The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-28
rhe Proposed omcsI OF Inquisition.

The Proposed OmceI OIL lnquisition.
One of tho first billsi introduced in the
Senate was PoRTER's ischeme for q per-
bmanent Census OficeH Il was put In by
Itbe Hon. EUGENE Hale. and IL now in the
hands OF the Committee on the Census. Of
(which Mr. HALE Ia the Chairman.
The seventeenth section Of this prepos-
Rerously unnecessary and outraseously Of
kensive measure containss the following
provislont
.Rvsry mintsr Of the Gospel Judge. or other person
yaathorlssd BY lAwto perform marriages. ana every
phy,ciAn surgeon and undertaken shall render. when
ssquirsd BY the superintendent Of Census 80 TO do
tfuil true and particular account OF the number OF
lSarths. marriagss, and deaths In connection with
(which no shall have been employed togdher tih sseh
pAsr <Rorsonon RELATES Israo ~ Superintendent u Ne
ksA .tA d osasas n hs Ssrsay Of As Interior.
rs and In case Of refusal shah BE- liable to the penal
Siss prsseribsdin this section"
So much for the matrimonial and medical
incubation. For the general collection OF
information demanded by the Government
Census Offlce. the subjolned provision is
made by the bill'i
.xach and every person more than twenty years Of
Asa belonging to any family reading in any snuusrs
ou district subdivision. and in case OF the absence
81 the head and other members Of any such family.
hsn any representative Of such family shall BE- and
bach Of them hereby II required thereto requested by
Tho superintendent supervisor or snumetAtor render
h true account to the best Of his or her knowledge Of
s~y pes bsesoos NeA amtiv n ~ rories parftesars
n lss ana whoever shall wilfuly fail or refuse
ShAn BE- guilty OF = msdsmsanor. and on couvicti6h
nhsreoe shall b dnsd IN not excssding one hun.
harsd dollars"
i! What are "the various particulars re-
Injured BY law" which the bill makes 1t y
misdemeanor for any clergyman. physician.
lorundertaker. or any representative Of any
family. to refuse to communicate concern
Ing other persons than themselves. upon
the demand Of the Census Superintendent
BIN other words. how does tho bill define and
limit the range OF inquiry which the per-
msnent Census Once. which 1t creates, is
authorized to pursue3
| Section nineteenth provides that the
echedules Of inquiries hereafter shall be
the same a. at the Tenth census. a Nth such
ehanOes Of the subject matter. emendations
and notifications as may be made BY the
6spatatssdens Of tho Census. and approved
by the Secretary OF the Interior; 1t being
the intent Of this section to give to said
Eecretary 1lu discretion ousr the form Of
ecAsdsles Of such taQuirtes."
! ID there anybody who falls to appreciate
Che importance and significance OF the
words we have italicized2 This bill makes
misdemeanor Of. and provides pun
shment for. the refusal to answer
Any inQuisitorial question which the
superintendent Of the Census. with
Pthe consent of the Secretary OF the
interior. may hereafter think it interest
ing or useful to PROFOUND to the free citi-
kens Of this republic. The various par
iculars required by law" are the
particulars which the Secretary OF the In
eerion acting on his unlimited discretion.
Vmay ct any time decide to require.
Thus the bill fixes as an offence against
law tho refusal or failure to answer ques-
lions not specified by the law. but left to be
ldetermined by the will or whim Of an
Executive of1cer.
I Was ever bill introduced In Congress
more clearly unconstitutional than this
Ghe PohTER-H HALE scheme Of permanent In
(quisition should be opposed by every pa
! ltriotic Senator OF Representative In Con-
,Gress. and by every newspaper that loves
liberty, and every citizen who respects
himself and knows his own rights under the
Constitution.
Il 1t is very late in the nineteenth century
10 attempt to establish In this country, OF
,All countries. permanent Office Of Inqui-
eition. commissioned and equipped to per-
3orm one Of the most odious functions OF
absolute despotism.