The following calculations may throw further light upon the subject.
The United States have about 2,000,000 slaves, and about 500,000 free colored people.
The American Colonization Society has existed for thirteen years, and has exported yearly, upon an average, about 150 persons.
Meanwhile the natural yearly increase has been 56,000 souls; and nearly a million have died in slavery!!
But it may be said, this is only the beginning—more may be expected hereafter.—Let us see.
The average price of transporting each individual is calculated at 30 dollars: suppose it to be reduced to 20, and then, as 56,000 must be exported yearly, in order merely to prevent increase, 1,120,000 dollars would be yearly requisite simply for transportation. Where is this vast sum to come from? Or suppose it supplied, still, in the mass of crime and wretchedness, as it now exists, there would be no decrease! Two millions of human beings every 30 years would still be born and die in slavery!!
But perhaps you wish to extinguish the crime in thirty years.
Then you must begin by transporting at least 100,000 yearly. In order to do this, you must have an annual income of upwards of 2,000,000 dollars; and if you have not only to transport, but also to purchase, you would probably want yearly, twenty millions more!!
Where are you to get this?—
Or suppose it got, and still one generation would perish in their wretchedness; 2,000,000 of immortal souls—plundered by you of the most sacred rights of human nature; of rights always the same, and everlastingly inalienable, however plundered—would have perished unredressed, and gone to confront you at the bar of God.