IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.25 
 
 Ui|21 125 
 
 ■SO ^^~ WKKM 
 
 ■^ liii 122 
 
 6" 
 
 $k 
 
 y 
 
 ? 
 
 •^V 
 
 V 
 
 ^> 
 
 
 Hiotographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 23 WBT MAIN STRIET 
 
 WUSTH.N.Y. 14SM 
 
 (716)872-4303 
 

 ,*^ 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHIVI/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian da microreprodiictions historiques 
 
 ^\ 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notes tachniquas at bibliographiquas 
 
 Tha instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast 
 original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this 
 copy which may ba bibliographically unique, 
 which may alter any of tha images in the 
 reproduction, or which may significantly change 
 tha usual method of filming, are checked below. 
 
 •J 
 
 U 
 
 U 
 D 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured cavers/ 
 Couverture da coulaur 
 
 I I Covers damaged/ 
 
 Couverture endommagda 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaur6a et/ou pellicuiie 
 
 □ Cover title missing/ 
 La titre de couverture manque 
 
 I I Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes giographiquas en couleur 
 
 Coloured init (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encra de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Ralid avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 La re liure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distortion la long de la marge intArieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutias 
 lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans la taxte, 
 mais. lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas hxh fiimias. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentairas supplimentaires; 
 
 L'institut a microfilm^ la mailleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lui a ixk possible de se procurer. Les details 
 da cat exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la mAthode normale de filmage 
 sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. 
 
 r~~| Coloured pages/ 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 y 
 
 D 
 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommagtes 
 
 Pages restored and/c laminated/ 
 Pages restaurdas et/ou pelliculies 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages dicoiories, tacheties ou piqu6es 
 
 Pages detached/ 
 Pages d6tach6es 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 I I Quality of print varies/ 
 
 Quality inigala de I'impression 
 
 Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du mat6rial suppl^ment^ire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Mition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totaiement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un fauiliat d'errata, una pelure, 
 etc., ont 6t6 fiimies d nouveau de fapon d 
 obtenir la meilieure image possible. 
 
 T 
 t< 
 
 T 
 
 P 
 o 
 fi 
 
 O 
 
 b 
 
 th 
 
 si 
 
 oi 
 
 fii 
 
 si 
 
 01 
 
 T» 
 sh 
 Tl 
 w 
 
 M 
 dil 
 
 en| 
 be 
 
 rig 
 rei 
 m« 
 
 This item is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est fiimi au taux da reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 14X 18X 22X 
 
 26X 
 
 30X 
 
 ^ 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 

 Th« copy filmad here has bMn reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Library of the Pubiic 
 Archives of Canada 
 
 L'exemplaire f ilmA f ut reproduit grice h la 
 gAnArosit* de: 
 
 La bibliothique des Archives 
 publiques du Canada 
 
 The imeges appeering here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in Iceeping with th^ 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 Les images suivantes ont txh reproduites avec le 
 plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at 
 de la nettet6 de I'exempieire film6, et en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 filmage. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en 
 pepier est imprimto sont film6s en commen^ant 
 par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustrstion, soit par le second 
 plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont filmte en co ^^menpant par la 
 premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par 
 la dernlAre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol -^^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or the symbol ▼ (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la 
 dernlAre imege de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le 
 symbols V signifie "FIN". 
 
 IVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. Thn following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre 
 filmfo A des taux de rMuction diff Arents. 
 Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre 
 reproduit en un seul clich6. 11 est film* A partir 
 de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche d droite, 
 et de haut en has, en prenant le nombre 
 d'images ntcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la m6thode. 
 
 1 2 3 
 
 32X 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
■»' 
 
 ,^y-'.V 
 
 C E 
 
 Ue^&be 
 
 PR 
 
 L^^W^S 
 
y,y^4ii^'^:^x^4^iO^:B^^ 
 
 i'*t 
 
 ^^:aa^ ^ 
 
 T IS H 
 
 -■ -f ■; 
 
 CENSUS OF 18 61; I 
 
 ji^ 3P A. I> JHJ 5% 
 
 '('•■■-.. - •■«.-■ 
 
 I^^dbefoi"^ %i Jitei'^i'i|:Md&l«toHc^taociety of Quebec, | 
 
 2nd March, 1864. 
 
 BY JOHN LANGTON, M.A., 
 
 PRsainsifT. 
 
 QOBBEC: 
 
 PRHTTib BY 5UNTER, ROSE k Cd, ST. URSULB teBfit. 
 
 * 1864. 
 
lA^ 
 
 'V 
 
 'K 
 
 ■u 
 
 \ 
 
c 
 
 lifil 
 
T H E 
 
 C K N y l^ S () I'^ i 8 () I ; 
 
 j\, IP j^ :p as 14 
 
 •jjciiO '\'forc iIK' llm^'i] J)oO Bi?iorlc:ii Soelejij of cjqcbce, 
 
 2ni) Maucit, ISiU. 
 
 BY JOHN LA NUT ON, M.A. 
 
 i'i!i:siiiiisr. 
 
 QUKHEC 
 
 /^ 
 
 IMil 
 
 NTtlD UV HUNTi:i{, UO.SK .v: CO., ST. UltSL'Ll': riTRKl-IT. i^ 
 
 (p 
 
 13tj4. 
 
 -V" 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
 \) 
 
 O^ 
 

 ,^q6'Cd 
 
rii 
 
 PHE CENSUS OF 1861 
 
 I 
 
 Upo>^ tlie appoarnnce of the lir.«t volume of the Census of 
 Canatla, 1 uiulertook au examination of it, with a view of ascertain- 
 ing whether I coulil extract from it any u^ieful results with ri.spcct 
 , to the vital statistics of this cnuutry ; and especially with relation 
 to the nutural increase of the two sections of the Province. Before 
 commencing the work, L hail reason to entertain serious doubts as 
 to the trustworthiness of the ligurcs with which I had to deal, and 
 at each successive step of the investigation, I only became the more 
 convinced, that some of the figures given were niaJiifestly wrong, 
 and that much caution must he exercised in assuming the truth of 
 anything that was to be found there. 'J'his was not a very satisfactory 
 basis upon which to found any conclusions, and, in point of fact, 1 
 found that a large amount of rather laborious calculations had been 
 entirely thrown away, from the evident worthlessncss of the foun- 
 dation on which they had been basod. I persevered, however, 
 because it is only from a minute analysis that any judgment can be 
 
 formed of the extent to which some portions of the work may be 
 
 1 relied upon ; and I am induced to offer this paper to the Society, 
 1 partly with the object of showing what results may be considered 
 
 as at least approximately correct, and partly to warn others from 
 wasting as much time as I have done on those parts which can do 
 nothing but mislead. 
 
 It may be desirable, as a preliminary, to explain the naturo of 
 the work performed by the enumerators. In their lists the name 
 
THE CENSUP, 
 
 of each individual in a family io given, with columns to shew 
 whether miilo or fomaie, married ©r niiifilc, and with a column for 
 the ajj;o next hirth day. There arc also columns to shew the 
 number of births and deaths duriii*; the prcecHliii<; year, and the 
 age at which death oeeunvd ; and tliis is all that relates to vital 
 st4itistics, or to that portion of tlic siihjoet whieli we are examininj;. 
 Now, it would appear pro])able ti j>rtori, thiit with ordinary care. 
 the facts then and there present, viz.: everytliini;; relating to the 
 persons living iit the tinu>, would be given correctly enough. I 
 do not think that there is any reason to doubt the numbers living, 
 the proportion of males and feinales, and of married and t<inglo, 
 very nearly representing the true state of the itnpulatioii ; and the 
 ages would, probably, be not very far wrong, though there is much 
 more doubt upon this subject, .^laiiy persons do not know tlicir 
 ages with accuracy, and many may have purposely misstated them. 
 The tendency to guess at the age, and to call it the nearest round 
 number, is forcibly illustrated in tlie (Vnsus of tlic State of 
 New York, for ISu"), by a diagram whieh shews the innnen.«io pre- 
 ponderance of ages stated as .1'), 40, 45, A;c., over all other ages. 
 Hut when past facts arc recorded, a'< the births and deaths whieh 
 occurred perhaps many months before, we eonld hardly look for 
 the same accuracy, and one would expect the births and deaths to 
 be considerably understated. .\n error of this kind is not by any 
 means peculiar to the Census of Oauada. My the (/ensus of the 
 State of New York, for 1S55, the total deaths recorded are 4(5.*il>7, 
 which gives a percentage on the population of l.oO, a siispiciou'^ly 
 low rate; but iu the same year, whilst the (.'ensus gave the deaths 
 in the City of New York at 11,022, the city registius n-conled 
 2>{,042. If wo merely correct the manifest error in the city, the 
 general rate would become 1.74, but if we suppose the omissions 
 there to be a test of what they were in other parts of the .State, it 
 would bo as high as 2.'^4 j the true amount is probal)ly interme- 
 diate between the two. A very striking illustration of the 
 omissions which are likely to be made of facts, whieh occurred some 
 time before the taking of the Census, is furnished by the United 
 States Census of 1800. The deaths are there classified according 
 
 appear 
 with ap 
 
 exact II 
 
 deaths 
 
 lation. 
 
