"The objects of the Association shall be to collect, preserve, and diffuse statistical information in the different departments of human knowledge. The operations of this Association shall be principally directed to the statistics of the United States; and they shall be as general and extensive as practicable, and not be confined to any particular part of the country. Foreign statistics may occasionally be considered. The labors of the Association may embrace all subjects of a statistical nature. In accomplishing the objects of the Association, statistical information shall be sought by procuring books, pamphlets, and periodical works; by original written communications; and by correspondence and personal application. It shall be deemed the duty of every Fellow to prepare at least one article a year on some statistical subject, which shall be at the disposal of the Publishing Committee." President. Hon. Richard Fletcher. Vice Presidents. George C. Shattuck, M. D. Rev. Joseph B. Felt, Recording Secretary. Counsellors. Rev. William Cogswell, D. D. Hon. Horace Mann, John D. Fisher, M. D. Prof. B. B. Edwards, Jesse Chickering, M. D. Publishing Committee. Rev. William Cogswell, D. D. Joseph E. Worcester, Esq. O. W. B. Peabody, Esq. Rev. Joseph B. Felt, Lemuel Shattuck, Esq. ADDRESS. The word Statistics is of German origin, and is derived from the word Staat, signifying the same as our English word State, or a body of men existing in a social union.* | Statistics may be defined to be, "the ascertaining and the bringing together of those facts, which are fitted to illustrate the condition and prospects of society." The object of Statistical science is to consider the results which those facts produce, with the view to determine the principles upon which the well-being of society depends. History is concerned with the past. The science of Statistics delineates the changes which are now going on. It seeks to collect and classify all the facts which pertain to the existing arrangements of society. "History," it has been * See the first number of the Journal of the Statistical Society of London. remarked, "is Statistics in a state of progression; Statistics are history at a stand." Geography describes the individual and various objects in a country or Commonwealth. Statistics bring them together under a general view, and arrange those which are analogous. Geography is employed on particulars. Statistics group these particulars together, in accordance with from political economy, because although it has the same end some leading idea. Again, the science of Statistics differs in view, it does not discuss causes, nor reason upon probable effects. Its object is the collection and comparison of facts which illustrate the condition of mankind, and tend to develope the principles by which the progress of society is deter mined. The science of Statistics is of recent origin. Achenwall, who was born at Elbing, in Prussia, in 1719, and died in 1772, was the first who gave the name, and a scientific form, to this branch of knowledge. His Compend, originally published in 1749, went through seven editions. His most distinguished pupil, Schlosser, carried out his views still further in the excellent yet incomplete "Theory of Statistics," printed at Gottengen in 1804. In 1807, appeared Neuman's "Outlines of Statistics." In the systematic and compendious treatment of this subject, Toze, Remer, Meusel, Sprengel, Mannert, Fischer, and especially, Hassel, have distinguished The last name is the eminent geographer. themselves. In Italy, there are the well known names of Balbi, Quadri, and Gioja. The first European government that paid any attention to the collection of Statistics, in a systematic manner, though this was on a limited scale, was Sweden. About the middle of the last century, a special commission was employed, who made known, at intervals of five years, many interesting facts in relation to the population of the country, etc. Schlosser having called attention to the important results of the Swedish commission, several other States soon entered into a similar arrangement. There is now a statistical department, or what is termed a Bureau, in connexion with the governments of Prussia, Austria, Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Naples and Sardinia. At the head of the Bureau, in Berlin, is a gentleman of great intelligence, M. J. G. Hoffmann. In 1832, Lord Auckland and Mr. Poulett Thompson, who then presided over the Board of Trade in England, established a Statistical office in that department, to collect, arrange, and publish statements relating to the condition, and bearing upon the various interests of the British Empire. The volumes, annually printed and laid before Parliament by this office are well known and highly esteemed. In the year 1831, a Statistical Society was formed in the kingdom of Saxony, which has prosecuted its objects with great energy and success. The French Society of Universal Statistics was founded on the 22d of November, 1829, and is under the protection of the king. It proposes and decrees prizes, grants medals, publishes a monthly collection of its transactions, and maintains a correspondence with learned bodies in all countries. The society numbers at present more that 1,500 members, French and foreign, who are classed into titulary, honorary, and corresponding members. The subjects about which the society is employed, are arranged into three classes. 