497

piospective plan, looking to the riddance of this State, of the free
negro and mulatto population thereof, and their colonization in
Africa. "
Although more than three months have elapsed since that com
mittee was raised, the nature and importance of the subject com
mitted to their charge, was of such peculiar character as to forbid
any hasty report; and the delay has been occasioned more by the
difference in mode than the object sought to be secured. It will
readily appear, that the duties of the committee were those of no
sinecure office. For, while to obtain the necessary information
asked for in the order, they had to wade through a labyrinth of sta
tistics, diffused through a lapse of 60 years; they had to meet, also, the
more difficult task of recommending to the Convention some fea
sible plan, by which to consummate the ultimate design of colo
nization, viz—the riddance of and settlement in Africa, the free
colored population of this State.
rrhe first point to which the attention of the committee was
called, was the actual numbers of said population at the several
census', &c.
By the census of 1790, the free negro population of this State
amounted to 8,043
By census of 1800 theyamounted to 19,587
do. 1810 do. 33,927
do. 1820 do. 39,730
do. 1S30 do. 52,938
do. 1840 do. 62,020
do. 1850 do. 73,158
Thus, from the foregoing it appears that while in 1790 there
were but 8,043 free people of color in the State, at the end of the
seventh decade there 73,158, making a constant annual increase
of 1,052, for the whole period of 60 years.
The slave population of 1790 were 103,036, while in 1850 it
numbers 90,000, making an annual decrease for the same time or
217. The white population in 1790 numbered 208,649; and in
1850, 412,803,—showing an annu al increase for 60 years, just
expired, of 3,404; not having doubled their number in that time,
while the free negroesin same time have duplicated their numbers
nine times over; or while the whites have increased upon their
numbers less than 100 perct. for the last sixty years, the free ne
groes have increased over 900 per ct.
The relative rate of increase between whites and free colored
from 1790 t.o 1850, will appear by the following table :—
Allegany county in 1790 had I free colored to 278 whites—its
1840, 1 to 68—in 1850 1 to 54.

The committee take pleasure in returning their thanks to Jno.
H. B. Latrobe, Esq., of Balt. city, for his kindness, in furnishing
much of the statistics and other data contained in this report.