 euuiuer 
 
 as gi\ 
 
 Bubio 
 
xnr: rENSus. 
 
 r> 
 
 nns to shew 
 oolunin for 
 to shew the 
 'o:ir, iiiul tho 
 iites to vitiil 
 c oxaiiiiiiinj;-, 
 rdiiiary rare, 
 lalinu; to tlic 
 y cnouMjli. 1 
 lubors living, 
 1 and .«in<j;lf, 
 ion ; and tlio 
 licro is nnicli 
 t know tlioir 
 sstatcd tlu'ni. 
 rioarost round 
 the State ol" 
 ninionsft pro- 
 ill othnr ages, 
 doatlis wliicli 
 irdly look for 
 and doatlis to 
 is not l»y any 
 Census of tlif 
 •d arc 4(),'i'.>7, 
 a suspiciously 
 \'o llio deaths 
 tors recorded 
 the city, the 
 tlio omissions 
 " iho StatL', it 
 aldy intornio- 
 ation of tho 
 jecurrod some 
 y the United 
 iod according 
 
 to tlie months in which they fell, and whilst it is notorious from 
 flie I'. S. army refurns, and from the records of ^fasHiudi'iri^tts, 
 IJliode Islaml, and oflier {daces where regular rei^isters are kept, 
 that Auijust and Septemher are tho mist fatal months, and that 
 May ;;ivos rise to fewer death* than any other month except tFune, 
 in the Census returns, by far the hirjiest nund»cr is recorded to 
 liave oecurred in May. The reason Is (divious — tho ConsuH in 
 ■ t ikeii on Afay Dlit, and tho recent deatlis are given probably not 
 very inaccurately, whilst a largo ninnber of the earlier ones are 
 l'u''^i»ltin. rpun this subject iho suju'riiiti'inient of tho Census 
 rniiarks, in rather more poetical language than one is aeenstomed 
 I I lin<l in a statistical return, that ''even as tho eye perceives tho 
 nearer objects in a landseipo intu'o i'lilly and distinctly than tho 
 remote, so the recollect ion of past events has a similar recession, 
 which is subject to laws." lie proposes a correction from the 
 army returns, viz. : to assume I he first (juarter as correct, and to 
 aild (I per cent, for the .socoml ((Uarter, Kj for tho third, and r)8 fur 
 thi' iiiurfh, which mu»t be acknowledged to bo rather a singular 
 Inr of lapse of memory. This correction wuuhl bring the United 
 iStiilos deaths up from l.'JT, as given in the Census, to 1.50 ; but, 
 wlflioiit putting too much faith in any law of mnemonio perspective, 
 it would appear more natural to as.sunie the mimber given iu May 
 as correct, and to increase the whole nundter, in the proportion 
 wh'ch the deaths in May by the registers bear to the ^diole. As 
 thus rectilicd the deaths would be J. 71* per cent, lint it would 
 appear that even this is not enough, for tho superintendent refers 
 with approbation to an elaborate calculation by Mr. .^rcech, tho 
 cxaifc nature of which is not stated, by which lie estimates tho 
 deaths during tho last fifty years to have averaged 2.2 on the popu- 
 lation. Prom those facts it is evident, that with every care by the 
 •.numerators, no reliance can be placed upon the returns of deaths 
 us given for a whole year, and that if any data upon this important 
 Kubjcct are desired, wo must establish a general system of local 
 registration. 
 
 Very nearly the same difficulties exist with regard to the record- 
 ing of births, but with this diftbrcuce, that, whereas tho returns of 
 
6 
 
 TUB CENSUS. 
 
 deaths cannot bo corrected, except within very lur;;c limits of error, 
 tlio real amount of births tan bo approximately recovered, if the 
 Census a.s to ages be tolerably accurafe. In 1851, a column of 
 births vvas given, and also a column of nrimbers living under one 
 year, the Ibrmcr being manifestly incorrect, because the return.-*, 
 from one end of the country to the other, showed a larger number 
 living, than were said to have been born. The :iuiuber living 
 under one at the end of the year is evidently that of the survivors 
 of those born during the year, and if the dfatlis under one had 
 occurred with cijual fre(|ucucy in each jnonth of ilie ages of the 
 cliildrcn, wo should have to add on tlio average, oao half of the 
 number of doatlis la the number living, to ninke i!]i tlie birtliH ; 
 but as a greater number die in tli:; earlier months we should liave 
 to add rather more. Taking tiie New Vork (\ii,-iis as a guide, 
 where the numbers dying for the lirst year arc given from three 
 uiunths to three months, wo should add nearly two-thirds of the 
 deaths under one year. The births in Canada in l^.")! would, 
 upon this principle, be about SO^iiOO instead of (j'.*,120, as given in 
 the Census. 
 
 In iSlH, in order to avoid tliis evident anomaly, 1 suppn.-e, the 
 column of births, as returned by the enunieralurs, and which was 
 r-Iearly very imperfect, was omitted altogether ; but by some sin- 
 gular confusion of ideas, the number living under one was headed 
 '•births." I have examined 'ionie uf the enumerators sciiedules, and 
 this appears to have been the course adopted in the Census oiliee, 
 but there i.s no one now lelt in the department who was engaged 
 in the work, and 1 have not been able to ascert.iin the fact precisely; 
 it is certain, however, that the eoluiiin headed bin lis is tidded up 
 in the total population, as if it had bet'U the nuinb<'r living under 
 (ine. Assuming this to be the ease, ami pr(»eeoding as Iiefcre, the 
 corrected births in Jiower Canada would be 4o,lir»4 instead of care 
 
 40,788, and increasing those in I'pper Canada in the same propor- rctnl 
 
 tiou, they would be .jl],400 instead of ."):J,17S, slmwing tlie jierceiit- t-erij 
 
 age on the population respectively of o.S02 and 4 ti'll. are 
 
 The manifest imperfection of the returns, : s they stand, will the 
 
 become evident from the following (able, shewing the rates of birth.- of 
 
THE CENSUS. 
 
 ts of error, 
 [•ctl, if tho 
 Icoluniu of 
 
 under one 
 ^le returns, 
 ber number 
 liibcr livinjr 
 lie survivors 
 ilcr one had 
 ;iu;e:s of the 
 half of the 
 tlie liirths ; 
 ^houhl liave 
 
 ;i.s a guide, 
 n from three 
 hinl.s of the 
 l^^.')! wouhl, 
 I, IIS given ill 
 
 su])lio.-e, the 
 nl \vhieh was 
 liy same sin- 
 10 was lieadetl 
 ii-heJ«les, and 
 Cen.-us otfice. 
 J was eugaged 
 fact precisely ; 
 s is added up 
 r living under 
 ;h lit'fcre, the 
 )4 instead of 
 ; same propor- 
 ig tiie ]ierceiit- 
 1. 
 
 ley stand, will 
 rates of birth. - 
 
 and deaths to the whole population from the returns of other 
 countries : 
 
 I'ppc t'ftnuila, 
 
 do. 
 Ni'w York. ISa: 
 
 ill) 
 
 as 
 
 correct ctl 
 
 1HI)I 
 
 
 ilo 
 
 IIS 
 
 ©orrooU'tl 
 
 
 
 (I.). 
 
 do. (ipproxiin 
 
 Vniii'.! rtaic.-'. l.Sfifl. 
 
 ntt'ly 
 
 ctod 
 
 df 
 
 do. cnrri-rtoij. 
 
 nirthH. 
 