1. Physical and Descriptive Statistics, embracing topography, hydrography, meteorology, geology, mineralogy, population, man considered physically, hygiene, and the sanitary state. 2. Positive and Applied Statistics, embracing vegetable and animal productions, agriculture, industry, commerce, navigation, state of the sciences, general instruction, literature, languages, and the fine arts. 3. Moral and Philosophical Statistics, including the forms of religious worship, legislative and judicial power, public administration, finances, the military, marine, and diplomacy. M. Cæsar Moreau is charged with the general direction of statistical labor or transactions. The History of Statistics in Great Britain contains but little of importance, previously to the last ten years. Among the few valuable books on this subject, may be mentioned Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir F. M. Eden's State of the Poor, and Colquhoun's Treatise on the Wealth, Power, and Resources of the British Empire. Very recently have appeared the Statistical Accounts of a part of Ireland, by the Officers of the Irish Ordnance Survey; Macculloch's Statistics of the British Empire; with the Dictionary of Commerce by the same author; McGregor's Statistics of Nations, and Porter's Progress of the Nation. A new edition of Sinclair's account of Scotland is in the course of publication. The Statistical Society of London was founded on the 15th of March, 1834, in pursuance of a recommendation of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. It was established for the purposes of procuring, arranging and publishing "Facts calculated to illustrate the Condition and Prospects of Society." It pursues its inquiries under the four heads of Economical, l'olitical, Medical, and Moral and Intellectual Statistics; the first head embracing natural pro. ductions, agriculture, manufactures, commerce, currency, the distribution of wealth, or all facts relating to rent, wages, profits, etc.; the second head comprises political and legal statistics, those of finance and national expenditure, and of civil and military establishments; the third head takes up the great subject of population, in addition to the topics more appropriately belonging to it; while the fourth head comprehends the statistics of literature, education, religious instruction, ecciesiastical institutions, and crime. The whole number of members of the London Society, according to the Fourth Report, is 402, of whom 382 are annual subscribers, 14 foreign honorary members, and 6 corresponding non-resident members. An important measure, adopted by this society, is the formation of committees, who have in charge a specific and limited department of labor. Thus one committee has been appointed for the purpose of prosecuting inquiries into the state of education in a portion of the parishes of London. Another committee is collecting information in respect to the various "strikes and combinations which have existed for the purpose of altering the rate of wages;" a third committee has in charge the statistics of Life, embracing enumerations of Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Population, with or without distinction of age, sex, climate or occupations, etc. The Society has published a monthly journal of about 60 pages, and two quarto volumes of Transactions. The monthly journal is now discontinued. Its labors appear to have been wisely directed, and productive of important results. Among these results is the formation of similar societies in Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol, Calcutta, as well as others in various parts of the British Empire. In the United States, but little attention has, as yet, been given to the subject of Statistics. The attempt has never been made to present a complete view of either of the great departments of this interesting and practical science. With few exceptions, the subject has been wholly overlooked, both by the National and the State governments. Something, however, has been done by the government of the U. States in connexion with the census of the population which has been taken once in ten years, though here, it must be acknowledged, far less has been accomplished, than might reasonably have been expected. We may also mention that praiseworthy efforts have lately been made in connexion with the Patent Office at Washington. Some of the individual States have also given a limited attention to certain departments in the science, particularly to that of primary education. The reports of the School Commissioners of the States of New York and Massachusetts deserve honourable mention. A few isolated individuals have likewise laboured in this field with great assiduity. Valuable information is contained in Warden's Statistical, Political and Historical Account of the United