Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-06-10
TAKING OF THE CENsUS.


Yesterday the United States Marshals
and their assistants commenced taking the
ninth census of the United States. Gen.
Francis A Walker is the superintendent of
the ninth census, and the schedules have
been prepared by him under the act Of
May 23d, 1850. The first schedule enume-
rates dwelling houses, families, persons,
with their names, ages, sex, color, profes-
sion or occupation, value of real and per
sonal estate, place of birth of persons,
their parentage, whether married or single,
educated or not, constitutional relations,
&c. The constitutional relations referred
to are whether the person enumerated is q
citizen of the United States above the age
OF twenty-one years, and if, being such
citizen, his right to vote is denied or
abridged on other grounds than partici-
pating In rebellion or crime. The inform
alton required under this head is conced-
ed in the directions of the departm ent for
the guidance of assistant nlarshals 70 be q
matter of some delicacy.
The enumerators are instructed: MANY
persons never try to vote, and therefore do
not know whether their right to vote is OF
Is not abridged. 1t is not only those whose
votes have actually been challenged and
refused at the polls for some disability or
want of qualification who must be report
ed in this column, but all who come with
in the scope Of any State law denying or
abridging suffrage to any class or individ-
ual on any other ground than participation
in rebellion or legal conviction of crime" ="
Assistant marshals are therefore required
carefully to study the laws of their own
State Ill these respects, and to satisfy
themselves in the case of each male citi-
zen of the United States above the age of
twenty one years, whether he does Or does
not come within one of these classes. Up
on the answers to the questions under the
head of constitutional relations will de
pend the distribution of representative
power to the general government, and it is
therefore considered important to have
absolute accuracy.
The second schedule gives the number
of deaths during the year, causes thereof,
&c. The third schedule gives the produc-
tions Of agriculture, name OF owner OF
land, number Of acres, cash value, live
stock, SC. The fourth schedule is for the
products of industry, and will show the
name Of the corporation, company or in
vidual producing, motive power, number
of hands employed, material used, value OF
products, &c. The fifth schedule will
show social statistics, as follows: Valuation
of property, taxation. pauperism, crime,
libraries, wages, colleges, academies and
lgion, with all particulars covering the
above.
The department. expresses its determine
ton to protect the citizen in all his rights
in the present census, and declares that
''no graver offence can be committed by
assistant marshals than to divulge infor-
nation acquired in the discharge of their
duty. All disclosures should he treated
as strictly confidential. information will
6 80 i
the part of assistant marsha!s." They are
also eLjoined to approach every individual
in a conciliatory manner, and ntrivc In
every way to relieve the performance of
their duties from the appearance Of obtru-
siveness.
The assistants to the marshals are paid
as follows Two cents for every name
taken ten cents for every farm ; fifteen
cents for every productive establishment
of industry two cents for every dead
person and two per cent. of the gross
amount Of names enumerated for social
statistics, and ten cents per milo for travel.
The law provides that each assistant after
qualifying shall perform his duties by a
personal visit to each dwelling house, and
to each family in his subdivision, and
shall ascertain by inquiries made by some
members of each family, if any one can be
found capable of giving the information,
but if not, then of the agent of such fami
| ly shall also visit personally the farms
mills, shops, mines or other places respect
| ing which information is obtained anC
entered in his blanks, then his memoranda
shall be read to the person furnishing the
facts for revision.
| There is a penalty for refusing to furnish
the required information to the assistants
| The act provides that every person NOR
than twenty years of age belonging to an.
family, in case of the absence of the head
and other members Of the family, shall bt
an agent of such family, and is required t.
render true statement of the lnforma
ton required, on pain of forfeiting thirt..
dollars, to be sued for and recovered in al
action of debt by the assistant, to tho us
of the United States.
The Baltimore 'Sun" says:
In connection with the census consider
able feeling has been shown in Congress
upon the subject of the Congressional az
portionment, the West favoring an increas
in the number of members of the House
while the East desires to retain the exist
ing ratio. There has been no Legislation
as syet on the subject, and the censu
itself would seem to be necessary cor
dition precedent to any intelligent appor
tionment.
The facts as to the relative populatio
of the two sections, without which no jul
action can be taken, must first be ascel
tained, and, as the East will resist. the RI
} lative wealth and taxation also, thong
these have not been hiterto recognized 6
basis of representation. The East mu
consent to become a waning power in til
House of Representatives, but the Wei
also claims that the provision Of the .'ol
eolute" constitution by which each Stat
large or small, shall have two members
; the Senate, gives an undue preponderanC
, in numbers to that body, and that if RhoC
} Island aud Delaware have two Senate
each, Illinois should have four or Six
: This is probably the only practical ar
: the most formidable shape III which Il
} old controversy about State rights is like
} to be soon revived.