 ."..f.72 
 .'!.sy2 
 
 :'..so'.i 
 
 4.031 
 
 .t.OT.S 
 
 (InMl liritniii. IS.V.) to ISt')l. 
 
 Iiifri;! in l-!inii|ii>. IS.'i'.i 
 
 Volaiid. ISIO to 1*57 
 
 I'inlaiid, IS."); 
 
 Swrdcii, 1S51 to lS,>j 
 
 Norway, ISjI to IS.i.i 
 
 lioniuaVk. ISjO to ISJl* 
 
 IJararia, ]S:.2 to IP,')7 
 
 Saxony, IS.i.i to IS.VS 
 
 I'riis^ia, ]S.')."> to IS.'.S 
 
 H'dlaud, Ift;').) and ISaO 
 
 I!clh'iuin. l.ifO lo is;,l 
 
 ;!.4r.,i 
 4.102 
 
 :;.,^o;! 
 ;;.I07 
 ;!.2;i.') 
 
 :5.342 
 
 3.993 
 
 :!.8;n 
 
 3.181 
 
 Deaths. 
 
 1.174 
 
 ■:il 
 
 1.30 
 
 2.300 
 
 Annunl 
 Inoroasp. 
 
 2.49S 
 
 .17.S 
 
 1.27 
 2.20 
 2.103 
 
 3.4 S,") 
 :!..i7l 
 3.2.'. 1 
 
 1.7 2'.' 
 
 2.8S 1 
 2.9r).'> 
 2.02S 
 
 7.Ji.r 
 
 1.302 
 .S.iO 
 ..V51 
 
 .2:.2 
 :.m 
 
 l..-)13 
 .92S 
 .4;)S 
 
 1.02S 
 .903 
 .618 
 
 TIk? rates per cent, of births in Canada, do not diifer so materi- 
 ally from tlin.ic o^ other countries, as to lead us to infer that they 
 are seriously misstated ; and as t have corrected them by tho 
 deaths umler oni^, th'.y arc probably not iiir from the trnth, through 
 Iroiii the iiiipcrleetion of the returns of deaths, they will be 
 somewhiit understated. Hut it is impossible to believe the rate of 
 iiioitality. even if we liad not other reasons for doubting it, to bo 
 I'vcii tipproximately C(n'rect. In connection with this subject, 
 iiiurcuver, we eiicuuiiter another source of error, tho extent of 
 wliitdi it is very diflicult to estimate. We have seen in what par- 
 liculars the ini'ormation given to the enumerators was likely to bo 
 I'aiilty ; there is also some ojioning for further misstatements, from 
 rai('l"ssiicss ini their ])art in recording in their schedules the 
 vctmiis made to thein ; but, as far as the vital statistics arc cou- 
 Lcrncd, the forms are so simple, that I have no doubt the schedules 
 are substiintiiilly correct. Those schedules were then submitted to 
 the Census clerks, who distributed the matter into a great variety 
 oi t.olunnis ; a kind of work, which, unless a perfect system of 
 
8 
 
 THE CENSUS. 
 
 checkinc; bo established, is always liable to produce errors. I am 
 afraid, however, that there was no uniform system, under the 
 inspection of a responsible head, and it is; rumoured, 1 know not 
 witli what truth, that when the details did not correspond with the 
 totals, from which they were diatributod, the correspondence was 
 arbitrarily forced, or, as the expression ^oes, the figures were 
 cooked. If this was so, the operators shewed themselves very 
 indiffereat cooks, for numerous discrepancies still remain. 1 have 
 not examined the details to any uivit extent, but, for the purpuses 
 (if my investigation, I classified the eounties of Lower Canada 
 according to the French clement of the population, and took out 
 the ages and deaths of each class separately. I naturally checked 
 my work, by comparing my totals after the new distribution, with 
 those given in the tables, and I found numerous discrepancies. 
 Wlien I could discover no error in my own figures, I added up the 
 columns as printed, and the result has been most materially to 
 .shake my confidence in the accuracy of the Census clerks. There 
 were not above half a dozen errors in the additions of the columns 
 of ages, but in the cross additions of the deaths by counties, out nl' 
 sixty-five columns, of which the table consists, I found twenty-seven 
 to be wrong The difference between the total deaths as given, 
 and the real total of all the details, is not very great, being respec- 
 tively 12,028 and 18,103 ; but this is only because the individual 
 errors balance each other. In some of the counties the difierenif 
 is very great; thus in Ldvis, the total of deaths is given as I4"*, 
 but the details at the several ages add up to 205. As far as this 
 particular question of the number of deaths is concerned, tlu-.^e 
 errors are of little importance, because the figures, whichever way 
 you take them, are evidently Avorthloss, but tlicj lead one to look 
 with considerable suspicion upon other parts of the table, the ages 
 lor instance, where a similar distribution of the enuimrators' 
 returns has been made by the Census clerks. 
 
 I have given below a comparative table of several difi'erent 
 countries, shewing the proportions per cent, living at different ages : 
 
1( 
 
 3rs. I am 
 
 uiulcr the 
 
 know not 
 
 I with tho 
 
 (lence was 
 
 arcs wore 
 
 elves very 
 
 1. T h:ive 
 
 10 purpiist's 
 
 ver Canad.i 
 
 il took out 
 
 lly chcckeil 
 
 >ution, with 
 
 soropaiicios. 
 
 :l(lcd up tho 
 
 laterially to 
 
 rktf. There 
 
 the cohnnns 
 
 nties^ o\it <it' 
 
 wciity-sevcn 
 
 IS as given, 
 
 leing respee- 
 
 ic individual 
 
 lie dirt'erenee 
 
 iven as 14., 
 
 is lar as this 
 
 crned, those 
 
 lichcvcr way 
 
 I one to look 
 
 ble, the au'os 
 
 ^nuiuorators' 
 
 !ral different 
 ffercnt ages : 
 
 THE CENSUS, 
 PERCENTAGE 0? r .latION AT DIFFERENT AGES. 
 
 9 
 
 Uiidor 
 
 Over 
 L'lilfud 
 
 :.— 10. 
 
 10—15, 
 15—20. 
 20—30. 
 
 :!0— 10. 
 -10— so. 
 
 .00— fiO. 
 60—70. 
 
 70 
 
 wti 
 
 e-1 
 
 
 1S.2.'5 
 
 iy.77 
 
 12.18 
 
 11.87 
 
 lfi.'J7 
 
 10.8(5 
 
 7M 
 
 5.4.'? 
 
 2.41 
 
 1.2S 
 
 
 ifi.7ai 
 i:?.j!>3 
 
 12.421 
 
 11.S2S 
 
 16.806 
 
 10.476 
 
 7.3()5 
 
 .V127 
 
 ;i 244 
 
 I 850 
 
 .');■) 8 
 
 
 20- 
 50. 
 
 20. . 
 -50... 
 