States, Timothy Pitkin's Statistical View of the Commerce of the United States, Adam Seybert's Statistical Annals, William Darby's Historical, Geographical, and Statistical View of the United States, and Watterston and Van Zandt's Tabular Statistical Views. It is in this interesting and comparatively uncultivated field that the American Statistical Association propose to labour with such means as may be placed at their disposal, with the co-operation of kindred societies which may be formed, and with the aid which may be expected from our National and State Governments. It is obviously a field of vast extent, and rich in materials for collection and comparison. How much the Association may be able to accomplish must be left for time to determine. There are not wanting, certainly, encouragements, sufficiently ample and stimulating. The advantages which may be expected to follow a diligent pursuit of our object are neither few nor unimportant. Some of the more prominent of them, we may be permitted here to enumerate. 1. Statistics are closely allied to the other sciences, and receive contributions from all of them. In the language of a contemporary," they are, as it were, the link which connects them with the practical purposes of life." Thus no statistical account of our country can be perfect without comprehending its geography. Here a wide field of labour, including an entire continent, opens before the American statistical inquirer. The science of Geology is yet in its infancy, but it is deservedly attracting great attention on the part of several of our State authorities. With statistics, geology is connected, inasmuch as the latter has a vital relation to the mineral wealth of a country. The bearing of statistics upon the great interest of agriculture, is too obvious to need illustration. Statistics enter into that part of Zoclogy, which points out the means of sustenance, of the employment of industry and of commerce. The propriety of the cul.ivation of silk in this country has, of late, elicited much remark, and considerable capital is devoted to it. This fact shows the connexion of statistics with botany and with HorticultureEvery subject in truth forms a part of statistics. Chemistry enters largely into the conveniencies of life; Medicine is connected with our most important earthly interests; Mcchanics abridge human labour; Meteorology, by explaining the causes and conditions of atmospheric changes, is connectcd with statistics. Such is the case also with Physiology, Population, Education, Finance, Government, and Religion.† 2. The appropriate sphere which this Association propose, according to their ability, to occupy, is very great. It now comprises thirty States and Territories, with all their vast and teeming resources. The present condition of the Indian tribe, and of the countries on our borders, as well as of those in other parts of the continent, will form suitable topics for inquiry. We are not limited by a few acres of ground, nor by a few hundred thousands of population, like our fellow labourers in some other portions of the world. A Statistical Society, like that in Saxony, may, indeed, accomplish more perfectly what it undertakes; it may collect and record facts with somewhat more precision than a society on a larger scale can do. Still, there is but little opportunity for a wide comparison of facts. There are but few, if any, striking contrasts. Even in Prussia, the field of observation and comparison is limited to half a dozen provinces, almost in the same parallel of latitude. In our country the case is stikingly different. The difficulty lies at the other extreme. The field is too extended, it may be thought, to admit of being accurately explored. Still the means of intercommunication are so abundant and the facilitics for the collection and diffusion of information are so rapid, that but little practical difficulty need be feared, while we shall reap the great advantage which results from variety of climate, soil, scenery, population, manners, customs, etc. 3. Another advantage which may be expected to flow from statistical inquiries in this country, has relation to our peculiar civil institutions. It is of the utmost importance that, while the experiment of free political institutions is in progress, all the facts pertaining to this experiment should he carefully gathered up and recorded. The whole process of the experiment should be accurately marked and faithfully described by competent observers, at the time, and on the spot. In this way, if we succeed, it will be known why we succeed; if we fail, the causes of this failure will be apparent. Thus we shall have faithful observations and unquestionable facts *Journal of the Statistical Society of London. For abundant illustrations of this topic, consult the transactions of the London and French Statistical Societies. Manhattan Bank Report. on which to rely, instead of being left to guess at the reasons, We have received the New York American of the 18th and and substitute speculation in the place of certain knowledge. 