New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-03

increase for eish, years the estimate, in round
numbers, OF the population of MARYLAND IN l7ts.
should be 24.lSS TINS correction s hguratvely and
hncaly proper. but practically uht and worthless.
1t the intention, IN preparing the table TO ex-
press the Tesuls in round numbers, tne state
neDt on which the comparison Is founded Is % &.
pressed though II vas knsWn that nypercfihcd
Jaw plckers enough would be found 20 inform the
present generation OF Msvlsndsrs ,hN ISL tSS-
100 ,0ct=24 ASS. The hgures are appafentto every
ones observation anG whoever believes ihst the
substitution OF the numerals les for the three
ciphers IN the item In question Is important TO the
purpose OF the table TO which Mr.. Russell takes ex.
cepiioD. Gill make them
Rage ls, column |, lie 7th-Nr. RISsell says,
i23o In this place should be ls12. Now, .he cor
rector blunders here with prodie atty OF W sccurs
sy "hlen certainly should not have been displayed
cy censor Of other meas performances In the
frst place there no item resembling this in line
IN offne table" which Nj. Russell calls column
Secondly, the column he refers to 10 probably the
like the item he processes to cite in any part of the
table. In the 10th line the relative increase of the
population of Maryland from ITO TO IT'S 10 stated 70
have been l230; that 10, twelve and one half Der
cent. Without doub. Mr.. r. means TO say that the
Census Office represents the increase 10 have been
one and or e-quarter per cent. during this period,
and 70 assert Inat he has discovered 1t to have been
one 212 LOCO per cent. The discrepancy would not
be important, if this a true statement Of il.
But what must be thought Of the qualife atoms OF
man to review and improve the census tables, who,
bbtt mpt 10 cOIfeCt 80 very p0tIy oloo8Yeo-
ment as this, shows himself ignorant OF the signi
hcance and effect of the decimal point, mistakes
twelve md half for twelve hundred and City, and
twelve hundred and seveDtytwo for one 272-l ,000f
And yet 1t may be fairly presumed from all past ex
pelience. and from the present effort OF Mr.. Rus
SELL that he and numerous other such critics will DO
employed in airing their wits upon the tables and
other results of the Seventh Census, during the bal
ance OF the present decade 1t is the due and proper
employment OF that class OF persons who have no
other profession or engagements.
Ire analyzsr, proceeding, says that ON line
eleventh (nesping IIne twefth) 1870 10 printed az
the increase per cent, in place Of 3s3. He allodss
70 the item repie sentng tho relative increase Of
population Ia Maryland rom 1852 to 1890 The 70.
port states the increase at twenty-five and seven
tenths per cent curing that period, and expresses II
thus $50 II Mr.. r s statement OF the corrected
result were true. the increase during those eight
years would have been, in round numbers, about
100000 inbabitsnts. II my critical commentator
pie ads that he not aware Of the difference be-
tween the decimal point and the comma, or that he
does not think 1t OF Importance and habitusy con-
fouRos these signs using one for the other according
to the caprice Of the moment, his blunder In this in
stance is still to the last degree dlScTodltaolc for
his assertion SO explained is that the increase ID
given in the report two $500 per cent, whereas
he has ascertained 1t to be two 5S5 1000 per cent
MIR. Russell further declares that on page IS the
total OF ueitves which Is represented at &c., should
be 269 Mr. Russell is clearly In error; and II he
will add up the few figures correctly he will 6nd
that the result will be 49, as Was In our manuscripts
sent to the printer-a convincing proof that there
those capable OF detecting errors who possess
not the ability to correct them.
But it would require too much time to expose all
the blunders of M. RUSSELL and must cease, hay
ing reviewed only az far down his column Of errors
as the 9th, out of forty .nine-which is much moro
than would have taken the trouble to expose. were
it not that the head Of the Department Of the In.
terror is made to suffer in the criticisms Of Mr. Rus
sell in place Of myself, who alone am responsible
for any errors that may really be found IN the plan
OF arrangement or OF detail.
tharc tpn rapb1na IL a =
il has been denied but expressly and officially
assumed it could not be other wise in work pre-
pared for the press very hurriedly, within fe =
weeks, and without the time necessary to properly
correct IN proofs. II was prepared more a. mat
ter of form thsn as ecimen OF peffecs accuracy
That portion Of the errors noted by Mr.. Russell
are not errors must be perfectly apparent, and his
bunders too plainly reveal that the Character OF nif
ability is OF such as would justify tho least reliance
rpon his authority Some of the errors had detected
ana corrected in a copy keep always by me for the
purpose and others, ACKNOWLEDGED errors OF my OWE
and the printer, escaped detection till exposed by
MT Russell Ithas been my rule to Solicit the earliest
IL formation respe citing any errors may commit and
most thankfully acknowledge my obligation 70 any
one who will take the trouble quietly and unootru
siy ely TO apprse me of thelr existence and ratbeI
than not have them pointed out in time for correction
in the main werk would have them publicly ex
posed befere scientific associations, where learned
men may be gTatihed with the exhibition Of scolitis
criticisms and caricatures from eftheir wn body
while, at the same must be allowed to entertain
greater respect for the motives Of one who should
exhibit spirit OF kindness, and eyince his appreca
ton of truth by manifesng desire to advance the
csuse Of SCIENCE than for those OF him who psndera
to the passions and prejudices engeRdsred By disap
pointed hopes and the defeat Of am6itioug dssigns
To me personally il 10 a matter Of but little con-
sequence what plan Congress may adopt Tor the pub
LEGATION Of the Census, as any change will relieve
me from embarrassing responsibilities but cannot
be Indifferent TO the creditof work which, with the
appreciation and under the direction OF the Secretary
OF the Interior, has been prepared under nay imme-
date supervision and while Congress alone must
be responsible for the propTiety of any plan they
ence of trivial errors in the Maryland work-I shall
not find 1t difficult task to defend the propriety
thereof against such fnical critics - Mr. Archibald
Russell, although his sagaciOus criticisms may bring
him into correspondence with those who are TO de-
eide upon the plan for compiling the Seventh Census.
C. G. KGNNRpy