The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-02-24
1,be Next Census.

IL ID reasonably certain thai the next cen
aus Il no, to be 4 nesiabls crie % iar % the
statistics Of population shah be coneernets
,rhe speeches mgde fiji the House Of Repre-.
Isentatlyes lately by leading Republican
members indicate chat they expect the TAX Az
inr 81 ste census 10 be an endeavor on tue
part OF both the northern and the southern .,
sections OF the Union to secure larger pro-
portion o. the representatives in the lower
house Of Congress than they will be enti-
tied TO-. =. ss,a ,.asss. ,ks..ss,t
This admission on the part OF bitter enc
mics OF the southern people at once sug-
cested the probability that the South has by
the same sort Of yilIainy been heretofore
sborn OF her proper strength in the coun.
ellis OF the notion. 1t would mot be az all
difficult for any resident OF Richmond TO
reach this conclusion, seeing that the eel cen
sus OF 1870, taken by the appointees OF the
Republican, party, sets down this city as
having only 81 900 Inhabitants. We have
often heard it said that Richmond was, IN
territorial area and houses, the largest city
in the country that bad so small a;popula'
ton. The Board OF Health now estimates
her population at 10000. 81, z.s i 49,. !
Its unfortunate that there should be any
treason to doubt the good faith OF the Gov
eminent officials who perform such a duty
as the taking OF a census, But bow can il
be helped? What sort OF yillainy can DC
imagined OF, which the Republicans have
not been guilty? book at the millions anc
millions OF dollars expended in all sorts OF
| Jobs. Look al the stealing OF the vote OF
| Florida, that OF South Carolina, and that OF
Louisiana. Would the men who stole the
votes OF these States in order to, perpetuate
the ascendancy Of their party hesitate one
moment to steal the power OF the South IN
the House of Representatives? Would old
ZACH CHANDLER return true census when
he could by returning a false one cheat the
South out Of her strength in Congress
Who will say that he would?
What is the remedy? We know not. One
thing, however. is certain: the Democrats
in Congress ought never to agree that the
new census act shall provide for the APP
pointment of Republican partisans by Re
publican partisans to enumerate the 1nhablt-
ants. Such officials might possibly be re.
lied upon to make true returns relative to
other matters; but no. as to this. MIR.
Cox's bill provides that certain of the cen
sus-takers shall disappointed by the Cover
nors of the several States. This would be
as good compromise as could be agreed
upon, we suppose, but would still leave this
important matterin the hands Of the unscru-
pulous Republicans in too many OF the
States. We may judge the Republicans too
harshly; but if so, it is not without provoaa-
ton. When we remember that they foisted
three amendments into the Federal Constitu-
ton by brute force; that they divided Virgil
MIA into two States in undoubted violation OF
the same Constitution that they emancipa-
ted the slaves in defiance OF the plain re-
quirements Of that instrument; that they
for years deprived the South Of representa-
tion in Congress in shameless disregard Of
the most important provisions Of the same;
that they cheated the southern people out OF
all their power in both houses Of Congress
By forcing upon them carpet-bagger and
scaIawag representatives we say, when
we recall that the Republicans thus dis
gracefully and olitrageously cheated the
South out Of her due strength in the coun-
ellis of the nation, we cannot be censured
Tor being afraid OF them, nor for being I'M
willing to trust to them any duties the per-
Torrance of which would enable them to
deprive our section Of the Union Of her
fair proportion Of representatives in Con-