New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-08
SLAVERY IN TIE CENSUS.
NUMBER OF SHAREHOLDERS TAKEN AND THEN
SUPPRESSED.

SUPPRESSED
On page xii of the introduction TO tbe yolame
contsiDing the Census of 1850, we have the
various blank schedules furnished to the pers)as
employed. Schedule No. is entitled SIsvss,
and the first column is headed NUMBER OF
SLAVE OWNERS " On page xiii We have the
"IDstrs ,tions to Marshals and Assistants" ia
relation to this schedule, follows: " Usder
"ht adipg No. l, entitled name of Shareholders.
insert, in proper order the names Of the opasrs
"of slares. Where there are several owners ID
"a slave, the name of one only need DO entered;
"or when owned by corpora or trust
"estate, the name Of the trustee or cOrpor alton"
1t thus appears that the number Of slaveholders
in each State has been acquired by the census aud
also the number Of slaves respectively held By
them, for the Instructions say: The slaves d
" each owner are to be numbered separately"
Here, then, is information that has long been
greatly needed. A southern member Of Con-
grese, some time since, asserted there were three
millions Of stockholders, or rather more than
there were then slaves to be held. Others coz.
tend that very small proportion Of the ~hite
population of the South hold their fellow. men a.
property and that the whole number Of slave
holders, on very liberal computation, docs not
exceed 100000. TIE great question is solved By
the census. But the solution 10 not such as to
strengthen the slaye-power, and therefore 1t Is
kept secret. The returns of the number Of slave
holders are all suppressed. Yet We have most
tedious and youminous details Of the number Ia
each State, embraced in no less than 323 "pro-
" LESSONS, occupations, and trades" Thus, We
learn that in Virginia there are 2 comb makers;
in North Carolina, author, . bookshelf, rs, no ca
graver, no publisher, but 959 Ocsrse,rs; South
Carolina has paper manufacturers l41 printers,
engraver, 3 coppersmiths, and 1923 ovsrss~s.
But Mr.. De Bow, the Superintendent Of the Cen
sus, does not think proper to let the public know
bow many follow the profession and occupation Of
stakeholder.
NUMBER OF MULATTO SLAVES TAKEN AND
SUPPRESSED.
The fifth column of Schedule No. 2 is headed
Color" The instructions" order, under
heading 5, entitled Color Insert In all cases
"when the slave 10 black the letter b, whea 10
cor she is mulatt,, insert VI. The color Of al
"slarss should be kno,oa." OF course 1t 10 known
to Mr.. De Bow, AMI TO such friends of the pecu-
liar institution as he may please TO intrust with
the secret. Bat it is not prudent to publish 10
the world tho extent to which amalg nation 10
carried in the Slave ates, and hence the retarns
30 positively ordered respecting the "color Of
"all slaves" have been totally suppressed. Tao
North must nOtsknow how large proportion Of
the slaves are the children Of their masters.
MARRIAGES OF cOLoRgD PERSONS NOT RzcOG-
NIZED IN THE SLAVE STATES.
At page xii we have q summary Of al tho
marriages in the States within the year. To this
table is added the significant note: "The mar
"riages include tho whites and free colored, OK.
"cept in the Slave States, where the whites esly
care embraced" So the marriages among pop
ulation o. nearly three and half millions, are
totally disregarded by the United States censu
Wbyi Because concubinage 10 the rule, ud
marriage the exception.
INTERNAL sLAvE-rRADE
The ratio Of increase of the whole slave pops
latiOn from 1910 to 1850 is stated at 2S.T. Bat
this, be it reeollected, is the average ratio. OF
course the ratio is far greater in Virginia, where
the climate is mild the labor light and the treat
ment comparatively kind, than on the cotton
rice and sugar plantations Of the South. lsbs
well ascersained fact that slaves employed Ia tho
sugar cultivation do not increase. Ga tho con-
trary, after the abolition Of the African sl's
trade. there was constant decrease In the nun
Der of slaves In the British Sugar Islands, ana
now, In the State of Louisisns there 10 % In
crease Of slaves except BY Importation. hsaoe'
II the average ratio is g. 81 it is very uodsfs"
estimate that the natural ratio In North Carolina
Virginia, Maryland and Delaware must es"'s''' D.
30 per cent. Now, what are the hcts'
In tho last ten yssrs the ratio Of increase y
virginia H..... ss'."'...s.''''''''''' am
Delaware-decrcae ...-.-..--..........'''', ~ a
North Csrolns--increase. ..............''.'''"
Do We ask what has become Of the slaves ~
Disappearing from these Ststesf Tho ansWs"
found in tAe ratio Of increase In the Infsf'