 56.05154.573 
 
 3.'-). 17 34.647 
 
 U.12. 10.221 
 
 17.731 
 
 12.783 
 
 12.160 
 
 11.515 
 
 17.660 
 
 11.330 
 
 7.745 
 
 4.736 
 
 2.667 
 
 1.339 
 
 .335 
 
 51.189 
 36.735 
 
 8.742 
 
 
 ^ a 
 " 'S 
 
 a 
 
 R 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 10 
 
 16 
 
 19 
 
 14 
 
 U 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 ,69 
 37 
 81 
 36 
 ,87 
 ,06 
 ,08 
 ,47 
 11 
 71 
 47 
 
 46.23 
 43.01 
 10.29 
 
 13.08 
 
 11.70 
 
 10.73 
 
 9.89 
 
 17.46 
 
 13.09 
 
 9.82 
 
 6.89 
 
 4.51 
 
 2.S3 
 
 45.40 
 40.37 
 14.23 
 
 a 
 
 9 
 
 To 
 
 0^ 
 
 s 
 
 11.64 
 
 10.91 
 
 9.77 
 
 8.99 
 
 16.62 
 
 13.52 
 
 11.80 
 
 7.81 
 
 5.49 
 
 3.45 
 
 41.31 
 
 41.94 
 
 ' 16.75 
 
 13.526 
 
 11.402 
 
 9.997 
 
 8.554 
 
 17.423 
 
 13.557 
 
 8.758 
 
 7.805 
 
 5.690 
 
 3289 
 
 a 
 
 12.882 
 
 10.723 
 
 9.947 
 
 9.501 
 
 16.187 
 
 14.28,; 
 
 10.355 
 
 8.1S2 
 
 5.010 
 
 2.925 
 
 4.3.479 43.053 
 39.7381 40.828 
 16.784116.117 
 
 In spite of the marked difference which there is between Canada 
 and all tho other oouutries, in tlie distribution of the population as 
 to ages, there is such a close resemblance between the Censuses of 
 lyT)! and 1801, as to lead to the inferenoe that wo have here a 
 real characteristic of our vital statistics. It can only be very par- 
 tially owing to immigration, for the State of New York, which is 
 siinilarly affected in this respect, exhibits a very different law of 
 population. It may be interesting to enquire what effect immi- 
 gration would have upon the classification by ages. The immi- 
 gration returns of the United .States for tho last fifty years, shew 
 that immigrants of all ages arrive in the country, and that there 
 i-* a groat uniformity iu the proportions at different ages in succes- 
 -ivo years. Considerably more than one-half of any importation 
 would have no sensible effect upon such a table, as it would only 
 add to the total numbers, without disturbing the relative propor- 
 tions; and of the remaining part, the effect would bo in round 
 nunibors, that 10 per cent, of thu immigrants would increase the 
 numbers between 15 and 20 ; 25 per cent, those from 20 and 30 ; 
 and 10 per cent, those between 30 and40. IJut as tho whole annual 
 immigration of late years, even iu Upper Canada, has apparently 
 rarely exceeded from 1 to 2 per cent, of tho population, the numbers 
 
10 
 
 THE CXKSUS. 
 
 between 20 and 30, where the effect is the greatest, would not be 
 very materially altered. When, however, the immigration has 
 continued for many years, Avhat disturbance there was, would 
 hardly be perceptible, as the wave of execs;* of population, com- 
 mencing between 20 and 30, would crradually extend into the 
 higher ages, and would be succeeded by i\ similar wave of thu 
 descendants of the first immigrants, which would fill up the lower 
 ages in a similar proportion. Almost the only noticeable conse- 
 sequence of immigration, as exhibited in this tabic, especially in 
 Upper Canada, appears to be the small numbers in extreme old age. 
 to which the wave of the great immigrations of 25 or 30 years agu 
 has not yet reached. The great excess of the numbers between 
 20 and 40 in the State of New York, appears to be owing, not so 
 so much to the influx of permanent settlors, as to the temporary 
 resort of persons in the prime of life to the great commercial 
 centres. This tendency is more clearly visible if we take those 
 counties alone, in which the great cities are situated, which exhibit 
 an excess of per cent, on the whole population between the ages 
 of 20 and 40, over what i.s found in the country ]»art.s. 
 
 It is not easy to draw any safe inference IVom snoh a table ol 
 population, as both a high rate of births, and a high rate of mortality 
 have a similar effect in rapidly reducing the proportionate numbers 
 living at the several ages. In ieed, from the great preponderance ht 
 all countries of the deaths in the lirst few years, the twotbing.s alnirst 
 necessarily go together, and an increased number of births involves 
 an increased rate of general mortality. Such a scale, however, as 
 that exhibited by Canada, is generally characteristic of a popula- 
 tion growing rapidly by natural iiicrciiso. If we look more into 
 detail, many anomalies present themselves, which throw a suspieioii 
 upon the accuracy of the onumeraturs. Thus, it is hardly possible 
 to conceive any law of mortality, which in five years would rednc • 
 the 17$ per cent., .said to bo living under ;") years in Tpper Canada, 
 to tho 12i per cent, living at the next period. Tn as far as it may 
 be relied npor), this would point to a very large peicentage of births 
 with a fearful mortality in tho earlier years. Other minor difficul- 
 ties present themselves in the progress from year to year, but in its 
 
 11 w'e ci 
 origin i 
 .of 2.G5 
 -Jtlic me 
 cent. 11 
 inercas 
 ncler a 
 to a Mil 
 great c, 
 in the < 
 rot. awa 
 howevj 
 which 
 has II ul 
 A Ccif 
 was (' 
 librarj 
 whichl 
 populj 
 Mont( 
 the cJi 
 for tiik 
 tod ti 
 deapiij 
 time 
 whila 
 But 
 the 
 
THE CENSUS. 
 
 11 
 
 lould not be 
 
 gration has 
 
 was, would 
 
 lation, coiii- 
 
 nd into the 
 
 wave of the 
 
 up tho lowiT 
 
 bcablo oonse- 
 
 especially in 
 
 rcmc old a^i', 
 
 30 years ajfo 
 
 bfM's between 
 
 3wil)g, wot HO 
 
 lie temporary 
 \t eoimnercial 
 ive take tlionc 
 whieh exhil'ii 
 twcen the aties 
 ts. 
 
 mch a table ol 
 ate ofinortality 
 ionate numbers 
 cponderancc in 
 otliing.s alincst 
 births involves 
 lie, however, as 
 e uf u popula- 
 ook more into 
 row a suspicion 
 harilly possible 
 s would rednci; 
 Tpper Canada, 
 :is I'ar as it nuiy 
 mitaj^e ••! births 
 • minor difhcul- 
 year, but iu its 
 
 general features J am inclimd to think, that thit, constitution of 
 
 pop 
 
 Illation is a true and remarkable eharaotcristio ofOanudi 
 
 Irrespective of the proportions between births and uuaths, with 
 rf;;ard to wliich the Conj^us aiTords us«ueh doubtful data, there are 
 some other sources iVom which we may obtain an approximation to 
 tho natural increase of the population — of Jiower Canada especially. 
 The populatiou of French origin is absolutely unaffected by immigra- 
 tion, what chaiii^o there has been boin^ in the opposite direetiois.but 
 ii' we compare tho Census of IS'yl and 18G1, the numbers of French 
 oriain in Lower Canada have increased at the averaire annual rate 
 
 ;;ot LlAiOl per cent., jnespective ol tli(;>e wlio liave Icrt tlio country in 
 -■the meantime, whichis double the rate in Great iJritain, and 40 per 
 cent, more than in Norway, which .shews tho hii^liest natural 
 increase of any Kuropcau country, and seems to keep up it.-s char- 
 acter as an ojficina fjentium. We may evoii push our researches 
 to a much earlier peiiod. A ('ensus of (Janada was taken with 
 great care just bct'oro the coiKjuest. It is frequently referred to 
 in ilie oflieial correspondem-o of tho day as in progress, but I am 
 not aware that the exact result li:is been preserved. AVe have, 
 however, a despatch of Montcalm, of tlie date, April, 1759, iu 
 which he says, that the great Census is at last complete, that he 
 haF not as yet seen it, but that it shews a population of 82,000. 
 A Census was again taken l)y the l^ritish authorities in 1765. It 
 waa contained in two large folio volumes, preserved iu our own 
 library, the first of which was lo.'^t in the fire, but the second, 
 which was saved, fortunately contains a recapitu!atiou,sIiewing the 
 population of tho rural district.^, ixclusive of Quebec aud 
 Montreal, to have been 54,27o. There is also a note to 
 the eliect that including the towns, ;ind Uiaking an allowance 
 for the people absent in the woods, the whole population is estima- 
 ted to be 80,000. This, taken in coiiucction with IMoutcalm's 
 despatch, appears to afford us a pretty secure basis. Since that 
 time there has been uo immigration, except of a few Acadians, 
 whilst there lias been a considerable loss to the Uuited States. 
 But if we take the population of French origiu in both sections of 
 the Province, we shall have a pretty fair representation, though 
 
12 
 
 THE CENSUS. 
 
 somewhat understated, of the deecendants of the 80,000 Frenchmen 
 who inhabited Canada in 1765. The French Canadians must, 
 therefore, have increased during the 96 years, at least at the 
 rate of 2.53 per annum. 
 
