of the nation, most of
which are useless during peace, should be employed in the
transportation of emancipated persons. The number of these vessels is
about fifty, and the average number of persons which they could
transport at a voyage, may be estimated at one thousand, although the
ships of the line, of which there are twelve built and building, can
transport two thousand five hundred each, at a voyage. These vessels
going one half to Africa, and one half to Hayti, and the former making
two and the latter four voyages per year, would transport one hundred
and fifty thousand persons per annum, or three times the increase of
slaves; and would at this rate extinguish slavery in twenty years.
The whole increase of slaves might therefore be transported in public
vessels, without interfering with other national objects, or very
materially increasing the national expenses.

We will now consider the effect of transporting the increase. The
present population of the slave holding states is about 5,800,000, of
which above 3,800,000, are freemen; perhaps from one third to one half
the free people are interested in slave property. If the increase of
slaves were colonized, in about twenty-five years there would be in
the slave states, seven millions of free people to two millions of
free people to the above number of slaves, or a proportion of ten to
one. The consequent increased ease, safety, and probability of
obtaining laws for total emancipation, is manifest.

Thus the practicability of great benefit, with little sacrifice, from
the aid of government in the work of emigration, is very apparent. A
great recommendation of the measure arises from the fact, that it is
the only efficient one which is likely to be speedily sanctioned by
the people; and is the only one by which voluntary emancipation, in
most of the slave holding states, can be effected.

Even if colonization should not be adopted to the extent of carrying
away the whole increase, it ought still to be encouraged. It is
considered a great and good work to have obtained by law, the
emancipation of about fourteen or fifteen thousand persons in New York
and Pennsylvania. If so, the emancipation of no more than that number,
by aid of emigration to suitable countries, would also be a work
worthy the united efforts of the friends of abolition.

Your committee do not look to the transportation of the whole coloured
population from this country, at any period. Emancipatio