206 History of the New York Census. 



imperfect results. In 1820, the name and nature of articles 

 made, their value, and the kind, quantity and cost of 

 materials was returned, but no general summaries by 

 states were made, and the unsatisfactory result appears to 

 have prevented any thing from being attempted in 1830. 



In 1840 inquiries were made into the statistics of mines, 

 agriculture, horticulture, commerce, fisheries, products of 

 the forest and manufactures. The results published in 

 detail scarcely admit of generalization, and on every page 

 bear internal evidence of defective returns. 



It may in truth be admitted, that the varied inquiries 

 with which the census has been loaded, have often given 

 in the result just occasion to doubt its general accuracy, 

 and it may be frankly stated as a matter of regret, that 

 any thing beyond personal inquiries have ever been 

 crowded into its columns. 



In European labors of this kind, we find nothing beyond 

 statistics of the population, with the manifold combina- 

 tions pertaining to its origin, distribution, employment, 

 civil and domestic relations and mortality. These, under 

 careful instructions, and taken by competent persons, may 

 afford trustworthy data for valuable generalizations for the 

 guidance of legislators and statesmen. Beyond these, we 

 trespass upon fields of inquiry that should claim the atten- 

 tion of other departments of government. 



Statistics of agriculture might better be obtained through 

 the agency of state and county agricultural societies, 

 clothed with legal authority, and with means to defray the 

 incidental expenses. Manufactures having become the 

 subject of taxation, may be more fully reported by our 

 revenue officers, than they ever were by the census 

 marshals. 



Having thus briefly noticed the several census returns 

 of the state and national governments down to 1845, I 

 come to a period that is marked by a most radical improve- 



