The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-10
CAROLlNA'S CENSUS.
CHARGES OF FRAUD ovERTHRowN.
Shciai Reportsin tue Alleged Census
Frauds in North Carolina Made
Public by Secretary Schurz
General Walkers Opinion.

Washington, Oct. 9.--Secretary Schurs
to-day made public the report OF Superin.
tcndent Walker of tho census burOsu, on the
alleged census frauds In South Carolina
After reviewing the statements made by the
press and the alleged frauds and action of
thu census buresuin investigating the same
General Waser says: ~ ho extraordinary
gains reported in certain counties in South
CSrolinn And The state as n whole, over tho
census of 1870 demanded therefore careful
investigation, IL was notorious that South
Carolina had not proGtcd materially during
tue len years since 1870, BY the lmmi,
grafton, neither from other states or
foreign countries. With slight advantage
from Immigration, It was not possible
that IN old state could have gained in popu
lalonin the interval since 1870 to tho degree
which Is shown by the comparison Of two
oehSuses. II follows as Il conclusion of the
highest authority, either that the censu, OF
$50 was grossly detective In regard 10 the
whole of the state or some considerable
parIs thereof or else the census of 1880 was
ireUfulont The census Of 1870 might have
boeo ''!ecti'n In ligh degree, without
frsudMeni inlention, through incompeteney
or negligence OF the enumerAtors employed.
but OF 1850 they could not have eIagger
ated tho population OF state without absolute
fraud, inhsmuoh as tho census law REQUIRES
the names of every person reported to he
written ut length on schedules, with the
score OF particulars rs regards age sex, na-
hVity, occupation, etc, so that any illegiu-
mate addition whatever TO the schedule must
bs of the nature Of aconscious and purposed
crime" General Walker thon gives his res-
sons for believing the report of 1870 ncor-
rect attributing il mainly to the defects of
the law under which it was taken, namely.
that of 1850, and says there wss more ,yer.
looking in 1870 throughout the general
region. One very important subject of tho
enumeration was, viz: public interest in the
result aud the general intelligence likoly
to be shown by the canvass. The
E,crest generally manifested throughout
tbs United STATUS in tho ninth census was far
below that which has been shown the pres
ent year, but nowhere did the interest in the
work of the census fall SO low AS ia the state
referred to, which political activity under the
constitution of tho United States had scarce.
" revived. "Eo specific allegation of fra I'd
in the enume' e'ation of South Carolina has
ever been made to this office The entire
reason for impeRching the integrity of the
recent census was found IN tn reported gain
OF lhe population between 1870 and 1880
The res',lt Of the investigation places beyond
possiby question, By any fair minded man,
tho trrre fault upon the census
OF 1870. ] know of no reason,
therefore, why any further charge
should be made against the enumeration re-
Gently brought to a conclusion by u com
missoned and sworn officer of the govern.
menl in South Carolina The presumption
which existed against that work has been
completely overthrown, and a strong coun
representation has been created by yiriGcs.
tion upon tho groundof the schedules OF the
inhabitants in the case of the eighteen
enumeration districts successfully taken for
special investigation on account Of their OK.
cepiionally questionable character.
General Walker closed with the considera-
ton of tho objection urged against the 70.
sonablene,s Of the result OF the census of
1880, derived from comparison Of tho ratio
OF increase ofpopulation in South Carolina,
between the years Of 1920 and 1860, and that
between 1860 and 1880. After stating that
the population of the state increased Al per
cent. during the first mentioned period of
forty years and Al per cent In the same me-
riod, between 1860 and 1880, a period of only
twenty years, he says; "Such
comparison, however, is not fair.
without reference to certain general
causes operating during the two periods rom
1870 to 1860. South Carolina was bee
hive from which swarms were continually
going forth to populate the new and grow
ing state Of the southwest between 1920 and
1880, and immense tracts of land belonging
to the Greeks and Cherokees in Georgia were
ceded to us, and were being largely occu.
pied by South CaTOl.nians. Later in the
same period an active emigration of whites
from South Carolina sprang up, and was
maintained in favor Of Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana. South Carolina negroes
were sold in great numbers to
cultivate the cotton, rice and
sugar fields Of those states. Still later, ar.
other exodus in favor of Texas made further
drafts upon the DC pulation of South Caro-.
lima" With reference to the immigration to
the state between the years of 1850 and
1880, tho report concludes as follows: awe
do not know fully what effects the destruc-
ton OF slavery and the vast change resulting
In TIC conditions of labo' have pro-
duced upon tho emgrsting pro.
pens ties of the people Of South Carolina, but
wo do know that negroes are no longer sold
IN the south TO cultivate the lands of the
fszoo river, Red river and Brazos river. It
Is reasonable to suppose that, concerning the
causes, Trey may have checked in on equal
de- gree the outward and inward moven ent of
the white population. The comparison of
The free natives Of South Carolina living in
other southern states in 1860, with the white
natives of South Carolina living in other
st'tes in 1870, shows the number TO have
been respectively 193,3S9 and 1854, a re-
duction of $4,000 in ten years, between 1860
and 1870.