20th instant, almost entirely filled with the reports and docuHow inestimably precious would be a thorough statistical view of the ancient Grecian Republics, a view which should ments connected with the investigations of the committee, enter into all the details-such as many living writers could into the affans of this Bank. Below, we publish all that our give of the existing state of Great Britain or of Germany.-space will allow, and which will be probably as much as is The ancient historians leave us in complete darkness in renecessary for general purposes. spect to a thousand interesting questions. It is only after a most laborious search of every accessible means of information, that such indefatigable antiquaries as Boeckh and Miller, have been able to give us their interesting, but still scanty notices of the public economy of Athens and Sparta. Our course should be more intelligent and benevolent. If we value our institutions, we should be able to show good grounds for our favourable estimate, not only in our actual prosperity, but by our recorded knowledge, by facts well ascertained, and philosophically classified. And this duty cannot be safely left to individuals. It is only by means of associated labour, that the proper results can be secured. 4. The labors of this Association may be turned to immediate good account. If faithfully prosecuted, they will be, indeed, of inestimable value to the future historian, in our own and in other lands. They may convey a rich amount of experience to the friends of civil and of religious freedom in every country, and in every future age. But, they will, by no means, be without value now. They will produce palpable and present benefits. None of our institutions are in a perfect state. All are susceptible of improvements. But every rational reform must be founded on thorough knowledge. We must know what the want is before we can supply it. Frequently an extensive induction of facts is necessary. It will be worse than useless to rely on partial and ill-digested information. Neither can we place entire confidence in the operations of similar institutions in other lands. The schools of Germany, for instance, cannot be transferred here without some modification. We must, in a considerable degree, judge for ourselves, after we have examined what our own wants are. We are in a forming state, and in the midst of a great experiment. We need all possible light now. Our school systems, for example, are not working out their results for ourselves alone. The inhabitants of Florida and of Wisconsin will derive essential benefit from our collected and recorded experience. The nations, which people other parts of our continent will, more and more, as they become civilized, look to us for models and exemplars. How important, that we should be able to give them clear and well-developed views, consistent and unquestionable facts! The value of facts, as every intelligent observer must have seen, depends essentially on their lucid arrangement. If they are not presented in a natural and orderly manner, they lose one half, at least, of their present worth. Here, consequently, may be seen the importance of associated labor, of well-systematised and comprehensive modes of proceeding, and of effecting such a division in labor and of making such comparison in the results which may be accomplished, as shall give to every class of facts its highest value, and to the doings of the society their best reward. In conclusion, the Association hope to be able, with the assistance of the many intelligent individuals who are interested in this object, to accomplish, in a satisfactory manner, the tasks which they have voluntarily undertaken. In the language of a kindred institution, they trust, that by "increasing progressively in efficiency and usefulness, they shall eventually realize many of the beneficial effects which they anticipate, and they also hope that the Society will hold a permanent place among the important institutions which are steadily contributing to the welfare and improvement of this and other countries." To the Stockholders of the Manhattan Company. The undersigned, composing the commission to investigate the condition of the Manhattan Company, beg leave to REPORT That, for the adequate performance of their duty, they consider it of the highest importance, in order to enable the Stockholders to arrive at a just and precise conclusion in regard to the state and value of their property, that a detailed and accurate description of the debts and assets of the company should be given, and that nothing should be withheld that might tend to elucidate its affairs. This was the more imperative from their being restricted, by the terms of their appointment, to the reporting of facts-and not of opinion; and therefore, they have adopted the plan of laying before the Stockholders a copy of the minutes of the several moetings which they held, as well as of the documents, statements, and letters laid before them. It certainly is unusual that such lists of assets should be published, and some dissatisfaction may be felt by those whose names and debts are detailed to the Stockholders; but the undersigned, with every disposition to