The Seventh census-or that of 1850-began a new era, by adopting six instead of one or two schedules. The first related to the Free Inhabitants, embracing the number of dwellings and families, and introduces the principle of recording the name and sur-name of every free person, old or young, in the Union, with their sex, and exact age, from one month upwards; their color, as white, black, or mulatto; their nativity, as born in the State or in some other State or country, at home or abroad; their condition, as married or single; their education, as attending school in the year, or over 20 years of age and unable to read and write. The deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict, and the owners of real estate were also noted. The second schedule, Slaves, included the names of slaveholders, the sex, color, and specific age of the slave, the fugitive, and manumitted, the deaf and dumb, blind, insane, and idiotic. The third, Mortality, gave the names of such persons as had died within the previous year, their age, sex, color, (white, black or mulatto,) whether free or slave, married or widowed, their specific place of birth, at home or abroad, the month of their decease, the occupation of the person, the duration of the sickness, and the cause of death. Remarks upon topography, &c., accompany these schedules, and were made by the enumerators. The fourth, Agriculture, embraced the name of every farmer or planter, and all of the particulars included in the agricultural tables of this volume. The fifth, Manufacturing Industry, with the name and location of every person or establishment producing over $500 annually; the quantity, kind, and value of raw material used; the motive power, and labor employed, male and female, the rate and amount of wages, the quantity, kind, and value of productions, leaving the marshals to enter them in detail. The sixth, Social statistics, included real and personal estate in each county or town; the several kinds and amounts of taxes levied; the schools, libraries, newspapers; religious, criminal, pauper, and wages statistics as they are now published; and the facts-if the crops were average or not? which of them if any were short, and to what extent, and the average annual crop? These schedules as well as those of every previous decade may be consulted with the instructions that accompanied them, by reference to the introduction of the Quarto Census, where they are collected and published; nearly all the points of instruction have however, been referred to in their proper places in the present volume. Objections were raised in 1840 to the searching nature of the industrial investigations, and several counties in Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, as there was no penalty attached, refused peremptorily to answer them. It was asked by a leading journal "Is this federal prying into the domestic economy of the people a precursor to direct taxes? Is nothing to escape its inquisitors or its tax gatherers? Is it worthy of the dignity and high functions of the federal government to pursue such petty investigations?" Such objections were rarely raised in 1850, and in but two or three cases was it necessary to call in the services of the district attorney to enforce the requisitions of the law. The schedule of the census of 1840 originated in Congress, and was carried through without opposition, upon a suggestion of the President in his annual message, that "the decennial enumerations might be extended so as to embrace authentic statistical returns of the great interests especially entrusted to or necessarily affected by the legislation of Congress." As the time for taking the last census approached, the whole subject began to be agitated again in Congress. It was proposed at the session of 1848 to revive the schedules of 1840, omitting only the minute, and as it was thought, objectionable inquiries. Against such a course protests were made by statisticians in and out of Congress, and N. Capen of Massachusetts, suggested the appointment of commissioners for taking the census, and in a letter to a senator from Massachusetts published among the official documents, recommended that a board of inquiry be appointed to examine and report upon the particulars which should properly be embraced, sketching himself some of the leading outlines. The act of 3d March, 1849, establishing the Census Board was the result. Mr. Shattuck, of Boston, made, also, a similar suggestion to the board when constituted. In his own language: # "A Central Board of three persons, as Commissioners, should be organized at Washington. It might be denominated the Central Statistical Department, or Bureau, or Commission, or any other appropriate name. These men should be appointed not for their political opinions, but for their scientific attainments and knowledge of the matters they are to investigate. They should have the whole management of planning and carrying into execution all matters relating to the Census. Similar Commissions, should be appointed by this Central Board, with the consent of the governors of each state, of three competent persons in each state; and this state commission should appoint district commissions in their state, and see that all the facts sought should be obtained in their respective states and districts. By this machinery a more perfect collection of facts could be obtained than in any other way. The National, State, and District Statistical Bureaus, acting in concert with each other, would act intelligently and cheaply, and would accomplish far more and with greater accuracy than by any plan heretofore adopted." The Census Board consisted of the Secretary of State, the officer previously entrusted exclusively with the census, the Postmaster General, as it was conceived possible the machinery of the Post Office Department might prove adequate to the requisitions of the census, or at least greatly auxiliary, and the Attorney General whose legal advice would at times be necessary. There was then no Department of the Interior, to which when created the whole charge of the work was entrusted. A secretary was appointed, who remained in charge of the census over three years, preparing several reports, of which large editions were published. At the ensuing session of Congress a special committee upon the census was raised in the Senate which went to work assiduously in preparing the schedules, unassisted as they alleged by any suggestions from the board, but with some unofficial ones from its secretary. Pending the discussion