The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-09-09
THE CENSUS FRAUDS.


Neutrality-suspicious. Now Progressing to
Ascertain IFS Correctness.
NEw YoRk, September 1.-The Tina
special from New Haven thus reports Gen.
Walker on the subject Of the South Caro-.
lima census frauds:
In relation TO the returns Of the census
enumerstors OF South Carolina, General
Walker said last evening, in this city,
where he Is spending lew days, that in.
yesiigaiions concerning the returns bad
reached point where 1t was evident that
the census OF 1870 was defective in high
degree, or that the census OF 1850 was
fraudulent. The former, might have been
defective without any criminRlity on the
part Of the enumerators, as 1t might have
been due 70 ignorance and incCnpetency.
II the returns Of 1870 were approximately
correct there was no possible question that
the returns OF 1880 were fraudulent. In
some districts the increase was as high as
100 per cent. In some OF the South Caro-
lima townships, ranging in size from 20 to
200 square miles, the increase reported is
from l25 to $50 per cent. Such an increase,
said he, could never have taken place by
the growth Of population, unless by immi.
grafton. he returns showed that practi.
cally all the people were Of South Carolina
birth. In one district, where 7C0 persons
were enumerated, only four were returned
as being born out OF the State, so the in
crease could not be due to immigration.
The increase returned was simply impos.
sible.
"The Census Office" continued Cen
aral Walker. 'ihas never for moment
supposed that such an increase has
taken place. The only question was
whether abnormal increase could be &C.
counted for by the defects OF the census
OF 1870. 1t Is true that in 1870 there were
large losses 10 some counties since 1850,
and while the war had naturally repressed
the natural growth OF the people TO some
extent there Is no reason to suppose that
the war has destroyed the normal growth"
Gen. Walker was asked whether the re:
lations OF the returns OF 1850 to those oil
1850 were such that the present returns
were disproportionate to the increase in
the corresponding period 10 other sections
OF the country. lie said that he did not
care to express an opinion on that subject
at present, and continued in relation to
the investigation into the returns now in
progress:
ave have taken IN the counties subject
10 question the description OF every faini-
ly on separate card from the returns for
1860, 1870, and 1850. These families can,
in the main, be identified, though there
are many changes in families in the de:
cade between two censuses. Ii We find
in Marlboro county, or any other county
OF the State, 1000 families returned in the
census OF 1860 and that ofls0O, and omit.
ted In that Of 1870, We shall conclude that
the census OF 1870 was defective. The mar.
shals and assistants who took the census 10
1870 were political appointees, many OF
them colored men, and there is too much
reason to suppose that some OF them turn
ed over their work TO mean whites OF more
clerical ability, and went shares on the
pay. Township divisions were not then.
recognized, and 1t is highly probable that
the many enumerators did not know
where their township stopped and an
other began. The former class OF inyesti-
gaitoD Is simply preliminary. II, after
their Investigation, the accuracy OF the re.
cent returns appears impossible, then In
vestigatiOns on that ground will be begun.
The second enumeration, should such
prove necessary, will be conducted at
Washington, and with the greatest minute.
ness"