Baltimore county exhibits the largest white increase over thefree
colored; from their known partially to village or city life, that is
easily accounted for—Baltimore city being located in that county.
The city of Baltimore shows a very large increase of free blacks.
but the ratio of white increase exceeds that, because of large ac
cessions from the country and foreign emigration added to the
actual city increase proper.

Kent and Worcester show the largest increase of free blacks
over the whites, to be found in any of the counties.
The cause of this state of things in the counties is sufficiently
apparent. The white population are constantly removing to the
Western States, in quest of homes and fortunes, when their situa
tion here becomes crowded or uncomfortable; while the free negro,
conversant only with what he sees around him, hesitates to relin
quish a tolerable abode, for one of which he knows nothing, and
of questionable advantage at best. Besides, the free negro knows
that when he once leaves the State, the law forbids his return, and
he makes up his mind to remain where he is, trusting to events,
precarious as they may he, for future good.

Thus, the motives, prompting the industrious and enterprising
white man to leave the sterile lands, and already sparcely settled
counties, in pursuant of wealth, ease and happiness, do not effect
the free negro; and he remains where he is, increasing and propa
gating his kind, nurtured and reared in all the vices, ignorance,
wants and degradations, characterizing a class of our population
called free, but in reality the veriest slaves on earth, from the very
force of circumstances surrounding them, and over which they can
never have any control.

The next point of inquiry is—"the numbers that have been
colonized in Africa-" This question applies to the operations of
the Maryland State Colonization Society, aided by the act of 12th
March 1832.

That act appointed a board of Managers, whose dtity it should
be, "to remove from the State the people of color then free, and
such as should thereafter become so, to the Colony of Liberia in
Africa, or such other place out of the limits of Maryland as they
should consent to go to." To do which, the Treasurer was au
thorised to contract loans to the amount of $200,000, and there
was levied upon the counties and city of Baltimore, the annual
amount of $10,000, to pay the interest and principal of such
loans.

That act expires on 12th March 1852.

 
 
Previous to the passage of this act, the Maryland State Colo