 We have also a system of registration in Lower Canada, much 
 more perfect than anything in Upper Canada, although there is 
 still great room for improvement. The Prothonotarics' returns 
 for 1861 arc much more complete than those for 1860, the year 
 for which the births and deaths are given in the Census. Taking 
 then the returns of 1861, and leaving out of account many of the 
 counties from which no returns have been received, aud others 
 which are on the face of them imperfect, leaving out of account, 
 also, Montreal and Quebec, I find forty-one counties with an 
 aggregate population of 626,830, the returns from which appear to 
 be tolerably perfect, and they shew 26,954 baptisms and 9,939 
 burials, which represent 
 
 I3irth.s 4.300 per cent, on the population. 
 
 Deaths - - - - 1.586 " •'' " 
 
 Natural Increase - - 2.714 " " " 
 
 Those numbers, I have no doubt are rather iinderstatud for the 
 counties, in consequence of the imperfection of some of the returns, 
 but the greater mortality of the cities will reduce the rate for the 
 whole Province. To approximate to this we may estimate the 
 remaining counties from the forty-one from which we have returns 
 and then add the cities. Upon this principle I have included the 
 towns of Tliroe Rivers aud Sherbrooke, amongst the counties, and 
 F have taken the county of Quebec with the city, as they cannot be 
 clearly distinguished iu the returns. The result shews, for all 
 Lower Canada, 
 
 Births, .... 4.034 per cent. 
 
 Deaths, .... 1.755 
 
 Natural Increase, . . 2.270 " 
 
 With a view of still further testing the subject, I analysed, with 
 great care, the Prothonotarics' returns from 1S5I to 1857, inclu- 
 sive, since which latter date they have not been published. The 
 
) Frcnohmen 
 adians must, 
 least at the 
 
 aiuula, much 
 ugh there is 
 irics' returns 
 JGO, the year 
 sus. Taking 
 many of the 
 \, aiul others 
 it of accouut, 
 ities with an 
 lich appear to 
 as and 9,930 
 
 pulation. 
 
 rstatud for the 
 uf the returns, 
 lie rate for the 
 { estimate the 
 e have returns 
 e included the 
 e counties, and 
 they cannot be 
 shews, for all 
 
 cent. 
 
 analysed, with 
 to 1857, inclu- 
 ublished. The 
 
 THE CENSUS. 18 
 
 returns for 1853 are also missing. With the exception of 
 Rimouski, Kamouraska, Ottawa aud Pontiac, the returns of the 
 Roman Catholic Clergy seem very perfect, but those of the 
 Vrotestant denominations, except in the cities, are often wanting, 
 and when they do appear, they arc obviously imperfect. I there- 
 fore only took the Catholic baptisms and burials, and the Catholic 
 population, leaving out those counties or parishes, from which no 
 returns were given, and rectifying the population to the date of 
 each return by the average annual rate of increase from 1852 to 
 1861. This calculation, which docs not [seem liable to any serious 
 objection, gives the following result for the Roman Catholic popn- 
 lution of Lower Canada : 
 
 COUNTIES FllOM WniCH RETURNS WERK RECEIVED. 
 
 Births. Deaths. Nut. Increase 
 
 1851 4.688 1.7aS 2.960 
 
 1S52 4.827 1.778 3.049 
 
 1854 4.411 2.007 2.40-1 
 
 1855 4.26« 2.037 2.232 
 
 1856 4.490 1.75.S 2.738 
 
 1857 4.250 1.69S 2.658 
 
 Avcrugo 4.491 I.83G 2.655 
 
 yUEBEC AND MONTREAL, INCLUDING COUNTIES. 
 
 Birth.s. Death!'. Nat. Increase. 
 
 1851 5.023 3.566 1.457 
 
 1852 .0.108 3.219 1.951 
 
 1854 5.435 5.442 
 
 1855 6.080 3.234 1.846 
 
 1856 4.920 3.054 1.866 
 
 1857 £.066 3.086 1.980 
 
 Average 5.11.J 3.000 1.515 
 
 ALL LOWER CANADA— assuming the Counties and Parishes from whieh thero 
 are no returns to havo the same areragc rates as other Counties. 
 
 Birth.s. Deaths. Nat. Inoraase. 
 
 1851 4.730 2.004 2.732 
 
 1852 4.877 1.088 2.889 
 
 1854 4.500 2.507 2.053 
 
 1855 4.395 2.223 2.172 
 
 1856 4.662 1.959 2.603 
 
 1857 4.382 1.713 2.469 
 
 Afcrago 4.585 2,099 2.480 
 
 It will be observed that the rate of natural increase, as deduced 
 from 1861, is quiti within th« limits of the variations in this 
 
U THE CEirsrs. 
 
 respect in different years. IJut making every allowance for the 
 imperfection of thi; returns of 18G1 the smaller rate fjr both 
 births and dtMths in tlint yciw is very roniarkablo. A=s I before 
 observed, the /.oatlis naturally risi' and fall with th.^ births, from 
 the grcal nh;rtality in infancy, but this nearly constant docrea'c 
 of births i-inoe ISoi, sccni.s to poiut to a larire oniicrration of per- 
 sons in the prime of life. Nevertheless the rate of increase is yrry 
 hitih as compared with ofher n.ations. and it is contirmod by the 
 growth of the Krench population from 1S52 \o 18(31, and duriny 
 the much longer period since the conquest. 
 
 Riite of iiiprciHP. ni' Frcuoli from IVk') to ISfil 2.i)'l per mm. 
 
 Kiito of iiiiic'.'i.-f of I'rinirli ffjin i^y2 V> lSf<l li.CSl I'or aan. 
 
 ilato of incroHM' uf (."':itli"lii'-' in Coiiiitii.''* i iiiovtly Tii iu'li) 
 
 from IS.'') I ti) IfiO" l'.?.*)'. ipcr ii'iii. 
 
 Kato uf iiuTfasc (.'f Catliolio.s in all IjOwit Cana'Ia fr^m 
 
 1851 to 18.^7 2.1^(' I IT aiin. 
 
 The near corrcspondeiieo of the numbers arrived at by such 
 very diiferent melhotis, inspires great confi ienco in their general 
 accuracy, and aj^jicars to place J^owev Canada .•iinonL'st tin; nioit 
 rapidly incrijasing nations in tlu- world. 
 
 In I'ppcr Canada it is not possible t.» I'lrm any similar cuuclu- 
 siou. The I'Urgy uw recjuired then.' also to make returns to the 
 Clerks of th? Peace, but vlT} I'cw of tlioiu roach the Gkiveinment. 
 The only cuuaty, rr.):ii which lean find anyihing a])proaching to 
 systematic returns, i- iraldimand. and thoy are nut porlect enough 
 to serve as the basis fur any e'.i;u;Iusi;iii, rvcii if a single county 
 wero sufficient t.> yield a trustwoithy average. IJut if wt; 
 cannot arrive nt any suedi satisfactory result, a^ iri Lower Cana- 
 da, we may make some ccnnparisons as between the t'.;o seetion.s, 
 as far as regards the nundjcr of births, which forms ono important 
 element of their nlative rates of increase. The births, as correct- 
 ed from the number living under one, .aecording to tin; Census, 
 do not differ very ma;erially fromtho.se shewn in the Prothonotaries 
 returns. In the -11 cnuntics of Lower Canada, io whiidi we can 
 institute a comparison, the nuud.ior living under ono, called births 
 in the Census, is llJJ.ooo, and if we add to it a proportion of the 
 deaths, as before explained, the number becr>mes 24,<(53 ; but as 
 the Prothonotaries' returns relate to a year later than that lor 
 
 year^ 
 of 2. 
 
THE CENStli?. 
 
 15 
 
 nco for the 
 to I'jr botli 
 A' I lietor'j 
 Jil•lll^. I'rom 
 lit (Ipproii'o 
 tiiHi of j-cr- 
 roiiso is very 
 iic'l liy tlio 
 ami during 
 
 j'cr iiiiii. 
 I I'tM- a on. 
 
 J per inii. 
 
 rt t'lT ;u)n. 
 