upon the plan which the committee proposed, another was submitted by the board, very full in its details and embracing some of the same points, which was adopted. Mr. Shattuck, who was invited to visit Washington near the close of the year 1849, gave the benefit of his great experience and statistical knowledge in the preparation of the plan, (being afterwards assisted in the same labors by Archibald Russell of New York.) The general act for taking the census was passed substantially as it was drawn up by him, except as to the rate of compensation and the ratio of representation. The instructions to marshals, prepared by him, were also adopted, but with a few modifications. The feature of recording the name and description of every person cnumerated, was proposed by this gentleman, and was first adopted in the Boston census of 1845. Neither the blanks for "real estate owned," nor for married within the year, were his. He drew up the mortality schedule, by request, though against his own advice,* and also furnished the schedule of social statistics and that in part of slaves. *See Shattuck's Report on the State Census of Massachusetts, 1850-also Sanitary report of Massachusetts, 1850, pp. 126-133, appendix 375. A more limited census had been originally recommended by this gentleman, Dr. Jarvis, and others in a memorial to Congress. The Census Board reported to Congress, March 19, 1850, as follows: "At the request of the secretary of the board, during the autumn we invited the assistance of two other persons, who had bestowed much attention on the subject, to an examination of the work and its arrangement previous to its final adoption; and after a full consideration of all their suggestions, we then agreed upon a full set of schedules, and ordered them to be delivered to the printer we had employed for the purpose of printing diem. "After thus terminating our labors, in obedience to the law, we requested the persons we had employed to assist us, in connexion with the secretary of the board, to submit for our approval a set of instructions to the marshals, necessary to carry into effect the objects we had in view in making the schedules." The plan of the Senate committee was very extended, embracing ten schedules and a multitude of particuJars. Some reference to it may be of future value. SCHEDULE 1. Those engaged in Agriculture-embracing the head of the family's name, his place of birth, if out of the state; his male and female apprentices, those in his house who cannot read and write, and those of all of the usual ages, under 5, of 5 and 10, &c., male and female, and the ages of the male and female slaves: Heads of families of the free colored, their ages and sex as of the white: Aliens in the family, name of the head, male aliens under and over 21 years of age, female aliens under and over 18 years of age. SCHEDULE 2. Those in Mechanic Arts-the same particulars as in agriculture, except that the name of the business was added, the number of journeymen, the yearly wages paid to them, the number of laborers engaged in the shop or business, the stone, brick or wood houses wholly or partially built. In regard to the six schedules which were at last adopted, though they are conceded to be a great improvement upon any previous ones, several particulars. were omitted, which ought to have been included, at the expense of others much less important. The adoption of so many schedules, whatever merits they individually have, was calculated to make the work unnecessarily cumbersome and expensive, without securing by any means greater or more certain results. On the contrary, it precluded the possibility of some very valuable comparisons, and made unattainable information easily secured by another arrangement. For example: if a slave existed in a non-slaveholding State, he would not by the schedules be returned, nor can any of the facts relating to slaveholders now be ascertained-such as, their nativity, age, occupation, education, &c. ; nor can the deaths of individuals be associated with families, and with the remainder living in families, without almost impracticable labor. The schedules are otherwise admirable. It will not be out of place to suggest, as the result of experience acquired during eighteen months familiarity with the returns, an outline for the next decennial census, which may possibly afford some aid also to those who are engaged in framing the forms for State and city enumerations, now becoming almost annual. It is suggested that there be but two schedules hereafter one of POPULATION, and the other of PRODUCTION. These, with proper instructions to the enumerators, will include all of the information embraced at present in six, and a great deal besides, in a form much more compact and less expensive. SCHEDULE 3. Those engaged in Commerce-the same particulars as the last, including clerks and the wages paid to them. SCHEDULE 4. Those not engaged in Agriculture, Arts, or Commerce-treated as those in agriculture. SCHEDULE 5. The Idiots, Lunatics, Deaf and Dumb, Blind and Puupers-male or female, their ages, and the age when lunacy was discovered, and the occupation of the party: The sex, age and occupation of Deaf and Dumb and Blind and Idiots. The same for slaves and free colored, and whether the party were supported by publie charity, or by friends or by his own means. Paupers, foreign or native not affected as above at public charge in the last year. SCHEDULE 6. Agricultural Statistics-name of the farmer, his improved and unimproved land, his laborers over 15 years old employed in tillage. The other particulars of crops, &c., as in the present volume, except that turnips, indigo, fodder, number of hogs and sheep slaughtered, houses built, were added to the list of products. SCHEDULE 7. Manufactures when other power is used than that of the man himself—name of the owner, president or superintendent; grist mills-number of pairs of stones; saw mills-number of saws employed, quantity of lumber, planks, &c., in feet made per annum; cotton gins; wool carding machines; cotton mills-number of spindles employed, number of bales of cotton annually consumed, quantity of yards made per annum, quantity of cotton goods or number of yards made per annum; mills for the manufacture of wool, pounds of wool of domestic growth annually consumed, pounds of wool of foreign growth annually consumed, quantity of cloth, cassimeres, &c., in yards, made per annum; forges and rolling mills-quantity of blooms made per annum, quantity of bar iron made per annum, quantity of