The daily union., 1856-12-31
THE CENSUS RETURNS,

der, In w asbington county, pennsylvania.
Tue CENSUS RETURNS.
CHARLESTON December a. 1856
TO Hm H. Harlbm, Esq., Neo York:
SIR; For several weeks l have been hurredly passing
rom place 10 place end have not therefore until to-day
met with the in the Edinburgh Review on the HPo
ical Crisis in the United States" which, on the authority
Q. letter in the National Inegencer may be assumed 10
be yours aa....#
In o note to that article find the following:
The census of the United States prepared in 1850 un
der the supervision of weknown southern writer and
advocate OF slavery Mr. De Bow returns the total etc. etc
IT commonly alleged in the United States that the re-
turns We're ampered with to party purpose etc.
ETC."
The Importance which has been given, by a reference
upon the floors of the Senate your gross and wanton
assault upon section of country which you have still the
presumption to call your own departure from
my accustomed dealing with assaans who strike in the
dark and undertake speak and write with uency upon
matters about which it is evident they have really no
knowledge at all. ...#..
hope 1t will not be considered ndecorous to class Won
among this number far II relates TO the tables Of the
ungenerous take away some of the aurels.
to have been your ambition earn in traducng be-
fore the statesmen scholars and of science of Europe
the official returns which your country had to them Of
its condition and progress
Never before have learned that any shade of doubthas
been thrown the of census on account Of
the nativity sectional procvites Of the party to whose
charge they were ntrusted No but blind zealo or
crazy factonis could make such charge If he would oc
cupy but moment in examining the matter The reasons
of this are obvious enough since
First: Full copies Of all the are deposited IN
manuscript in every county and State In the Union whilst
the originals filed away in the Department Of the
Interior at Washington where they accessible at any
moment TO every OF course in the certainty ofde
ION ONLY MAJ Ayna, ali. - a
undertaken to tamper" with them for party or any
other purposes"
Second From the very nature Of an Office employing
such large number Of persons like that Of the census
persons from the North, South, East and westhrough
whose hands all the voluinous returns must pass before
they reach the head OF the ofce-persons who make
all the condensatons and verfcatons to whom every
thing done in the Office must necessarily be as famisrly
known ms the alphabet itselE .
Third From the fact easily aseeraiued at washington
that during the whole course OF my sbos upon the
pendulum and the mortality reports retained at the head
Of the Office under me and responsible me for its
tails citizen q IsHnsyipona whom had appointed,
who was believe whig, and had crossed think
Mason and Dxonf line, until about the time OF bis
trance the Office This gentleman had the gen
eral direction Of the abo Of the clerks assigned to each
his department. received the reports and finally handed
them TO He is s in The office In charge OF all
the returns and the manuscripts which formed the basis
the publication,
In regard to the number of slavehoder which you have
the temery 10 say over-estimate challenge you TO the
very easy vor6Caton refutston OF the charge and
you in search OF truth and right you will on
being satisfied make the honorable amSnd Write
either yourself get else do H. any person
at Washington what his sectional position r an
honest man, and ask him examine tho returns for any
State you may indicate. He could examine Texas In one
hour, South Carolina in two hours or perhaps all Of the
saveholdng States in the Of three dsys-f
the number Of holders only required No slave
turned by the censussker unless in connection with II
name OF hs owner and with all the facts Of his sgs ser
&c, &C.
In your article You quote very often Mr. olmsead Who
IN his volume on the "save States introduces the old
story about exsggeraton Of the real estate OF South
CAROLINA The story fret appeared in the National Era
aud was answered by at the time believe to the
tire satisfaction Of every one.
may be permitted such an occasion and whom re-
peng such wanton assaults that there are In nv
possession letters in large numbers men of the
character at the North including the most active in this
antsavery warfare, given without solicitation and bear
ing testimony to the dr1ess and ippaaip and raoaai
character OF my labors permitted to make use Of
some OF these letters and will therefore introduce an
tract from one OF them II Is from Dr. Edward Jarvis Of
Bostonthe first among the men OF pcenoe and statistics
The North regret must be guilty Of this seeming
egottn:
IA Is useless TO complain Of what we could not have.
We should rather be thankful for what we have gained
Ths Is fargery far-beyond all other works Of this
ture produced in our country. Ia monu Of your
genius industry and perseverance, One almost wonders
how you could accomplish H. For the good Of the world
and the honor of country am glad that on were
lected to superintend this work"
Your obedient servant
Id. b. DrBow.