-70 was under thirty-five myriads—less than half of the normal growth; nevertheless, the White population has more than doubled itself in thirty-five years, from 1865 to 1900. In 1850 there were 397 Blacks to every thousand, in 1900 only 356. The next half century will see a still further reduction. The White increase, in the last decade, was 20 per cent.; the Black was only 14.

Coming to the South Central, we find the case equally clear. Here again, the civil strife amerced the Whites of at least half a decade; the increase from 1860 to 1870 was only fifty myriads, whereas it should have been over 100, since it was ninety-two from 1850 to 1860. Nevertheless, we find that the White number has doubled in twenty-five years (from 1875 to 1900), but the black in forty (from 1860 to 1900). From 1850 to 1860 the Black gain was over 40 per cent., the White was under 34 per cent.; but, for the last decade (1890 to 1900), the Black gain was 20 per cent., the White about 30 per cent. In the whole half century, the Blacks have gained 181 per cent.; but the Whites, in spite of their numerous losses in four years' war, have gained over 249 per cent. In 1850, of every thousand, 347 were Black; but, in 1900, only 299.

It is demonstrated, then, that in these two focal regions of African strength not only is that strength relatively decreasing, but it is decreasing faster and faster. The hour cometh when neither by the ocean nor by the gulf will it signify more than it does now in Philadelphia or New York.

If now we turn to the statistics of the states, we shall, of course, find this general average result unevenly distributed. Only the states included in the following table can have any interest for us:

1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900
Alabama {W. 43 53 52 66 83 100
{N. 35 44 48 60 69 83
Arkansas {W. 16 32 36 59 82 94
{N. 5 11 12 21 31 37
Dist. of Columbia {W. 3.8 6.1 8.8 12 15 19
{N. 1.4 1.4 4.3 6 8 9
Florida {W. 4.7 7.8 9.6 14 22 30
{N. 4.0 6.3 9.2 13 17 23
Georgia {W. 52 59 64 82 98 118
{N. 38 47 55 73 86 103
Kentucky {W. 76 92 110 138 159 186
{N. 22 24 22 27 27 28
Louisiana {W. 26 36 36 45 56 73
{N. 26 35 36 48 56 65
Maryland {W. 42 52 61 72 83 95
{N. 17 17 18 21 22 24
Mississippi {W. 30 36 38 48 54 64
{N. 31 44 44 65 74 91
Missouri {W. 59 106 160 202 253 294
{N. 9 12 12 15 15 16
North Carolina {W. 55 63 68 87 106 126
{N. 32 36 39 53 56 62
South Carolina {W. 27 29 29 39 46 56
{N. 39 41 42 60 69 78
Tennessee {W. 76 83 94 114 134 154
{N. 25 28 32 40 43 48
Texas {W. 15 42 56 120 175 243
{N. 6 18 25 39 49 62
Virginia {W. 89 105 114 147 175 211
{N. 53 55 53 66 67 70

In spite of the fact that the gross defects of the ninth enumeration (1870), and in less degree of the eleventh (1890), greatly obscure these figures, their import and their implications are entirely unmistakable. Three movements deserve especial notice: the movement in the first decade, in the last decade, and during the whole half century. Looking then at Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and Virginia, we see that the Negro has increased in numbers in fifty years by only 29 per cent., 42 per cent., 79 per cent., 34 per cent. The general conditions have been certainly not unfavourable, and there has been no immigration that could appreciably affect these percentages. Meantime the Whites have risen in numbers by 145 per cent., 128 per cent., 397 per cent., 136 per cent.—aided, except in Missouri, not very greatly by immigration. That they are crowding out the Blacks very rapidly, is too plain for argument.