 :it hy snoli 
 lioir trciioral 
 rst till! nioMt 
 
 nihiv ci.uelu- 
 uurtis to tlio 
 (itiveiiiinent. 
 )})ru;iolung to 
 irl'oct oiiougli 
 iiiglo county 
 IJuL if wo 
 liowor ('au;i- 
 t\;o sections, 
 lie iuiiioitant 
 )s. as (.orri'jt- 
 1 tin; Census, 
 rotlionotarios 
 ivliii'li wo can 
 f.illeil births 
 ortion of the 
 (153 ; but m 
 han that lor 
 
 which the Census was"" taken, the whole population, and conse- 
 quently tht! births, would have to be increased nt the average rate 
 of about 2* per cent. The numbers, as eorrectcd to the same 
 period, would therefore be LM.'JTO against L'(>.Orjl-. The main dif- 
 ferenee i>< in the deaths, the rrothnnotavic** returns giving O.O"!* 
 and the Census only ('»,4ns. Wo may, therefore, for the purpose 
 of comparison between the two sections, take as approximately 
 correct, the births as above deduced from the ('eiif^us. viz. : Upper 
 Canada, 4.01)1 ; Lower Canada, ">.S02. This greater proportion of 
 births to the whole population is what ono would a pvlorl oxpeet 
 from the greater number of the people in Upper Canada at the re- 
 productive ages ; but if we take the pcreentagc on the number of 
 married women under forty, which appears to be the truest criterion 
 of the prolificacy of the two sections, the proportions are reversed 
 With a view of testing the generally received opinion of the 
 greater prolificacy of the French race, T classified the cotmtics in 
 Jjower Canada according to their French element, omitting the 
 cities altogether, and I found that in those counties, containing SO 
 ]iev cent, and upwards of French, the percentage of birtlis to mar- 
 ried women was 45.020, whilst in the rest of Lower Canada it was 
 only 40 352, and for all the eounties in Upper Canada, also omit- 
 ting tiic cities, it was 42.772. The difference is 8o great and so 
 uniform, ii\cn if smaller divisions are taken, that 1 am inclined to 
 believe that it is truly characteristic, if not of the races, at least of 
 the habits of society amongst them. How far tlie greater fecundity 
 of the French may be modified by a different rate of mortality, wo 
 have no means of judging at present. 
 
 It' we endeavour to di.scovcr the effect of immigriition upon liower 
 Canada, it is observable that the general increase during the nine 
 years since the former Census was taken has been at the average rate 
 of 2.4'J8 per annum, which is almost exactly the same as 2.48(3, the 
 percentage of natural increase on the average of the several years 
 from iS5l to 18r»7. The inference seems to be, that there has been no 
 fiensible difference between the numbers who have left Canada and 
 tho new importations. If we consider separately the population 
 as classed under its origins, taking tho figures as we find them, it 
 
16 
 
 TIIR CENSUS. 
 
 would not appear tliJii there has been any consiJerable emigration 
 of the French pupulation, for its rate of increase has been almo><t 
 as great as the natural increase of the counties, and there is rather 
 a larger proportion of French tlian in 1S52, about "•) per cent. 
 against 70 per cent. It is difficult to reconcile this conclusion with 
 the general belief in a lar;.'o emigration of French. Our loss in thii 
 respect may have been over-rated, or the difTerenoi" maybe owiii'.; t- 
 the imperfection of tho Ocnrius lA' ISO^ ; ur if it can be attributed to 
 neither of these souroe.'*, it would follow that the natural increase must 
 have been even higher than I luive estimated it. The numbers v'' 
 foreign birth arc almo.sl the Huine at both periods, 0G,6GS in 1801, 
 against 0.0,153 in ISf)-', showing that the importations have more 
 than counterbalanced the deatlis during the interval. The princi- 
 pal change is in the natives of other origin than the French, whose 
 average annual increase, 2.019, has boen much less than the annual 
 natural increase, indicating f^ome considerable emigration of thi.s 
 class, or a much luwcr natural increase than uf the French popula- 
 tion. 
 
 In Upper Canada, from our ignorance of the rate of mortality, 
 it is not very easy to estimate the effect of immigration, but some 
 important indications may be obtained from a comparison with 
 former Censu.se3. The first enumeration of the people in Upper 
 Canada with which 1 am ac(|uainted, was in 1811, when the 
 numbers are .stated as 77,000. I'p to 1824, when the population wo.» 
 151,097, the annual increase was at the rate of 5,32 per cent. 
 From that date until the Union we had a tol'^rably correct enume- 
 ratiun almost annually, and we may exhibit the successive additions 
 at nearly e(|ual intervals. 
 
 I'opuUtiMn. UitU- of Annual Inoreaao 
 
 151,097 
 
 . 2(51,000 8.77 
 
 48;,055 G.41 
 
 . 0r>2,004 5.6-' 
 
 IHGl . . 1,3.10,091 4.35 
 
 The last rate, which is tiio average for nine years, is less than 
 the lowest recorded for any previous year, with the single exception 
 of 1820, when it was 3.59. The trreatest increase recorded is that 
 
 1.S21 
 1 S32 
 1812 
 
 IS. 52 
 
 from 183 
 
 This conf 
 
 pidly apr 
 
 of strcnp 
 
 in the co 
 
 still be fi 
 
 what thi 
 
 growth. 
 
 very rou 
 
 which t1 
 
 must ha 
 
 If we 
 
 annual i 
 
 the win 
 
 there w 
 
 rnuntC( 
 
 itiimigv 
 
 from 1! 
 
 gers ai 
 
 nppear 
 
 ]ieriod. 
 
 being I 
 
 (if the 
 
 iiumbt 
 
 est veil 
 
 popul; 
 
 than ^ 
 
 dor. 
 
 IJu 
 in thi 
 viou.sl 
 befor 
 The I 
 were 
 inere 
 then 
 
THE CENSUS. 
 
 17 
 
 [migration 
 ^en almost 
 is rather 
 per cent, 
 isiini with 
 [uss in this 
 |e owiiiir t'l 
 ributed (.. 
 roaserauir 
 umhers ut' 
 S in 18G1, 
 lavc uioro 
 he princi- 
 ich, whos.' 
 the annual 
 inn of this 
 cli p(>i)ula- 
 
 mortality, 
 but some 
 rison with 
 ■ in I'ppcr 
 when the 
 ilation was 
 per cent, 
 ct enuuie- 
 adtlitions 
 
 tl rnoreasc 
 
 ess than 
 xception 
 (i is that 
 
 from 1832 to 183-t, tho average for the two years being 1073. 
 This constant decrease of accessions from without, point to a ra- 
 pidly approaching period, when wo must mainly depend for increase 
 of strcngtli upon the natural growth of the people already settled 
 in the country. A largo proportion of tho increase is, however, 
 still bo attributed to immigration, and it is an intercxtiug enquiry 
 what that proportion may be, and Imw much is duo to natural 
 growth. The data arc very imperfect, but we may arrive at a 
 very rough approximation, or at least ascertain tho limits within 
 which the additions from immigration and from natural increase 
 must have been. 
 
 If we assuujc tho natural increase of Upper Canada to bo at the 
 nnnual rato of -i per cent., which is nearly the rate arrived at for 
 the whole of Lower Canada, from tho Prothunotail^.^' returns, 
 tlioie would remain an addition of 207,170 to the population unac- 
 counted for, and which, on this supposition, must have arisen from 
 immigration. The returns of the Emigration Oflice shew, that 
 from 1852 to I860, both years inclusive, 225,805 steerage passen- 
 gers arrived at the ports of Quebec and Montreal, and 12;1.6.TI 
 appear to hare come through the United States, during the same 
 period. Of these. 1 SI, 741 are returned by the local agents mh 
 being settled in Upper Canada. Allowing for the natural increase 
 (if these at the same rate, for the mean period of 4* years, the 
 number would be raised to about 200,000. This appears to be the 
 extreme possible limit to which immigration can have swelled the 
 population, and it would require a natural increase of rather more 
 than wo have taken for Lower Canada, to account for the remain- 
 der. 
 
 IJut the numbers wlio are supposed to have permanently settled 
 in the country, are probably stated too high, and there has uoto- 
 viou.sly been an emigration of persons living in Upper Canada 
 before 1852, which must have mo.^t matovially reduced the balance. 
 The numbers of foreign birth living in Upper Canada in 1852, 
 were 300,49 i, which, in ISCI, had become 493,212, making an 
 increase of 93,718. All of these must have been immigrants, and 
 there must have been as many more as would replace those of the 
 
18 
 
 TOE CENSUS. 
 
