National Republican., 1880-09-08
THE oFF1cIAn Erg OPENED.
General walker Now Secs what "The Re
LnlllInni, % gn.r XNnnI.. A IN

General walker Now secs what "The Re
publican" saw Weeks Ago.
New HAVEN, Sept. 7.--General Francis A
Walker, superintendent of the census, who j
spending few days at his home in this city
in an interview IN relation to the census
enumeration In South Carolina, said that In.
vestigaiions concerning the returns had
reached point where It was evident that the
census Of 1870 was detective ia high degree
or that the census Of 1sS0 was fraudulent.
The former might have been defective with.
out any criminality Oh the part Of tho
cnumcfators, as it might have been due
TO ignorance aud ncompotency. If the re-
turns Of 1870 were approximately correct,
there was no possible question that tho
returns of 1880 were fraudulent In
some districts the increase was as high as
100 per cent In some of the South Carolina
townships, varying in size from 75 TO 900
| square miles, tie increase reported is from 1876
| to l5O per cent. Such an increase, said the
general, could never have taken place by tho
growth OF population, unless il was by iInmi.
grafton. The returns showed that practically
all the people were of South Carolina birth.
In one district, whore 700 persons were emu.
meraied, only four were returned MS being
born out Of the state. So the increase could
not be due 10 immigration. The increase re-
turned was simply impossible.
The census Office continued General
walker, has never for a moment supposed
that such an increase has taken place Tho
only question was whether the abnormal in.
crease could be accounted for by the detection
Of the census Of 1870. 1t is true that in 1870
there we're large losses in come counties since
1850, and while the war had naturally re-
pressed the natural growth of population to
some extent, that Is no reason TO suppose hat
the war has destroyed the normal growth"
General Walker was asked whether the re.
lations Of the returns of 1850 to those of
1860 were such that the present returns
were dlsproportionuto to the increase i'm
corresponding period TO the sections
OF the country. lie answered that
lie did not care TO express an opinion on that
auhject at present, aud continued in relation
TO the investigation into the returns now in
progress: 1--WE have taken, in counties subject
to question, the description of every family ON
Il separate card from the returns for 1860, 1870
aud loeO. These families can, in the muiu, be
identified, although there are many changes
in families in the decade between two con.
susts Ii we iiud in Marlborough county orany
other county of the state, 1000 families ro-
turned in the census Of 1860 aud that of 1850
and omitted in that of 1870, we shall conclude
that the census Of 1870 was defective The
marsllaIs and assistant marshals who took the
census IN 1870 were political appointccs,
many Of them coorcd men, and there Is too
much reason to suppose that some of them |
turned over their work to mean whites of |
more clerical ability and went shares on the |
pay. Township divisions wero not then |
recognized. and it is highly probable that the |
many enumerators did not know where their
county stopped aud another began. The |
former class Of investigation is simply pre-.
liminary. II, after this investigation, the |
accuracy OF the recent returns appears i'm. |
possible, then investigations on that ground |
will be begun. The second invostiga |
should such prove necessary, will be conducted |
't Washi ngton, aud with the greatest minute.
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