Shewing, that in Lieu of the uſual Security required, certain Sums paid at ſeveral Periods of Manumiſſion, will amply ſecure the PUBLICK, as well as their Owners from any future Burden.

THE following calculations are formed on a ſuppoſition, that on an average, people do not become incapable of ſupporting themſelves, until they are 60 years of age—that of 10 negroes ſet free at 21 years of age, 6 of them die before they exceed their 60th year—that the remaining 4 live to the age of 72 years—that only one fourth part of theſe ſurvivors ever become a publick charge—and that for the laſt 12 years, the ſum of £.10 per annum will be ſufficient for his or her maintenance.

THAT we may be much within bounds, we have allowed that more than nine Negroes out of the ſeventy may become chargeable, though among the whites we find that not one in fifty of thoſse who depend on their labour for ſubſiſtence, are ſupported by the publick.

If 10 are ſet free at the age of 21 years, according to the bills of mortality, 6 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the ſurviving 4 becoming chargeable from the ſaid age of 60 to 72, which according to the bills aforeſsaid, is the age to which men after 60 live on an average, being 12 years, ſuppoſed at £.10 per annum for their maintenance, is £.120 00 If 10 are ſet free at the age of 26 years, 6 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the maintenance of the ſurviving 4 as above £120 00 If 10 are ſet free at the age of 31 years, 5 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the maintenance of the ſurviving 5 as above £150 00 If 10 are ſet free at the age of 36 years, 5 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the maintenance of the ſurviving 5 as above £150 00 If 10 are ſet free at the age of 41 years, 4 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the maintenance of the ſurviving 6 as above 180 00 carried over £.720 00 By the depoſit money for 10 negroes, aged 26 years, being 5 years above 21, at 10s. per annum, is 50s. each, amounting to £.25 00   Intereſt on the above £.25 from 26 to 66, is 40 years at 6 percent per annum 60 00 £.85 00 By the depoſit money for 10 negroes, aged 31 years, being 10 years above 21, at 10s per annum, is 100s. each, amounting to 50 00   Intereſt on the above £.50 from 31 to 66, is 35 years at 6 per cent per annum 105 00 155 00 By the depoſit money for 0 negroes, aged 36 years, being 15 years above 21, at 10s per annum, is 150s. each, amounting to 75 00   Intereſt on the above £.75 from 36 to 66, is 30 years at 6 per cent per annum 135 00 210 00 By the depoſit money for 10 negroes, aged 41 years, being 20 years above 21, at 10s. per annum, is 200s. each, amounting to 100 00   Intereſt on the above £.100 from 41 to 66, is 25 years at 6 per cent per annum 150 00 250 00 carried over   £.700 00 brought forward, £.720 00 If 10 are ſet free at the age of 46 years, 4 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the maintenance of the ſurviving 6 as above £.180 00 If 10 are ſet free at the age of 51 years 3 of them will die before the age of 60 years, therefore   To one fourth part of the maintenance of the surviving 7 as above 210 00     £.1110 00 Balance received by the publick more than it pays, is 581 150     £.1691 150 brought forward, £.700 00 By the depoſit money for I0 negroes, aged 46 years, being 25 years above 21, at 10s. per annum, is 250s each, amounting to £.125 00   Intereſt on the above £.125 from 46 to 66, is 20 years at 6 per cent per annum 150 00 275 00 By the depoſit money for 10 negroes, aged 51 years, being 30 years above 21, at 10s. per annum, is 300s. each, amounting to 150 00   Intereſt on the above £.150 from 51 to 66, is 15 years at 6 per cent, per annum 135 00 285 00     £.1260 00 By taxes which will be paid by 35 negroes (being one half of the 70, allowing the other half to be females) amounting to £.12 6 8 1/2 per head, after deducting what taxes would have been paid for them, had they remained ſlaves, and allowing no taxes paid after 60 years of age 431 150     £.1691 150

N. B. The calculations are all formed on tables, made from the Breſlau bills of mortality, by the very ingenious and judicious Dr. Edmund Halley, which are in ſuch repute, as to be univerſally uſed in valuing annuities on lives, and all other purpoſes of that nature, to which they are adapted. For inſtance, it is found by thoſe bills, that of 592 perſons of the age of 21 years, only 242 perſons were living 39 years afterwards, viz. at the age of 60 years. Thus for our preſent purpoſe we ſay, if 592 perſons aged 21 years, only leave 242 perſon alive at the age of 60 years; how many will 10 perſons of the age of 21 years, leave alive at 60 years of age? The anſwer is 4, agreeable to our calculations.

THIS account is ſtated with as much accuracy as was poſſible, without introducing fractions, which would have multiplied figures to little purpoſe. When they did occur in the tables, the neareſt whole number was uſed, and as that method is ſtrictly observed, both in the debits and credits, it is preſumed any inaccuracy ariſing from it, muſt be immaterial.

