The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-12
The United states Census OF 1860.

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The United States Census OF 1860.
1t is an acknowledged fact that a complete
census Of this country has never been taken
Although, under special acts of Congress, provi-
sion is made for this service every tenth year.
and large sums of money appropriated for the
purpose Of ascertaining for the information of
the people the amount of our population. the
number of each sex, their occupation. ages, &c,
&C., together with all such other valuable statis
teal facts as are necessary to a proper under
standing of our wealth. population and other
matters of the highest Importance, neverthe
less, there has never been anything reliable or
authentic collected. 1t is a perfect waste of
money to undertake the taking of another CEN
sus in the manner in which all others have been
conducted How has it been done? it is asked.
first place the manner of selecting the special
marshals is decidedly improper. They have
been designated by the marshals of the various
districts of the United States Courts, who, as a
matter of necessity, are uniformly politicians
of the most obsequious order Their selections
are from the men whose politics alone is deemed
a sufficient qualification. The question Of
capacity is never thought Of Heretofore
scores of those deputies were SO illiterate that
hey were incapable Of adding up column of
figures or making an accurate return of their
transactions The consequence has been that
this census taking was mere farce given to.
political favorites, employed during some six
months receiving large pay and accomplishing
nothing reliable.
Now, as the time is approaching for the
taking Of another census, the ensuing Congress
should make very material alterations in the
law by taking the appointment Of the census
takers from the Marshals and placing it in some
honest and responsible hands. If this is not
done, what may we expect from the selections
which will be made in this State by the present
two United States Marshals? Will not Rynders
and Jewett select from the ranks Of their own
peculiar partisans? Will not the Tammany row.
dies and their brethren of like distinction be
the persons designated for this purpose? Most
assuredly they will. And from their well
known qualifications and fitness, it is easy to
predict that the census returned by them will
not be worth the taking These appointments
should be removed as far as possible from poll
tics, and at present we are not prepared to sug-
gest better method than to place the appoint
ing power in the hands Of the Judges of the
United States Courts, because they are above
and beyond all political Influences, or ought
to be.
The present law is also deficient in allowing
so much time to be consumed in taking the
census. The entire census Of the population,
and all statistical information of England, is
obtained in single day. Here we are six
months about it, and when gathered it is not
worth the paper containing it. Then why not
shorten the time here? The whole can be done
in six or ten days. 1t is only necessary to es-
tablish small districts, and select correspond
ing number of marshals, and the work could then
be accomplished more readily, more effectually
| and more accurately than ever before. Remove
| the power of appointing deputies from the poll
teal marshals, restrict the time down to six or
! ten days, select competent men, and sufficient
| number of them, and the people will then stand
a chance of knowing the number of population,
and the extent Of our agricultural, commercial,
| manufacturing and mechanical resources, to-
gether with every other kind of statistics of
which we are now, and always have been, en-
tirely ignorant. If there was the least utility
in continuing the present system; if there was
the least likelihood that anything like an accu-
rate census would be taken under it, we would
not interpose any objections But as there has
| never been one which has been reliable, but
| full oferrors, omissions and conclusions jumped
| at, we think the time has come when Congress
| should revise the laws upon the subject. If
anything is attempted it must be accomplished
before the first day of January next, as upon
that day the Secretary of the Interior is COM
| PEELED to commence action As a matter of the
utmost public necessity we really hope that
| some influential member of Congress will at
the earliest moment possible after the organiza-
ton in December, bring the subject up and
endeavor to make such amendments to our
! present census laws as will tend to correct a
| few OF the thousand evils with which the people
are now SO seriously afflicted