New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-04-13
\ Curious Debate in senate about Asking the
Women, when Taking the Census. how
Many Children they have had.
Correspondence q The Tribune.
lk.Hnx.yoS l\a4us.d.v


Isn't the following discussion in Senate ON the
Census Bill, rich Isn't 1t both amusing and in.
structiye1 What dye thnk Would the black
mothers South remember how many children they
had b,rne, or is their intelec! and education SO
imperfect that they would be utterly unable TO tell
MIR CLENENs-There Is NOT a man in the South
owning hundred negroes who knows scarcely
any more OF the names of the slave children than
do He would be Obliged IL send the census taker
10 the negr quarters himself to ascertain the IN
iUrmaiion
Mr.. USDERwooD--lf the slave owner cannot
give the name OF the children how IS be to eive the
age
Mr. CLEMENS He knows bow many children
there are, and can tell about the time they were
born Say that he has a negro woman OF the name
of Eliza W IN four ohidren-he can state about the
time each were born. As 70 their names, he would
not know anything about that until the children
had reached the age Of IL or Ia
Mr. UNptRwOOD-I cannot speak for tue large
negro owners in the South, but | can OF that de
scriptiou of people aud the negroes IN my Owl
State And venture to say, that there Is no plan
tation in my quarter. although the slaves no
thing like as numerous they are IN the South
but what the owner can ted you the name OF every
person on the plantation and that without heslta
ton We generally keep record Of their name.
and ages.
Mr. KING see BY the schedule that the Cen
sus Board is required a. obtain lniormStion as L
the places Of birth O! slaves. Now there Is ne
Southe IN gentlemen here who does not know that
il 10 wholly impractcable 10 obtain Information u
this descr ption that will be al all satisfactory oi
reliable. The proposition which now make is u
amend schedule number two, by striking cut the
words nj aces Of birth, IL is wei known that
owing 70 the natural course Of things, great nam
Der of l4res ave TAKEN from oKc Stase 10 GHoftcr
aaa fAe purchasers Of such sldres knox Hoihiag
about fhetr places Of bath and consequently 1t IS
utterly OF their power u give such information
and ii il could be- given II would be perfectly value
less 7Aey ofe Saora 20 hare teen born rsiktg
.Ae STARE States bat "a rAtcA Of them net ksorH
Iacre mGy Dc a tcE rA0 can tesl bsf the large mG
jorTty Of lcn eaa.ot By GHy Passibs4fy sag cAer,
fkrV Keyt hora nor give such Information as Wi
lead to any beneficial result
The question being pat on the motion 70 strike
out the words places OF birth Il was agreed 10
Mr.. KI>G-ln schedule Two are the following
words Ii a female he nuRstcr # e1itdreH sAs
kas had. kaos. 70 X a'trc, kEorR % e dead. -
Now. SIR. il is impossible 20 ascertain the uunber
OF children upon plantation that sly woman has
had The roman kerss'f. "a HtEc osi 81 'ca ca$CS,
tcAea SIZE kas ka3 Ten or ffiscs ekGireR, DOES A0i
ka0c hosr wanys she has Actually had A laugh !
No. Scr. she cgsaos tsil The owner certainly does
not know the manager OF the esiate does not
know. because the managers are frequently
changed One or two children may DC born " bile
an individual is manager OF an estate, and others
may De born after bis place is supplied by another
There is Do mode by which you can ascertain ex
cent through the medium Of the woman, and she
cannot tell
Mr. DuIs-It is very desirable. inssmUch as
population is the basis for representation 10 rest
ppon that the enumeration Should inelude TINS par