CHAPTER II. Abstract Of the CENSUS of the City and County of NewYork, taken in the year 1825, by authority of the State. The marshals, likewise, reported as many of the items herein after mentioned as occurred in their respective wards; but as it appears unnecessary to particularize them in each ward, it is deemed sufficient to give the aggregate for the city and county. Paupers, of whom there were 1806 in the Alms house 2,085 Persons of colour not taxed Do. Do. 12,499 60 12,575 do. taxed and qualified to vote 16 Married females under the age of 45 years Females unmmarried between the ages of 16 and 45 Marriages, the year preceding 810 Births, the year preceding Yards of fulled cloth of domestic manufacture Do. linnen, cotton, or other thin cloths of 8,067 562 1,164,280 3 2 4 1 2 3 1 19 Males Females Males DEAF AND DUMB. 3256, of whom 34 are supported by charity. IDIOTS. 3146, of whom 3 are supported by charity. Females 15 Of these, 3 are reported as being able to support themselves, and 189 as being in the twelfth ward, where they are confined for safe keeping in the Bellevue Hospital or Lunatic Asylum. REMARKS ON THE CENSUS OF 1825. Males and Females. The number of inhabitants are staed at 166,086, of whom 83,037 are males and 83,049 females, leaving a difference of only 12 in favour of the latter. It is, likewise, remarkable, that of the whole number of births reported viz: 4589; 2262 are males and 2267 females, a majority in favour of the latter of only 5. This coincidence of so great an equality of number between the sexes, not only of those who have been on the stage of existence for some time but of those who have just entered upon it has seldom, if ever been observed in any statistical document. Hence, it * The total population of the state according to the same Census, Males, 822,897 Females, 793,561 1,616,458. 1 appears, that, in this city, every woman may have her own husband, and that should they all be provided for in this manner, there would only be 17 females young or old left to shift for themselves. Electors Agreeably to the former constitution, none could vote for governor, lieutenant governor and senators except such citizens as possessed clear freehold estate to the value of $250; but according to the new constitution, which went into operation, January 1st 1823, the elecctive franchise is as widely extended as could be wished and more so than some of our most respectable citizens deem consistent with the public good. Every male citizen, who has been for 12 months an inhabitant of the s ate, and of the county for six months immediately before the election, who has within the year, paid tax, done militia duty, served as a fireman, laboured on the public roads, or paid an equivalent therefor, is entitled to vote not only for charter officers, in the ward, in which he resides; for sheriff, coroner, register and clerk of the city and county; members of assembly, and members of Congress; and electors of President and Vice President of the United States; but also for Governor, lieutenant Governor and Senators of this state; but no man of colour unless a resident in the state for three years and possessed, for one year, of a freehold estate of $250 and who has paid tax is entitled to a vote. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Although I am fully persuaded that the marshals appointed to take the census studied to render their reports as accurate as possible; yet, for reasons, which I shall now mention, it may be safely asserted, that they greatly erred in respect to the number of deaths. The City Inspector in his annual report to the Common Council states, that in the year 1825, the number of interments was 5018, while according to that of the marshals, it only amounts to 3239. On the accuracy of the former, great reliance may be placed, as it is made the duty of each of the sextons, under a penalty of $25, to deliver to the City Inspecter on every Saturday, a return of the persons buried by them during the preceeding week, specifying their age, sex, disease, place of residence, interment, &c. of each of which aregister is kept. Now the marshals had no such means of obtaining correct information. When one of these gentlemen called at a house, he would ask whether any death, birth or marriage had happened in the family during the preceeding year. The master or mistress were frequently absent, or could not be seen, and the person, whom he accosted might be a minor perhaps a servant, who knew or cared very little about the affairs of the family. Hence the great difference in the number of deaths between the Marshals and City Inspector. The latter, in his statement, which is prepared at his leisure, from written copy before him, reports 5018 interments, while the amount given by the marshals is only 3239. It is therefore, evident, that the aggregate of the marshals' reports differ widely from the true one, and is it not certain that, for the same reason, their number of births and deaths is likewise erroneous? Let us suppose that in both, the mistake has been exactly in the same proportion as in that of the deaths, viz: as 3239 to 5018, it would then follow, that the number of births instead of being 4,329 would be 6,909, and that for 810 marriages we should have 1254. Our statement of deaths, births and marriages for the year 1825 would then be as follows: Deaths, as reported by the City Inspector Marriages by do. 5018 6909 1254 I am far from supposing, that the number of births and marriages, as given above is absolutely correct; but if my readers have attentively perused the preceding paragraph, they will be satisfied that it is nearly so. At all events, from the data before me, it will appear obvious that it was not in my power to form a more accurate conclusion. ABSTRACT Of Dr. George Cuming, the City Inspector's annual report of interments in the years 1824 and 1825, shewing the sexes, ages, and diseases of those who died. Women. Boys. Girls. Total. Men. In 1824 1,244 1825 1,721 887 1,204 1,096 4,341 5,018 |