avoid unnecessary publicity, could find no other efficient mode of performing the duty assigned to them; nor does it appear unreasonable to them, that the Stockholders, upon an occasion so extraordinary as that which called for this investigation, should be furnished with every item of account necessary to enable them to judge for themselves as to the value of their respective shares in this Company. They would also add, that for the better and more rapid performance of the service required of them, the Commissioners called to their aid, F. W. Edmonds, Esq., in whose experience and peculiar skill in examinations of this character, they placed the highest confidence, which has been most amply justified. It seems proper to state, that the Manhattan Company was incorporated in the year 1799, for the purpose of supplying the city with pure and wholesome water, and with the privilege of using their surplus funds in the purchase of public or other stock, or in moneyed transactions or operations. A supplement to the act of incorporation was passed in the year 1808, authorizing the Company to sell or lease to the Corporation of New York, their Real Estate and Water Works, and Water Privileges; and in that case, to employ their whole capital in like manner as they could their surplus capital. The duration of the original charter is unlimited, but by the act of 1808, it is provided that the charter of the Bank shall cease thirty years from the date of the sale or lease to the Corporation of the city of New York; and by the same enactment, it was declared that the State should be entitled to subscribe for one thousand shares of the stock of the said Company; which was accordingly done; and the Recorder of the city of New York is er officio a Director of the Company, as representing the interests of the State. The Board of Direction, as it existed on the 29th February (the date of examination,) was composed of the following gentlemen, who have held their respective offices from the years opposite their names: 1825. Maltby Gelston, President (Director from 1829.) 1825. David S. Kennedy, (now in Europe,) 1838. R. H. Morris, Recorder of the city; and 1819. Robert White, Cashier. For the information of non-resident Stockholders, it is proper to state, that the majority of these gentlemen are of known wealth, retired from active business pursuits,-all of unimpeached integrity and standing in the community, and all of undoubted pecuniary responsibility; and that, in the investigations of the Commissioners, nothing has been discovered in relation to their official acts that is not fully and fairly presented in this Report. The Commissioners think it right to add, that whatever may be deemed unfavorable in the situation of the Company, has in their judgment, arisen from the general inattention of the Directors, and, from what may appear to the Stockholders, the lax and injudicious management of its concerns, by the Ledger balance, cash acc... Foreign banks. Overdrafts found in the 4 Dealers' Ledgers... Capital. Canal Fund. Treasurer U. States.... 95,936 83 $4,996,120 82 2,050,000 (O officers on whom the charge devolved. To sustain the Com- Capital stock.. mission in these positions, a table is submitted herewith,Statement X,-showing the annual attendance of each Director, at the semi-weekly meetings of the Board, during the Commissioners of the Canal Fund, (N. York,) 671,694 99 last ten years; and it will be seen by an extract from the minutes of the Board (see page 20) that the management and control of the loans of the Bank was expressly committed to the President and Cashier in April, 1824, and so remained up to a very recent period; and it has been represented to the Commission, that although general statements were regularly laid before the Board, the details of the proceedings of the officers were unknown to the greater portion Treasurer State of New York....... of the Directors. The Commissioners are further requested by the President to state,-and the fact is admitted by the Cashier,-that the " loans on stocks were always made and controlled by the Cashier, without the interference of the President. In the reports of a Committee of Directors, made on the 11th and 27th January last, and ordered to be published by a unanimous resolution of the Board, passed on the 14th of February last, it is averred that "some of the Directors seem to consider themselves nominally so,-and do not even attend the meetings of the Board; and they therefore suggest whether the Board ought not to be filled as early as possible with a full number of efficient and influential members, who shall be sensibly alive to the duties and responsibilities devolving upon them." This suggestion will, doubtless, attract the attention of the Stockholders,-to whom it, together with all other matters contained in this Report, is submitted, without further comment, by the Undersigned Commissioners. JAMES GORE KING, New York, March 14th, 1840. - STATEMENT E. United States. 214,904 66 215,000 82 423,505 36 5,060 95 Foreign bills in supense account. 2,500 92 -2,318,848 31 Robt. White, Cashier. 3,862 38 Exchange account 1,424 57 |