 '>UU,494 who Iiuil tliiMl. As a ^Tcat number of them wouM be in 
 tlio prime ol* life, wc ciii» hardly cstimuto tho vato of murtalily as 
 hij^'h aa 1 \m'X cent, but, even on this estimate, tho numbers of new 
 I'lhiifrants would only bo about 128,000, or with their natural 
 increase as above, about 140,000, so that tho ineroasc based on tho 
 I'liuij^rant AgtMiLs returns, would appear to bo overestiniutod. Jiut, 
 nil the other hand, tho l/nitod Statca Census shews that tho natives 
 ol IJritish Amoriea had increased from 117,700 in iSoO to -t!»,U70 
 in ISOii. The several provineos mo not distiuyuished in tlir 
 I'nited States returns, but in the .State of New Vork, in ISoo the 
 (!!auadians wore rather more than nine-tenths of those from a!! 
 IJiitish America. Hvoii allowing that in Maine and other Kasiern 
 States, a larger proportion may liavo been from New IJrunswick 
 and Mova Scotia, and that there wero certainly many Lower 
 Canadians anion^^t ihcm, it is liardly too much to a!>8umu that of 
 the 102,000 added to the iK)[)ulation of the United States, one- 
 half were from Upper Canada. This would Icavo a very smjill 
 balance in favorof Upper Canada, certainly not as much as I00,00i>. 
 If wc esliuKite the whole accession due to immi^ratioti at that 
 imount, it would n-fjuiro an average rate of natural increase ti» 
 account for the whole number, of at least .'J J, which appears mueii 
 higher than is proSablc. The truth probably lies bjtween tho 
 two limits as ilius arrived at, but it soems certain that the natural 
 •j^rowth of the population in I'pper Canada must bo more rapid 
 ilian that ot Lower Canada. 
 
 I have been induced to entor into these details partly with a vie.v 
 id' shewing what conclusions we may draw, with some degree of 
 confide !0, from the statistical data to which we have access, and 
 partly to noiut out the extreme insufficiency of these data, and 
 the doubts which must rest upou many points of (he utmost im- 
 portance in relation to the future prospects of our country. .^ly 
 labour will not have been in vain, if any one should be induced by 
 the observations I have made to press upou the Legislature the 
 necessity for organizing some system upon which more trustworthy 
 statistics mt>.y be obtained. Tlie main things which appear to be 
 wanted are — a na re perfect organization for collecting and tabulating 
 
)ulil ho. ill 
 ntulity IIS 
 MS of new 
 ir iiutural 
 loil uii the 
 eJ. J]iit, 
 i»^ ii'itivcs 
 » IV.KUIO 
 •|| ill t!u' 
 
 IS.')0 till! 
 
 iVuiii all 
 1" Kustoiii 
 ruii.swick 
 y Lower 
 i that of 
 
 tC8, out'- 
 
 ery «iiiull 
 00,OU!». 
 I at that 
 M'casu to 
 irs luiK-h 
 ifeeii tho 
 5 natural 
 ro raj)i(| 
 
 THE CENSUS. 
 
 hu 
 
 VU'.V 
 
 jgreo of 
 OSS, ami 
 ata, ami 
 lust iiii- 
 >•• My 
 need by 
 ure tiic 
 tworthy 
 ir to be 
 >uIatiDg 
 
 1» 
 
 the fiifl-', and a prcafer frcnuoncy in the rotunis by a oonipulHory 
 I'iCal r('r;i,4rati()ii. , ho (loci'iiiiial riiiMus would still lio i(i'e'>s:iry, 
 as llu'it^ aro many iiiiporlaiit f;i -t', wliiidi ir u-im!d Ik too fumlu i 
 •sonii' ''tid I'xpciisivi' til alUiniit t'l cwlli'Ct at ;-li.ii t'T iii'crva! : hut 
 lIuMo avo ni-ii rnniiy detail?* wliiiii rmild easily ]><■ K.i.idrd annua ly, 
 and wliich could then h > nlitaiiu d wilK imik Ii greater aeeiira«'y. 
 N'ot the least advantaire to he derived Iniiii a iiuti' t're«|uoiit reui> 
 Iratiiin Avmild he, the i'rf|iaration which il wniill hiijiidy for emi- 
 ductinj; properly tho inoro [erlect ilr'-eiiiiial < 'rti-u,-. 'I' he (■iillectiun. 
 tabiilatin;^ and I'iseii.-sioii nf tin- nmltifiriiii-i ditail- of a i^Teat 
 t'lnistis, simple as (!aeh imlividual piiiec.s .ippi.ai.- l<i !)•■, reipiire 
 soiiK' special trainin;.? in those who an' < ii-ai:ed ii|M.n it. and a well- 
 devised K\ .item ot' ulu'ck.-; under a re-puii>;Ii!e in, id, in picveni the 
 ri'furrence of stii'li :;i'os.s errm^ iis are i i he i'liunl in the two hiht 
 rehouses. I( i- hardly pnVMiile tn expeel a!i\ iiiiiidi jieller result 
 1(1 I'lllow from til" returns of enuineiMtnr,-, wIm have ha I tin ex 
 I eri' iiee ill the work expeeted Imm tie hi, ;nid I'miii .-iihiuilliii'^ 
 iluir .-eliediiles toa hndy "f rxli;' elcrks, called In Inr tli" uceasioii, 
 who iippear to have worked witleuir cdiieert. and alinnst without 
 hupcrvii'ion. 
 
 The sy!^teiii which [ would reeoininend, as mnvi likely to prudiioc 
 a valuable body of statifttics', wiuiid be the followinn' : --It niighi 
 Htill bo desirable to require liic clor^^y of the several donouiinatioiis 
 to make returns of their inarria'^^es, baptisms and buriab, as at 
 present ; but tho baptisui-t and burials after all only approximately 
 represent tho births and ib?athH, and cxpcrioiiee has bhewn that it 
 is almost impossible to obtain, in this way, punctual and correct 
 returns; and in I'pper Canada especially, a?* in other countries 
 where there ure a p;reat variety of religious deuoniinatious, it 
 would bo hopeless to exi)cct any accuracy from such a source. 
 Those returns niiijht act as a check uj)on tlie facts as otherwise 
 obtained, but there can be no ^-yotein of registration approachiug 
 to coinplcteness other th;in a euiapulsory civil rej,iKtration, as in 
 Kuj^land and most European ouiitrios, and in some of the states of 
 the uoighboring Uniou. EvorN person should bo bound under ti 
 pemilty to register with .s- ,;ie local ollieer, within a given time. 
 
20 
 
 TlIC CKNSrS. 
 
 fvovy (leatli nr 
 
 birt 
 
 I 1 1',- r urn IP;' ui 
 
 Ills r 
 
 Hill 
 
 J' 
 
