ached to nearly 3 per cent. or a half per cent. per annum
over the natural increase. But from 1830 to 1840, the period when the
Society had the least popularity, the increase was but a very small
fraction over _two_ per cent. per annum, being two and eight hundredths,
indicating that fewer bondmen had been liberated than during any other
period. Indeed, the _decrease_ was so great as to reduce the rate of
increase _more than a half per cent. per annum below the natural
increase of the slaves_, and furnished an argument in favor of the idea,
that freedom in this country is unfavorable to the longevity of the
colored man. From all these facts, we may infer that colonization, while
its object has been to benefit the free colored man, has not been
unfavorable to emancipation.

"But colonization has not removed the 450,000 free persons of color from
our country. They remain as _a floating body_ in our midst, drifting, as
the census tables show, hither and thither, as the effects of _climate_
at the north, or _foreign emigration_ at the east, or _prejudice_ at the
south, repel it from those points. It is an interesting subject of
investigation to watch the movements of the colored population, and
ascertain where they are tending and whither they will find a resting
place.

"In 1810, in the eastern States, they commenced a movement from north
towards the south; and in 1820, began to diverge westward, through the
most southern of the free States, and penetrated into Ohio, Indiana, and
Illinois. From 1830 to 1840, Pennsylvania alone retained her natural
increase, while the other eastern and northeastern free States, and also
the eastern and southeastern slave States, all lost, or repelled, the
greater part of their natural increase, and some of them a considerable
portion, besides, of the original stock. But where have these people
gone? That is the question which deeply interests Ohio. The census
tables furnish the solution.

"From 1810 to 1840, the colored population of Ohio has been increasing
at the average rate of 20 per cent. per annum. The increase for the ten
years from 1830 to 1840, was 911/4 per cent. Supposing the emigration
into Ohio since 1840 to have been no greater than before that period,
her present colored population will be 30,000. If to this we add that of
Indiana and Illinois, allowing their increase to