Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-09-15
From the New York Tribune, Sept. .
Vermont Never had a Slave
REPUBLICATION OF A GROSS ERROR.


est of the sisterhood Of States. The error,
which has outlived the system which brought II
into existence, places Slavery in the rugged
hills of Vermont Col. Harrington, jealous OF
the far name Of his native State and OF Inc
country of his birth, took it into his head that
he would look into the fact, acknowledge as
such from one end Of the country to the othef,
of the existence Of Slavery in that old Common
wealth, and he succeeded in pulling from tae
dusky cObwebs Of ages, the truth, which IS
that Vermont never owned o slave, that there
was never a slave owned within her borders,
and that she has suffered the odiam through the
caTelessness Of some laundering arithmetic man
Of the eighteenth century. As the reader well
knows, the first census Of the United States Was
taken in 1880, and one has been taken every
succeeding ten years down to the present time
After conversation with Col. Harrington,
went in search of copies Of the frat census,
which found slm0tt as scarce IS slaves in Yer
mont. Mr. Spoford, however, the universal
refuge for all beiogged inquirers, really sup
pliet the copy sought, reminding ne that j.
was the only one in the Congress Library, and
that he diI not know Of another IN existence
The copy produced IL most primitive IN appear
ance. Il is pamphlet Of IS pages, Of the SIZE
of school primer probably inches long o3
- wiie). ami bears the following on its title
pages Return Of the Whole Number Oh
Persons within the Several Districts Of
the United Ststes. According to an Act proSid-
ing for the enumeration Of the inhabitants
of the United Slater, passed March the hrst,
1880 Philadelphia printed by Childs ami
Swaine, l79l." The paper is rough, OF light
brown color, the letter-press is in loug-primef
OF smsll-pca type, with the eccentric shaped
- 50 ami other letters mm0n IN that day, and
the Edges are stained yellow. From the tables,
il appears that South Csroins was SOW in send
ing III her returns, for the book was printed
leaving blanks for the figures IN her case, which
were subsequently supplied with pen and INK.
The volume was the property Of Oliver Noic9I
Connecticut, who succeeded Alexander Hamilton
as Secretary Of The Treasury. and It bears his
autograph n well as that Of Ih0nas Jefferson,
then Secretary Of State Mr.. Jefferson cerrGei
10 the accuracy Of this census 10 the fl0ving
words
Truly stated from ,he original returns de-
posted in the Office Of the Secretary OF State.
'' October u, 1871" Til JEFFERSON.
lie knew ss LITTLE O, tia, which he certified A.
macy of our la'e- government officers, for
neither Wcsc the returns accurate Eor was the
transcript certified correct one. The plan
Of ID. f.st census was 20 give the population ct
the United States ty towns and counties, t1-
gether with the sex, age, sui color, hy each
State aui County. The towns are given alpha
heticaly in table cuIsiuing hye columns or
subdivisions, showing each town the tel5w.n-
facts Ia the frs. column, q" Free white msles
s;cs :, Tho ,sc-rI linen IS be,lsi =. IRE
u.s.. -,fss r, ,.s,-s %, rho tb.-i column
-. .. - s.I;,. f..,..... i-.1,i.-.- b.,rs
(tf.--.,.'., -, .l. f.,,b .. an ,-be- f-.. ,..,.
s'rs -, ,5a fifth ,.,, .-s ,,pr,.lr ~ .s..ves .,
s--l t5s .-r,f The It'll ., Pace N X The CEN
sg. rlo-,irs tts-.tr.r n V-rn9ar. IN which BEN
niurt-a County 8. credited with Is slaves These
ava ,...-.4.,.aj o. .t, e .I,g,r -lu,-,s- t--i-,.,-.-
a'' ~
L-s ",l--'' N' 'r
nall Slattsturv I . Ni1lhal. ] All iu
cash cs-s thew al. l'I,r.i ia the clluln hesleI
49,. D., 7.. III --4 ga. -,,l. .,4
saves Anus .ae I-i-4 nt' A-tlt SuA
thus it hRe been c--alet for eighty ycs-s.
lrttgrlsi 90 the Census o-,i.e, an vas shown
ils 90 gina. return for she state Of Vermont,
ID columns, hJ towns Slt oy COMMITTEES The ~
turns were c--tliati 10 % gFcisy, worn AMI
faded roll, " -u eaten 90 p.2ce7- AL measuring,
] SHOULD .t-ls- e-lgt tart7 feet 10 length slI
shout twenty iucass 10 Width. The sheets hal
been pastel Q -. ltr, 10 convenience. making
the length -s stated >'..el al Glow as ,he
paper upon Wti-l the returns were uaie VS.,
tde writing -s-i was rslarsaoiy clear aud
distinct. 81! I1 That beautiful. round ani
leglU.e lanl Wh.-- is g. often 1et WIKI 10 oil
parers AMI documents The ink hal faded
somewhat, t-t Dc vas stil as -isalci as any
---s-, ~. ~, ~ ~. .,-..' ia =
.Aal le'---' -'''- ~ d. "As VIZ I1.S A-'
s-lgs' "-'I' y. .r,.-',. y. d
ls-'e '-' pm -..--'
'-''1si.- go D.. '-' - 49,. '---,--
80 .-. -