April 1, 1861 (Monday)

Hat tip The American Civil War, "Revelations of the Census", April 1, 1861.

"On April 1, 1861 the New York Times reprinted a story from the March 15, 1861 edition of the London News, which examined the results of the recently completed Census of 1860 and applied the data from the census to the growing conflict in the United States.  I have never seen any evidence that any major Southern political figure considered the results of the Census of 1860 prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War."    Astonishing article...and very informative...read it at the link above.  

Some highlights: 
              "population of all United States:  31, 648, 496
                population of whites in Free States:   19,046,173
                population of whites in Slave States:  8,602,470
                slave population in the Slave States:  3,999,853
                               
It is not unnecessary to explain that, in any time of public danger, four millions of slaves are much more of an encumbrance than the same number of women and children.  They have not only to be fed and guarded but to be guarded against.  South Carolina entire free population is only 308,186, while her slaves are 407,185.  So far from her having power to make war, her whole white population would be needed to coerce the black....It is a striking fact that three States -- New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio -- contain more white inhabitants than all the Slave States together. 

We may well find words fail us to express the insanity which the Seceders are manifesting...If they will not read sermons, philosophy, novels, or poetry which touch upon human liberties, they had better read these figures, which so dispassionately and indisputably present the case of the different sections of the Republic. "



The news of the day: 

"Pickens Expedition Ordered,"  Tulane University, Dept of History, April 1, 1861.

"An All Fool's Day Full of Secrets," Civil War Daily Gazette, April 1, 1861.



And finally, the Diary of William Howard Russell:  "In fact, the Federal system is radically defective against internal convulsion," Daily Observations from the Civil War, April 1, 1861.