s unproductive here.

[U] The following statement, recently published in the Philadelphia
'Friend and Advocate of Truth,' is very creditable to the colored
inhabitants of that city:

'Many erroneous opinions have prevailed, with regard to the true
character and condition of the free colored people of
Pennsylvania. They have been represented as an idle and
worthless class, furnishing inmates for our poor-houses and
penitentiaries. A few plain facts are sufficient to refute these
gratuitous allegations. In the city and suburbs of Philadelphia,
by the census of 1830, they constituted about eleven per cent.,
or one ninth of the whole population. From the account of the
guardians of the poor, printed by order of the board, it appears
that of the out-door poor receiving regular weekly supplies, in
the first month, 1830, the time of the greatest need, the people
of color were about one to twenty-three whites; or not quite
four per cent., a disproportion of whites to colored, of more
than two to one in favor of the latter. When it is considered
that they perform the lowest offices in the community--that the
avenues to what are esteemed the most honorable and profitable
professions in society, are in a great measure, if not wholly
closed against them, these facts are the more creditable to
them. One cause of this disproportion, which we presume is but
little known, but which is worthy of special notice, will be
found in the numerous societies among themselves for mutual aid.
These societies expended, in one year, about six thousand
dollars for the relief of the sick and the indigent of their own
color, from funds raised among themselves. Besides, the taxes
paid by the colored people of Philadelphia, exceed in amount the
sums expended out of the funds of the city for the relief of
their poor.'

It is also a fact that the proportion of whites in the alms-house in
New-York is greater than that of the blacks. I am aware that other
evidence, of a different kind, may be adduced in other places; but it is
in the highest degree unfair to measure the whole body of blacks by the
whole body of whites--for the privileges and advantages of the whites
are as ten thousand to one: they monopolise almost every branch of
business and every pursuit of life--they have all the means necessary to
make men virtuous, intelligent, active, and