U.S. Census Commissioner's Report.

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The following report of the U.S. Commissioner appointed to take the census of California, was laid before the Legislature by the Secretary of State on Tuesday last:

Sir—I have been necessarily delayed in complying with the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of this State, requesting me "to furnish an abstract of the census returns," in consequence of the many causes which have transpired to retard this work; and at the present moment I am able to render but a partial and incomplete statement of the same, as the full returns have not been received.

A letter of recent date from the deputy to whom was assigned the district embracing the two first named counties, informs me that he has completed his labors there, but furnishes no information as to the number of inhabitants. I have made repeated efforts—thus far ineffectual—to have the census taken in the county of Tuolumne. I have as yet received no information from the deputy last appointed there.

In some instances, you will observe that the returns are given in round numbers. In such cases, the figures are predicated upon the information furnished by the respective deputies, which will be found near an approximation to the "Returns." The counties of Trinity, Shasta and Colusi are given as comprehending one district. The gentlemen who performed this duty in those counties received his commission in the month of September last—he being then a resident of Trinity. He entered upon this duty without the means of determining the proper subdivisions of the district; and so erroneous, in fact, was the general impression then prevailing among the population residing there, respecting the northern boundary of the State, that a large population on the Klamath river was not enumerated, being supposed to be comprehended in the Territory of Oregon.

The result of this enumeration, when completed, will, with all reasonable probability, fall short of the entire population of the State from 33 to 50 per cent. Such a result must naturally occur to the mind of every person conversant with the circumstances surrounding those engaged in the mines—probably the most numerous of our population—residing as many of them do, in unknown and unfrequented localities—while others are constantly changing their places of abode, thus absolutely precluding the possibility of their being found at all by the "census men." I am inclined to believe, from information of the most reliable character, that this disparity is greater in the extremely northern mining counties, to say, Trinity, Shasta, Colusi, and Butte, then elsewhere. On reference to the first there named, that has been already explained.

In all these counties the census was taken in the months of September and October last, at a period when the miners had already left, or were leaving in large numbers for the more southern mining counties. In the last two or three months there had tended thitherward a large emigration, and at this time I am well advised that the population of Butte County is as large as any other county of the State.

With the foregoing explanation, I hope the returns herewith submitted will render satisfactory the duties imposed on me.