railroad iron, quantity of boiler iron, quantity of other description of iron; anthracite furnaces; charcoal furnaces-quantity of castings and pig metal made per annum; silk manufactories-quantity of goods produced annually; hemp and flax manufactories-quantity of goods produced annually; founderies, and what articles engaged in manufacturing-quantity of articles and value made per annum; glass works-quantities and kinds and value of glass manufactured per annum, capital invested in the manufactory, dividends declared, number of males employed under 18 years of age, number of males employed over 18 years of age, number of females employed under 15 years of age, number of females employed over 15 years of age, average wages paid to men per annum, average wages paid to boys per annum, average wages paid to women per annum, average wages paid to girls per annum; water, principal agent in propelling machinery, horses ditto, number of horses, mules or oxen employed; locomotive manufactories; machine shops and hands employed and value of annual productions. SCHEDULE 8. Mining Interests-owner, superintendent or manager's name; gold mines-number of laborers employed, quantity of ounces raised preceding year; silver mines-number of laborers employed, quantity of ounces raised; lead mines-number of laborers employed, number of pounds smelted during preceding year, value of the lead per pound at the furnace; copper mines-number of laborers employed, number of pounds made during preceding year, price per pound at the mines; copperas mines-number of laborers employed, number of pounds made during preceding year; salt springs or wells, or furnaces to evaporate sea waternumber of hands employed, number of bushels made during preceding year, value per bushel at the furnace; coal mines, (anthracite;) coal mines, (bituminous;) coal mines, (cannel)-cost of machinery in working mines, number of tons raised during preceding year, value per ton at the nine, number of laborers employed. SCHEDULE 9. Colleges, &c.-this schedule adds to the one which was adopted the name of the pastor and the number of male and female communicants of churches, the number of historical societies and of lunatic asylums. SCHEDULE 10. Internal Improvements, Railroad, Canals, &c.-name of improvement, miles finished, cost, locks in line, lift of locks, income from passengers, persons employed, wages paid, dividends, fare per mile. freight per mile. 3. 4. Name of every person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June was in this family, or who has died in it in the year preceding such date. Age of the person. 6. Color-White, Black, Mulatto, or Domesticated Indian. Free or Slave. 15. 16. Place of birth, in the town, county or State, or in what other State or country, (in the United States or abroad.) Years resident of present locality-if a foreigner, also the year of immigration to the United States. 20. 21. 22. 23. If Deaf and Dumb, Deaf alone, Blind, Insane or Idiotic, or Pauper, or partially receiving public relief, Pensioner or Convict. If a Fugitive or Manumitted Slave. If an owner of real estate and the amount owned. If the person has built a house during the year, of stone, brick or wood, and its cost. This schedule condenses three into one: that of Free, of Slaves, and of Deaths. The number of columns and the expense of paper, printing and copying will be reduced one-half or two-thirds, whilst every fact, except only the month of decease, and that may be embraced if necessary, will be included, with a number of additional ones. Every untenanted or unfinished house should be noted upon the margin of the returns, and also such as are used for boarding houses, hotels, asylums, colleges, jails, barracks, etc. Column 3. There will be no greater difficulty in separating the living and the dead upon the returns than is now experienced in separating the deaf and dumb, &c. 4. The ages under one year should be given in months; those between 1 and 3 years in quarters of a year, as recommended by Quetelet; those of 3 years and over in years. 6. The introduction of Slaves and of Indians domesticated does not at all complicate this column. Domesticated Indians are reckoned by the New York census. 8. The omission of this head from the present schedule was a cardinal defect, and closed the door upon a multitude of valuable facts. It is included in the British and Boston census. 9. This column is equally important, and is a new one. 11. Another proposed column, though these facts may be deduced, with some pains, from the column of ages. 12. New, also, and essential to any correct reasonings upon the extent of families, the number of children to each, etc. 14. Perhaps it would be better to indicate every person over 10 years of age who cannot read and write, and then those over 20 can be deduced for comparison with previous returns. 15. Changed from the present so as to denote whether the party was born in the town, city or county of his residence, or in another part of the same State, etc. (embraced in Boston and English census.) 17. Valuable for statistical purposes, and especially so in vital statistics. 17, 18. The United States census of 1820 and 1830 included naturalized foreigners. 18. It might be well to know the number of persons actually confined from illness, as an important element in the sanitary statistics. This column, in case of deceased persons, will show the number of days or months they have been sick. 19. Perhaps it would be better to say died within one month, as it is next to impossible for persons to report from memory facts for a whole year. In this case a separate column for month of decease is obviated. 20. The deaf ought to be taken as well as the deaf and dumb, as explained in this volume. Insane and idiotic should not be separated, as they are popularly confounded; and persons receiving partial relief ought to be distin guished from paupers. Pensioners of the United States, if included as was once or twice done, would put an end to many of the frauds so frequent upon the Gov ernment. 23 refers to houses owned by the party. The schedule of Industry for 1850, with slight alterations, will answer perfectl for all mechanical, manufacturing, mining, agricultural and commercial interests The directions should be printed at the top. If the interest be agricultural, unde division 3 would be included the acres cultivated, the acres occupied, the ne Female. Male. Female. 8. SCHEDULE II.-PRODUCTION. Raw material used, farming stock. Average num-Average wages ber of hands without board. |