New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-06-10
TAKING THE CENSUS.

Momentuous have been the events Of
the last ten years. The taking of the
census, decade ago, footprinted the strand
of the greatest war in history. How little
the invisible tides of blood then fountained
in heart homes, and soon to flow in rivers
were dreamed of, as the drudgery of the
census opened on the people, and in its
results inspired a purer patriotism and
enlarged the national pride. A propitious
time for internecine war-just when the
statistics of population had stimulated
every pulse, and imprinted on the public
heart a vision of greatness never realized
by any people. One after another the
territories had knocked at the Congress
sional door and been admitted into the
American Union. The increase over the
last preceding census denoted seventy
five millions at the close Of the
present century, irrespective of increase
by annexation. Contemplate for mo-
ment power SO stupendous, constituted
of few cardinal principles embodied in
forms of law-liberty, equality, progress
sion, fraternity, peace. Yet the South was
shut in from the light of promise by her
black record of negro slavery. 1t dashed
the glory of the picture-till the contendiug
principles marshalled armed hosts, and
trial by battle determined that this wrong
should not continue to darken the loveliest
land under the sun. 1t has passed away,
and new census is about to revive IN the !
public heart the prospect of peace more |
perfect, and an era more fruitful of pros
porous, good and happy men and women
than has blessed the world till now, or
ylorified nation over all nations, and be-
7ond the most extravagant dreams of in
1uence and power.
The taking of the census can hardly fail
n patriotic minds, of whatever politics, to
inspire sense of the greatness of Provi-
lence and of the littleness of those causes
which originate the needless hatreds pre-
ailing among US. The apprehension of
mpire or military despotism, or of con-
power in the Federal govern
aent, and thousand like ills, as conse-
uences of war, will be dissipated by the
cures of the census taker, showing the
march of numbers whose
Intelligence and instincts embrace bat one
Official idea-that consecrated to uni
ersal freedom in the American heart, and I
ing sacred to the oppressed all over the {
'orld. 1t is idle to illuminate pretenses of {
7ranny, or cry wolf into the ears of
,reigners, when the struggle to remove i
le worst OF tyrannies, and destroy the e
ost fearful of wolves is so recent. and its a
,st so terrible. Surely great war,
oody and successful, could not repro. d
ice in new forms the evils it WAS in C
lrred to destroy.
We would like to see tie acerbities of
'litical life abated and the energies and e.
fections of the people united in perfect
the art of free governmental justice "
all prevail in all places, and each indi- IL
dual shall feel in his daily life the princi- 81
es We profess as a government, till the O.
arch of intelligence shall keep pace with b
at of numbers, and a universal senti- T
ent of fraternity shall make the Ameri- S
n people more powerful, because more
nefcent, than it could become by con- c.
tests of armies and nayies to the end of A
9 world. W