The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-10

few owners who tell the age and number Of their
slaves but they cannot tell where they born, any
Of doing what be effected and which, il il could
be done, would be OF no earthly practical good.
The question being taken on the motion to strike out
Mr.. KING. have another proposition TO make, the
popneiy OF the adoption OF which senators may perceive
II is in schedule No 2. in the following words;
"If female, the number Of children she has had who
are kaown TO be lying-known 70 be dead"
Now 1t is impossible to ascertain the number OF chill
dren that any woman may have The woman herself, in
nine cases out OF ien who has had fifteen children does
not know how many she has had. [Laughter.l She
cannot tell. The owner certainly does not know The
managers OF the estates do not know because they
often changed. One or two will be born while man
ager has charge OF the plantation and two Or three while
another IS overseer There Is mode by which you can
get the information but by the medium Of the woman
and know IN many instances, that she cannot give it.
Where is the necessity for M II fills up large space,
and ncurs considerable expense and you get no certain
information in the end.
Mr. DAVIS. hope the honorable senator will permit
that to stand do not know that the column which has
been struck out is very MATERIAL but il is very desirable
nasmuch as representation the basis OF population
has TO rest upon hatthat the enumeration should have
some preenslon to accuracy as lar as i can be obtained
Now, do not suppose il is possible 10 get at an enume
ration that is very full OF error still there must be
an enumeration, and must be such as can be carried
INTO practical operation Why should we not adopt means n.
70 make them as accurate as we can Whether this lit
tie circumstance that has been adverted 10, will tend to
increase the nformatono show the state and condition
q that population and show the numbers a On en-,
gentleman pleases, inasmuch as the tables have been
stereoyped, and printing has been done, unless he
sees very serious objection to it. that ne would permit
Mr.. KING. The honorable senator says he does not
any practical good 10 be attained by the amend
ment want the census to be taken accurately as
possible as far as il goes and do not want throw
any obstacle in the way of fair enumeration OF all
classes Of populaton--the white and the blackand the
proportion OF them ascertaned But there is no reason
for mourning the expense and trouble TO ascertain what
will be OF earthly service Does it render It more
certain You have toge the name OF every slayeman
tain it be ascertained, by learning how many
children woman may have, and how many are dead I
state again. that this information cannot be obtained
without any earthly benefit to be derived from it. And II
il is to do good why incur the expense! hope, sir
the a. am mdnsSw VIII b adopted ..s
Mr. President and but few. These tables in reference
to the population have been adopted, SO far as am con-
cerned in great degree from the wishes OF southern
gentleman will explain the objects in part that were
had in view in presenting these tables whole and
then the Senate will that every mutilation that is
made will in all probability operate against the object
which is sought to be obtained That the names 10 be
stricken out will be loss will be in this connexion
Now sir, OF the information which we are in pursuit Of
the enumeration Of the inhabitants upon which the
representation in Congress to be based is not the only
object A number OF philosophical matters are to be
sought as well as the basis OF representation The con-
Oh lDe reference resources,
element upon which Legislation is 10 occur. Every
knows how the of different sections OF the
country operate upon its legislation. We know il is i'm
portant in military point Of view; we know il s i'm
portant in almost every point Of view connected with the
operations OF society and hence it is that in acting upon
sbis subject the committee were not confined SIMPLY 10
the number OF inhabitants for representation. The eff
feet oil health, the effect of longevity, the climate,
the condition of the colored races all become OBJ
jects OF interest in reference to conversations upon
the subject. You will find, therefore, that in those
tables we require not only the age and the SEX but the
color OF the person, and in another column the degree oil
removal from the pure blood is required TO De found
This inquiry in reference to the number OF children, Lean
inform my friend over the way, inserted SO tar as
know, at the instance oil southern gentleman. with
view q ascera'nng certain facts about winch ne sag
while to go into Now, the only question is whether
you are willing 10 take all this information with view
ascertain the laws OF longevity between the races
with The tables have been constructed as sena-
will perceive, in reference to the age the degree OF
blood the number OF children, and other tables to go into
the OF longevity Now, if this information be
obtained, every senator will at the deductions
that be made from it. II you do not intend to get all
the information in all the ramifcatons which have sug
gested, you might well strike out all except that with
regard 10 representation The honorable senator from
North Carolina made motion, at the very first, TO get
clear oil all these other questions, and suppose that the
honorable senator from Alabama voted with him, and
am not surprised that the honorable senator should
take the course that he has taken now.
II he succeeds in these amendments and we strike out
all these things, you will cut down the bill till il be-
comes mere enumeration for representation. II you
give this information, you will be able give these gen.
emen opportunity to overturn uphold their theo-
fes upon this subject hold therefore, that you ought
TO retain the age number OF children, and other
matters, If you wish to get to anything hereafter in ref
to which this information be applied, every
body knows, and that is the insurance OF life The
whole OF the tables in reference to this matter will fur
nish information upon which valuable tables be
sructed, if you will continue them for series of years
and do anything practicable you must take not only this
year. but other years This year will be the commence
ment But il is not proper TO begin at all, you may
strike out the whole, and 90 to what my friend from Ala
bama wanis-the number OF blacks.
Mr.. B0RLAND. Mr.. President think that the re-
marks that my friend from Kentucky has made show the
proprety OF striking out OF these tables everything that
does not relate TO the subject Of representation He has
opened field OF inquiry which is unlimited and which
Unless explored by the most scientific OF this
try, the information obtained would be OF value.
Why, sir who is there that depends upon the stas
tics OF the oil 1910 that there is
an individual in the United States who confidently
rely upon the information contained in it, So far as am
informed upon the subject il is erroneous, and has led TO
some most ridiculous conclusions Instead OF limiting
the information the deputy marshas to obtain TO the
subjects that we usually require, we have the whole
field OF natural science opened 10 and they
quired go into the most delicate questions mooed
Now, TO questions of physiology, health longevity,
&C., the degree OF removal from the white and black
races, would respectfully suggest that this would re.
que very high degree OF science and Of discrimination,
and knowledge OF all the subjects, | not aware
that men who have devoted their whole lives 10 this
matter could well fulfil the task. And then to suppose
that young taken ndiscrminaiey, is qualified for
business OF that sorts while he gets the statistics con-
corning these individuals at two cents piece to find out