The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-11
GEN. WALKER GIVES HIS REASONS
FOR BELIEVING 1T CORRECT.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9.-The report of Gen.
Walker on the alleged census frauds in South
Carolina is made public. After reviewing the
statements by the press, alleging frauds, and
the action of the census bureau in Investigate
ing the same, Gen. Walker says:
The extraordinary gains reported in certain
counties of South Carolina and the State as a
whole, over the census of 1870, demanded
careful investigation. 1t is notorious that
South Carolina had not profted materially
during ten years since 1870 by immigration,
either from foreign countries or from other
States of the Union. With slight advantage
from immigration, it is not possible that an old
State could have gained in population in the
interval since 1870 to the degree which is
shown by comparison of the two censuses.
1t follows as conclusion of the highest au-
thority that either the census of 1870 was
grossly defective in regard to the whole of the
State or some considerable parts thereof, or
else the census of 1880 was incorrect. The
census of 1870 might have been defective in a
high deg ee, without fraudulent intention,
through incompetence or negligence of enum-
orators, but the census of 1880 conld not have
exaggerated the population of the State with
out absolute fraud, inasmuch as the census law
requires the name OF every person reported to
be written at length on the schedules-with a
score of particulars as regards age, sex, nativi-
ty, occupation, etc., SO that any ilegitimate
addition whatever TO The schedule must be of
a nature of conscious and purpoSed crime.
Gen.. Walker then proceeds to give his rea-
sons for believing the census Of 1870 incorrect,
attributing it mainly to defects of the law un.
der which it was taken, that OF 1870, and adds:
While the foregoing remarks respecting de-
fciencies of the system in at the ninth
census apply ndifferently to all the districts of
the country, North and South, peculiar diff
culties attended the enumeration at the South
in 1870. The disturbed state of society in the
States lately in rebellion, and the supposed
necessity of appointing assistant marshals
wholly from the dominant political party,
members of which, in some sections, were
drawn almost exclusively from race recently
emancipated by effects of the war, combined
TO reduce to very low point the assurance
which the country could have of good census
being taken under such thoroughly bad or
ganiza ion as that provided by the law of 1870.
Gen. Walker then proceeds to the cOnSld-
GRAFTON of the investigation made by Special
Agent Gannett upon the results reported in
1880, and says the method chosen for dealing
with the question of the accuracy of the re-
cent enumeration was direct The districts
taken for the purpose were, OF course, among
those situated in counties respecting which
apparent gains from the ninth to tenth census
were most extraordinary.
In regard to the results of the investigation
Gen. Walker says that it appears Gannett Wis
tied six counties of South Carolina, being the
counties which showed extraordinary gains
since 1870, and in those counties visited, in
all, Is enumeration districts. In each of these
returned to this Office were subjected to exami-
nation by United States officials or by citizens.
| In general these citizens were introduced and
vouched for by the United States marshals of
| the judicial districts, or by the United States
collectors of internal revenue, as not only men
| OF reputation, but, with two exceptions only,
| as also recognized members of the Republican
party.
In each of the eighteen districts in success
| sion names of inhabitants are so far indenti-
| fed as to put it beyond doubt. first, that the
| census in 1870 in each tof these districts was
grossly defective, and secondly, that the CEN
| sus of 1880 is substantially we'll taken. In no
| instance did anything appear which bore a
| semblance of fraud in returns made to this Of
| fee by the enumerators of 1880 In some dis
| tricts nearly every family was identified as a
| resident in the township. In all cases the
| identification was carried far enough to put
| it beyond doubt that the fault of impossible
| gains reported over the census of 1870 lay with
| the preceding enumerators.
Itappears to me the report of Gannett has
| satisfactorily settled thesqueston as to the fair
| ness of the census in South Carolina. 1t mus
be remembered that no reason exists for sus
picion, of the enumeration beyond the fact Of
the extraordinary gain over the reported popu-
lation of 1870.
Gen. Walker in conclusion says of the inves
| tigation: 1 know of no reason therefore why
any further charge should be made against the
enumeration recently brought to a conclusion
by commissioned and sworn officers of the gov
eminent in South Carolina. The presumption
which existed against their work has beer
| completely overthrown and a strong counte
ground of schedule of inhabitants in the cas-
OF the Is enumeration districts taken for spec
| ial investigation on account OF their exception
| ally questionable character.