 iinl ill dvilcr tn rc- 
 
 nmnrvMtc tlio odii'iT, iiiui to ciivo him an tut 
 
 it' t!io Vi'ui.-trv, a >\'.vu\ i 
 
 j> 
 
 ui'o^t. in tilt' i'niii|)lo!o)io>s 
 •hoiiid )io payablf ti> Iiiiu "!i lmcIi entry. 
 I AViiul/t t:!ko ;'.ilvaniaL;i,' as 'av as ]H>.--^iliIi' dt' i.iur pi'i;.>?'iit iiiiuiitipa! 
 ui'Liani/atiuii, aiul, in rppcr Canada al loa-t, tin; looa! uliicci' iiiiglit 
 Ik'iIu' to\vn:>lii{i t:l;>rk. A- tlio inv,'nj<liip ck-rk i:; dl'ten cbaHi'i'oil, 
 and as; lUo; • i-< i:;onoraily no ])rj[)i'r ulllco in wliicli tho registers 
 (•■ailil liu Hal'oly ki^'.it. 1 v/'iuld ri'ipiire ilio t(>\vii>iii|i i-lcrk to tiU- 
 tilt' (trij^-iua'is with the vegi.-.rrar oi' tUc I'.Mraty, ai tiu' cinl 'u'evovy 
 ijiiartor. 'IMiose ro^'i-tors, bo?iJes llieir u;-c for .-•!aU:-t,i..M! purpuses, 
 v.Mukl sorve a.> an autlieulic rtiouivl uf hiri'is and dcadi,-, whifli, 
 iiiijotlivi' v.'idi ii;..' rciristnaiun vi iiiarria;,o,-, wiiich i.- aireaiy uiado 
 ill ihc r(.'f::i^trar's Intok-^. vvouM ]•>: aiv/ay^ open i'ur rcierenoe in 
 (jUCBiions of suece^isiua to propoit}'. i)otli ulijects siunud bo kept 
 in view, and tiu' j'unii of liie r(';;i -ters iniLdit pei bap- i,>e soni'-tiiinu; 
 like tiio l'ollu\vin;_; : — Tlio to'.YUr-liip eierks iiiiubt 1)0 Hiijiplici by 
 tin; registrar wit'ii -beets ruled in c.iiuiiniri .sbewinu', for i.irtli« — 
 date of birtb, sex. name, ^atlicr ('V luotber's name, .-icnaiure of per 
 son iiiukinu- tb.e i!',;iaLry, date of re;i;lsrry ; and t'lr ileatii.s — dare of 
 death, iia'-je, ajre, disease, sigiiacuro ol' person ni:',kin;;- the ri';^i.-iry. 
 dale of 1 L-;.'i,-it.ry. il.ieli slieet. Wiicn i^elumud to the v.';,d.-.trar, 
 slnuild bear '!)i' eertifieaie I'l the cl-'rk. In L ;v,-t.T Can.ida, where 
 the ninnieiprd oi-_;a:.i/,aii":i i- nii .- i pci'f..:cl, it. nii-b!: be desiralde 
 to liave some ntln-v local ie".i.-tiar :ban the t:nvii-.bip eU;rk, iiiid 
 the siiects iiii;.iht i'e deposited as at. pvesenr wkb the i'rurbnnotary ; 
 but the fi)i'r.-''s, and as far as j'o.s.siblc the h; st> in, .-dionid l^c nnilbrm 
 in the two see:.i.'';i'-. and tlr,' reu'i.-.traiiori slonild f.' tiiat id" Inrtlis 
 and death-', and Hut laeroly t!ie eer'n;.-ia--iie,d rvi'urd af baptisms 
 aii'l biuia!.-. 
 
 It should alsM ijr iaeu.iihent iijuin ih,> as.-0;-"r to ba\i a eonimn 
 in his Kill for ilie numbi rs in ( ae!i family, 'l hi- n-e ! .d\s,iys to be 
 done in Tjip-.r v'.'.i 'a b'. ibro th-:; nuioti, and -'avc v.'ry little 
 tr(MibI(!. and ilu' niuabrr,.' under hfleen ai'e .-lill uiven (brselnjol pur- 
 po.-rCH. itnd^^lii bv desii-ai.do to di-'iiie.'.ai.-h niair- frum !in!ah's,and 
 to havf sonn' ;-iiieral eJa-,-ilieatioii :, to a:ri s, as iiiidii' o. 
 
 UV bb aliovc 10. bid it 
 
 wunhi !i,.r 
 
 V :-'* !u flllor inf. I inn Ul'.l 'll 
 
 bai 
 
 lllf 
 
THE CENSUS. 
 
 21 
 
 
 (irtail. This portion of his roll t-houKl ho m.iflc cut separately, and 
 'liijiiM he luuidcd civcr by tli<! clerk to the cuuiitv iep;ii?trar. 
 
 1 wmild thy Ay iiptui {!io Vfclstrai" ill'' duty of cinnpilinji; iVoii> 
 til '.'■'• luatci'i.ds tlu" n't urns to bo made atiminlly io _c,'ovc'inincnt, on 
 iui 111-; ro in' furnished to him, which t^lionld not ontcr into too much 
 detail, and 1 would pay him out of proviiieial funds lor the work 
 Tlie romuncration need not lie very hiL:;li, an ! the tutal cost would 
 i'e (jiiite :i!i insignilieant item ; hut 1 hold it an a most essential 
 parr oi' any saeh ^elieme, tliat everybody shmild be paid for the 
 werk liMjioi-ed upon them. .It is the only way in which correct ami 
 ];:niotual retuins ean be fspeet<'d. Ihe.vover conscientiously even 
 the best men iiKiy [lerlonu anyaci; re((;iired of litem as a duty, thoy 
 '.'.'.ll do it more retidily .'iml move eoi'tuinly, if besides di.-cliariTiu,!:: 
 liie duty, they make 8"-!0 or X]^.^ by the tr;iii:-acliiin, 
 
 \\'illi such an orj^anizatioii, wi^ slniuld Invo ti eertuin set of men 
 ;i!! tlirouiih the camlry. th'' assessors, the townshii) clerks, and 
 i':e v.-'^^istrars, wle> b.ad aire idy some experieneo in tho kiud of 
 Work, and they would forn) a useiul material, out^ of whom to select 
 the eimmerntors and eommissiuners, when tho more formal Census 
 eaiae to be taken. There wuuld reitiain the organization of the' 
 di'partmetit of fiovernment. nii which w.nild fall the duty of classi- 
 iVioL; and tabulatiiiu^ the reluni^ received from tho whole country. 
 The returns (if viral statistics v.'ould foriu only one portion of this 
 ivie.'k. The statistics of trade and iiiivi2;ation, of railways, of 
 b:;!d;<, savings lank-, Imiblinir s.ieieties, iiisuraiiee compauicy. 
 linspital: and charities, a'ld »ehoul.s, criminal ;uid other judicial 
 st:iti-iies. militia iind iiiunicii>ul stati.-ticp, should all be ultimtitely 
 r^inbined into one aiitiual volume. The ])rep;uation of the.sc, and 
 s;l!l nuire, thi> devisiii';; of the I'cst fm-ms in which the inlbrmation 
 iumld be coihciod, and presented to the public, u-o.ild roijuiro 
 laueh miscellancinis kiu.)wled'_'e and experience, which could hardly 
 lie expecied to be Ibuml in iitiy one deptirtmotit. There should be 
 •I board oi statistics, presided over by ouc of the E.KCCUtivo, ai;d 
 ail 1 .if \vlu<'h ,-n ;.(■, others of the miuisty, tic mini.dor of finance, 
 especially. laiLiTt be Tiiembers. (Uit the real work would fall u[)(m 
 tiie deputy heads ui' those branches, which are especially coneenoa! 
 
22 
 
 THE CENSUS, 
 
 with the subjects embraced in the general plan, anrl v,'ho tiiould 
 also be member? of theboanl. The business of the bnanl. as .•^udi, 
 would be ahuost exclusively deliberative — to decide upon M-Jnt 
 information should be collected, and to devise the best forms in 
 which it i«hould be submitted, so that the statistics oi one branch 
 might harmonize with, and throw light ujion, those of another. 1 
 may give an example of what T mean : The trade and iiavigation 
 returns shew the amount of timber and lumber exported, ami the 
 report of the Commissioner of Crown J.audsgives the statistics nf 
 tlie several timber agencies ; butfron> want of concert between tho 
 two departments, the forms in which the returns are cxhiliited 
 make it impossible to connect the two sources of information upon 
 this most vital portion of our industry, so as to tra''e the article 
 from the various sources from which it was produced, to the quarters 
 in whicli it found a market. The board would only lay down a 
 general plan ; the individual members would each be responsible, 
 as part of the business of liis own department, and with his own 
 staff, to collect the information required. The only other thing 
 required, besides the occasional assistance of copyists, would bo a 
 thoroughly competent secretary, with perhaps, one clerk, who 
 would collect forac of the returns, and .superintend and publish 
 the whole. 
 
oulii 
 <uch, 
 wlv.it 
 
 lis in 
 ranch 
 n-. 1 
 ration 
 1(1 til*' 
 
 on ill''' 
 iiibited 
 11 upon 
 iivtiflo 
 iiurtcrs 
 down H 
 onsible, 
 liis own 
 r tUiu? 
 uUl 1j« !i 
 irk, wb<"> 
 L publish