btained at the Census-office, it is believed that Texas contained, in
1840, 75,000 inhabitants; and that when California, New Mexico, and Oregon
came into our possession, in 1846, they had a total population of 97,000.
It thus appears that we have received by accessions of territory, since
1840, an addition of 172,000 to the number of our people. The increase
which has taken place in those extended regions since they came under the
authority of our Government, should obviously be reckoned as a part of the
development and progress of our population, nor is it necessary to
complicate the comparison by taking into account the probable natural
increase of this acquired population, because we have not the means of
determining its rate of advancement, nor the law which governed its
progress, while yet beyond the influence of our political system.

The total number of inhabitants in the United States, according to the
returns of the census, was on the 1st of June, 1850, 23,258,760. The
absolute increase from the 1st of June, 1840, has been 6,189,307, and the
actual increase per cent. is slightly over 36 per cent. But it has been
shown that the probable amount of population acquired by additions of
territory should be deducted in making a comparison between the results of
the present and the last census. These reductions diminish the total
population of the country, as a basis of comparison, and also the
increase. The relative increase, after this allowance, is found to be
35.17 per cent.

The aggregate number of whites in 1850 was 19,631,799, exhibiting a gain
upon the number of the same class in 1840, of 5,436,004, and a relative
increase of 38.20 per cent. But, excluding the 153,000 free population
supposed to have been acquired by the addition of territory since 1840,
the gain is 5,283,004, and the increase per cent. is 37.14.

The number of slaves, by the present census, is 3,198,324, which shows an
increase of 711,111, equal to 28.58 per cent. If we deduct 19,000 for the
probable slave population of Texas in 1840, the result of the comparison
will be slightly different. The absolute increase will be 692,111, and the
rate per cent. 27.83.

The number of free colored persons in 1850 was 428,637; in 1840, 386,345.
The increase of this class has been 42,292 or 10.95 per cent.

From 1830 to 1840, the increase of the whole population was at the rate of
32.67 per cent. At the same rate of advancement, the absolute gain for th