Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-08-23
q THE CERSUS OF 1870.
What the Returns Now Being COIIatsd VIII
ShoW-The Reports from the
South Not Reliable.

From the New York Herald
Partial returns from the census
takers in many of the States are find
ing their way into the newspapers.
The work has so far progressed that
in a month or two the rough materi-
ais from every hole and corner of the
nation will be in the hands of the
cOmpilers at Washington. Meantime,
it appears that the local estimates of
the population of every one of our
large cities, and many of the second
and third class, have been much too
large. New York will fall short of
a million souls; Chicago, boasting of a
population of four hundred thousand,
is cut down to three hundred thou
sand; and SO on to the end of the
chapter on cities. The aggregate pop
ulation OF the United States, by the
Census superintendent, is estimated at
40,00e0OO from the returns received.
The cities and large towns of New
England generally show an increase,
but those States, in the aggregate
population, appear to have gained
little or nothing since 1860, the gains
in their cities being Offset by losses in
their rural districts. Even the State
of New York, above Westchester and
off from the Hudson river and our
great railways, will not show much
advancement. The ratio of increase
in population will doubtless be better
in Pennsylvania. All the East, how
ever, has suffered by drainage to the
West, and from Ohio Ga COMPARE
lively light increase in Ohio, the
increase in people goes swelling till it
eliminates in Minnesota. -
The great Southwestern State of
Texas, however, win probably show
an increase since 1850, in actual num-
bers, hardly exeelled by Minnesota.
California will not now show anything
Like the increase for this decade of that
from 1850 to 1850. The rush there is
over. We have nothing yet from the
Census MarShals to indicate the
growth or decline of the States and
cities of the South in population, white
and black. If there is some truth, as
we suppose there is, in the numerous
reports made from time to time of the
rapid decay sOf the Southern blacks
since their emancipation, the census
viii indicate a decline in the black
element. How much? is the impOr-
tant question to be determined. We
think the returns of the white pOpu-
lation of the South in the lump, I'M
der all the circumstances of South
ern prostration resulting from
the war, will, since 1860, show
an astonishing increase, and that Ken
lucky, one of the richest of those
States and most convenient to our
great marts of trade and channels of
emigration, viii appear further be
hiud than any other State except !
South Carolina. Looking to the past
and to the future, politically, socially |
and commercially, the full returns Of
the census of 1870, reduced to an intel
igible compilation by intelligent
minds, will be the most Interesting
and valuable book ever published in
the United States. Hence we would
say to Superintendent Walker, see to
it that the work is intelligently and
carefully done.
From the New York Times. 1
As is well known, about ninety
nine per cent. of the Republican par
ty in the South is composed Of ne
groes, and the remaining one per cent.
of carpet-bag adventurers from the
North and low class scallawag South
ern renegades, alike destitute of abili-
ty to comprehend the objects Of GEN.
sus, and of fidelity to discharge prop
erly any duty confided to them if in
tricate or labOriOus. From this class
the deputy marshals were rigidly Sc
In one neighboring locality a
colored youth, about twenty-one years
of age, has charge of a whole county,
and is performing his duty Gin viola
ton OF law) with chance white assist
ance. AS his conception of the uses
of a census, and the. disturbances of
accuracy are necessarily of the most
shadowy character, the value of his
statistics can DO duly appreciated.
And except in the cas- of this colOred
boy, in no county within my Observa-
ton Is the deputy marshal a resident.
There is one fact which will not bel
brought out by the censns inquiries,
but a wide observation has satisfied
me of its correctness, which will tend /
c0lored race in a state Of freedom.
Under the old slave system, as is well
a large proportion OF thed.
in the South were col0red
nearly every plantation having its
carpenters, blacksmiths, shoe
maker, wheeiright, etc, who were
their trades with considerable
care. All such now living are still
pursuing their trades; but the re-
fact Is there are nc colored
The free colored youth
will not learn a trade. When the
present generation who learned their
trades as slaves, die out, there will be