IF 10s. is paid to the overſeers of the poor, on the manumiſſion, for every year the ſlave hath exceeded 21, it is found that, although there is allowed for the maintenance of every one becoming chargeable, four times as much as the Pennſylvania law requires, there ſtill remains in favour of the publick, a balance of £.150, excluſive of £.431 15s. which is the amount of the taxes that would be paid by them, before they attained the age of 60 years: after which age, it is allowed, that thoſe who come to want aſſiſtance ſhould be wholly maintained, when probably they might want but little aſſiſtance for ſome years afterwards.—In the calculation of the taxes no account is made of the probability of ſeveral of them acquiring ſuch eſtates, or following ſuch trades, as would be ſubject to much higher taxes; but every one of them is reckoned among the very loweſt of the taxables.— In calculating the intereſt on the depoſit money, it is carried to 66 years ; becauſe the expence of a maintenance beginning at 60, and ending at 72, brings it on an average to 66. It may be obſerved that the intereſt carried to the credit of the account, might with great juſtice be much increaſed: For inſtance, 40 years intereſt on £.25, only amounts to £.60, (as ſtated in the account) whereas it is highly reaſonable, that when £.25 has doubled itſelf, which it will do in 16 years and 2 thirds of a year, at 6 per cent per annum, the intereſt on the doubled ſum, to wit, £.50, should thereafter commence as on a principal ſum, which will again be doubled in 16 years and 2 thirds of a year, and then amount to £.100, on which intereſt again reckoned for 6 years and 2 thirds of a year longer (being in the whole 40 years) is £.40 more or £.140 total; which ſum may be juſtly carried to the credit of the account, inſtead of the £85, which is carried out. For this reaſon no leſs than the ſum of £.255 ſhould be yet added to the balance as ſtated. Had the calculation been made on an allowance of compound intereſt, in which money (at the ſame rate) doubles itſelf in leſs than 12 years, the balance would have been ſtill much increaſed; but that method is rejected, as what many might diſapprove, although from what follows, it will appear, that monies put out on intereſt in the common way, cannot with near ſo much propriety, be entitled to compound intereſt, as in this inſtance, where the money is in conſtant circulation. Now, that all the monies depoſited on manumiſſion will be ſecure and conſtantly in uſe, and therefore entitled to intereſt, is evident when it is conſidered, that the ſums ſo depoſited, are paid for the immediate uſe of the poor: For, if £.25 be paid on the manumiſſion of 10 negroes, age 26 years, in any townſhip, ſo much leſs than the uſual poor tax, will be collected from the inhabitants of that townſhip; therefore each taxable retains in his own hands his proportionable part of the ſaid £.25, and ſo will continue to do, in all probability, for 34 years; at which period it is ſuppoſed, one of the negroes may firſt require aſſiſtance; and then every inhabitant firſt pays a proportionable part of his ſhare of the ſaid £.25 left or retained in his hands 34 years, as above-mentioned; and as money is univerſally allowed to be worth its intereſt in whatever hands it may be, it muſt be ſuppoſed he has made ſuch uſe of it, as may well enable him to pay the whole ſum with its intereſt, when it may be called for to furniſh the neceſſary aſſiſtance to one of theſe Paupers.

On the whole—it appears by the account as ſtated, that the publick receives £.581 15s. more than it pays, for 70 negroes manumitted; and that if we admit a more equitable way of reckoning the intereſt, we muſt add to that balance £.255 more, which would make it £.836 15s.

THEN to ſhew what the annual ſum, to ſecure the publick on a manumiſſion after the age of 21 years, ſhould be we ſay, if the depoſit money is fixed at 10s. per annum , it leaves the balance of £581 150

BUT allowing the intereſt to form a principal ſum after 16 years and 2 thirds of a year, the balance is £.836 150

THEN in the firſt caſe, the depoſit money may be reduced to 5ſ 4½ per annum.

IN the laſt caſe to 4ſ 5¼ per annum.

OTHERWISE, in the firſt caſe each negro will pay £.8 6 2½ more than

IN the laſt £.11 190¼ more than

is neceſſary to ſecure the publick from their ever becoming burdenſome.

IF either the premiſes here ſaid down, or the inferences made therefrom, ſhould be found wrong, it would be eſteemed a ſervice done to the cauſe of Liberty, to have the errors pointed out in one of the publick papers; for thought an indulge is wiſhed to be granted to ſuch as are conſcientiouſly ſcrupulous of holding their fellow-creatures in perpetual bondage; it is reaſonable that the publick, at the ſame time, ſhould be cautiously guarded againſt any injurious conſequences.