American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-02-02
Curiositios ofthe Census.

What zoe all Do.--An anus ing and
even instructive hour may be spent, il
one will but search out from the confu-
sed iiguros of the census, ihe7number of
persons following various occu pations
in the United States. Thus we rejoce
as q nation, in having two thousand per.
sons who pronounce themselves artists,
though there are probably not score
who will live in mems memories. and
cerlainly not one who appears likely 70
dethrone Raphael. 90. 1i Ias2ht-
OF authors we have according to the
census, only eighty-two; that ighty-
two arc. willing To confess TO ''genius &
garrett" though if publishers advertise
ments are TO be credited, every new
month gives birth to pew literary star,
and one more brilliant than any tha, ev-
or went before. To pass to bank off.
GERS and brokers is a natural transition,
and of the former we are favored with
fourteen huudred; of the latter with six
thousand exemplilying the adages. that
"it never rains but it pours," and that
"blessings never come singly.p Luck.
lily, there are hundred thousand hon
est, s;out-hearted blacksmlhs, as make
weight against this. Egyptian plague of
flies in the shape Of brokers and bank
'ers. Moreover there are six thousand
BARRIERS to shave" the six Thousand
brokers, and thus revenge the communi-
~ which is 60 essentially" shaved +" by
the latter. a.3f nl ..'0.uE
We have two MILLIONS and half of
farmers seventy thousand mariners {;
one hundred thousand merchants six iy
four thousand masons, and nearly two
hundled thousand carpenters. We have
fourteen thousand bakers TO make our
bread, twentyfnur thous and lawyers TO
set us by tho ears; forty thousand doc.
tors to kill or cure" and fifteen hun.
dred editors TO keep this molly mass in
order, by the potent power of public o.
pinion controlled and manufactured
through the press. We have eleven
thousand ha,ters, ten thousand tobacco
nIsts, and thirty-one thousand weavers.
Against tthirty-th thousand teachers we can
set off fifty thousand tailors, so tina, we
care nearly twice as much for adorDing
the body as we do for decking out the
mind. Only twenty two thousand pco-
p'c have been willing to set themselves
down as servants, though most of us
serve others in some capacity or other,
from the boot Hack who polishes our
shoes, 10 the book seller who bripbiens
the public iutolect. Nobody according
10 tue census, follows the trade of poll
tician, though there are enough heaven
knows, in this city alone, to have con-.
demned a dozen Sodoms and Gomorahs,
The census fails 10 record, likewise the
existence OF any patriots among Us,
though we have long thought that pa
trotism was especially profession, a
profession and nothing else -hHN I|H|
The forty thousand physicians san.
port five hundred undortakers, which
gives the important statistical fact, that
il takes eighty doctors to keep one uu.
dertaker in brief business We have
fiiteen huudred wagonmakcrs three
thousand watchmakers 1; seventy.eipb
vinegar makers, including, we suppose
all the cross wives, crusiy bachelors. and
ve'jaico old maids; and thirty three
sbowmen. We have four thousand cut.
lers; twenty.ihrco thousand sadGlers
and five thousand railroad men. We
have fifty four opticians and ten occu
lists, aud nearly four thousand confcc
TONERS, proving that we care indefinile
~ more for eating than for eyesight.-l
lhls reminds us That there are five thou
sand brewers aud seven hundred wine
dealers, but tho census strange TO saw
is silent as To the number who drink
beer and "quaf and be rosy" I'm all
we have about five millions and n half
above tho age Of fifteen years. who are
ousiiy employed at some trade, profos
sion' or other occupation, by which TO
earn livelihood. 1t is plain that we
are not nation ofsluggards. We near.
" all 40 something. Nay to be an idle
drone, is happily no Recommendation
IN America, as it is in tho aristocratic
and nonarchial countries Of Europe
Pill, P2b. Ledg. ..