Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-07-17

,,,,o,s , : win exhibit a full view .! tho pursuits, IN
sc"oo.S' s.o,,;on and resources of the country, as
III 1, directed by the President OF Tie Y. otates.-
.nJ il shall be the duty Of the Secretary OF S'a''' ui.
dar the directioni Of the President, TO prepare sucn
forms, regulations, and Instructions as ~ - or his
sary and proper, TO comply VIZ" ~
act" !, :, h.,;oveL
without opposition from any quarter. !. .hn -"
SOUGHT by i was of a threeiold character: > =. - ~
,nsr,i;on and classification of the inhabitants OF lme y
: 3dlv n census of all persons receiving pensions
from the u States for Revolutionary or In'iitary stIsr
ces; and 3dlv, the information required uhuef nc s"'''
teal head. a-ho1 ia c,,s.
With regard to the first, the act pTescrio'u .ne =
.;Sc,tion TO be adopted in the enunlcrat'oh, ana a'taen-
al ,nnn,l,r of S10 10 The refusal, by any Tree person
of more than sixteen years of age, belonging 10 a iah'-
ly, to give the necessary information.
For the information under the tllld neau, oo"srr,L n,
cboos;nr 70 depend on the voluntary disposition OF Inc
naonIo nrov;dad no penalty for a refusal to give an
srers To- the questions propounded, u is presumed pe-
cause such a refusal was not to pc anticipated US '"e
Information sought could not out DC cohs.aelea Is va
Unable TO every citizen OF the cnned ota'es' 10 us
",n : 80 the political and civilized world.
-. = carry into effect that part o. the act
which required all such information IN relation 10
m;pes agriculture, commerce., manufactures, ana
SchnoIs ~ would exhibit n full vicw OF the pursuits,
; su"os - Ino,,,on. and resources Of the country, Ia.
- g., !, contain such information, and cores
nnnd;nr ;n,srropatorics, to be put by the marshals and
their assistants. TO elicit 1t, were prepared. Ana 50
broad was the field of inquiry proposed by the act, that,
in preparing these taoles anu Heterogeneous d..nJ"s" !,
was found Necessary in order TO keep within the bounds
of practicabiTty, TO reject many inquiries OF an interest
mo nature which suggested themselves, or were sng'
raetoa H. ,bose who had made statistics their study.
In consequence OF the contradictory terms OF some
,orts of the act. and its being without the provisions
found necessary in that TO provide Tor taking the hiti
census. and introduced in ancndat"7y acts, the Pres'
don't bv n special message Ia Congress, carry IN tht pre-
sent session. recommended the subject to rs cons;dcra
ton. With his message he transmitted Z report IRON
me npon the subject, stating in detail all the prePaTato
nv measures adopted, and containing copies oil me III
structions to the marshals of all the forms to be used
including those for the statistical information, ana 0
the heterogeneous by which It was proposed TO ootaii
it. The whole subject was thus again brought under
the notice of Congress, to be acted upon IN any matte
in which the Executive, in the preparatory measures
had failed TO meet the views of that body. But, so la
as this Department is informed, no objection was made
from any quarter; and the amendments proposed having
hem adoptcd, the Executive branch of the Govern
ment could only proceed to carry into effect The Prov
sions of the act on the plan which appeared To have
met general appreciation in both branches OF Congress
In connection with this subject, take occasion Il
advert 10 remarks in some Of the public ncwSpapcrSr"
speeding a manuscript postscript to the printed lnstrnc
| tons addressed to a certain marshal, whose COMMISSION
would expire previous to the commencement Of th'
enumeration, informing him that any appointments o
assistants lie might make, would be SUBJECT t. be con
tinued or not by his successor, III case he should not ID,
reappointcd. This has been treated as fit had occur
red in that one case only, and represented as a menace
In every instance where the commission Of the lncnm
bent marshal was to expire previous 10 the period TO-
the commencement of the enumeration, the SAINT ma
nuscript postscript was added to the printed clrculal
addressed to him. This was requisite, rs well from
sense ofjustice TO the marshals as TO their assistants
that all parties might know the tenure of the appoint
uients TO be made; which, in relation 20 the assistants
could alone depend upon that oi the principal.
In Justice TO the marslials who received such mann
script postscript iutiuatious, II should be added, that III,
Department does not believe tina; any OF them loohrt
upon them as designed for any other purpose than Tx
one herein indicated.
have the honor 10 be, sir,
Your obcdicnt servant,
JOHN FORSYTH.
| Han ErIIy GnrNnr nf the Scnntn