53,289 free males above 21 years of age. 211,698 flaves of all ages and fexes. 23,766 not diftinguished in the returns, but faid to be tytheable flaves. 195,439 horfes. 609,734 cattle. 5,126 wheels of riding-carriages. 191 taverns. There were no returns from the 8 counties of Lincoln, Jefferfon, Fayette, Monongalia, Yohogania, Ohio, Northampton, and York. To find the number of flaves which fhould have been returned inftead of the 23,766 tytheables, we must mention that fome obfervations on a former cenfus had given reafon to believe that the numbers above and below fixteen years of age were equal. The double of this number, therefore, to wit, 47,532 must be added to 211,698, which will give us 259,230 flaves, of all ages and fexes. To find the number of free inhabitants, we must repeat the obfervation, that thofe above and below 16 are nearly equal. But as the number 53,289 omits the males below 16 and 21 we muft fupply them from conjecture. On a former experiment it had appeared that about one third of our militia, that is, of the males between 16 and 50, were unmarried. Knowing how early marriage takes place here, we fhall not be far wrong in fuppofing that the unmarried part of our militia are those between 16 and 21. If there be young men who do not marry till after 21, there are many many who marry before that age. But as men above 50 were not included in the militia, we will fuppofe the unmarried, or those between 16 and 21, to be one fourth of the whole number above 16, then we have the following calculation : 53,289 free males above 21 years of age. 17,763 free males between 16 and 21, 71,052 free males under 16. 142,104 free males of all ages. 284,208 free inhabitants of all ages. 259,230 flaves of all ages. 543,438 inhabitants, exclufive of the 8 counties from which were no returns. In thefe 8 counties in the years 1779 and 1780, were 3,161 militia. Say then, 3,161 free males above the age of 16. 3,161 ditto under 16. 6,322 free females. 12,644 free inhabitants in these 8 counties. To Τα find the number of flaves, fay, as 284,208 to 259,230, fo is 12,644 to 11,532. Adding the third of these numbers to the firft, and the fourth to the second, we have, 296,852 free inhabitants. 270,762 flaves. 567,614 inhabitants of every age, sex, and condi tion. IO. tion. But 296,852, the number of free inhabitants, are to 270,762, the number of flaves, nearly as II to Under the mild treatment our flaves experience, and their wholesome, though coarse, food, this blot in our country increases as faft, or fafter, than the whites. During the regal government, we had at one time obtained a law, which imposed fuch a duty on the importation of flaves, as amounted nearly to a prohibition, when one inconfiderate affembly, placed under a peculiarity of circumstances repealed the law. This repeal met à joyful fanction from the then fovereign, and no devices, no expedients, which could ever after be attempted by the fubfequent affemblies, and they seldom met without attempting them, could fucceed in getting the royal affent to a renewal of the duty. In the very first feffion held under the republican government, the affembly paffed a law for the perpetual prohibition of the importation of flaves. This will in some measure stop the increase of this great political and moral evil, while the minds of our citizens may be ripening for a complete emancipation of hu man nature, QUERY QUERY IX. THE number and condition of the militia and regular troops, and their pay? The following is a state of the militia, taken from returns of 1780 and 1781, except in thofe counties marked with an afterifk, the returns from which are fomewhat older. Every able bodied freeman, between the ages of 16 and 50 is enrolled in the militia. Those of every county are formed into companies, and these again into one or more battalions, according to the number in the county. They are commanded by colonels, and other fubordinate officers, as in the regular fervice. In every county is a county-lieutenant, who commands the whole militia of his county, but ranks only as a colonel in the field. We have no general officers always exifting. These are appointed occafionally, when an invafion or infurrection happens, and their commiffion determines with the occafion. The governor is head of the military, as well as civil power. The law requires every militia man to provide himfelf, with the arms ufual in the regular fervice. But this injunction was always indifferently complied with, and the arms they had have been fo frequently called for to arm the regulars, that in the lower parts of the country they are entirely difarmed. In the mid dle |