The general direction of the census was placed in the hands of the Secretary of State, where it remained until the passage of the census law of May 23, 1850, when all the functions of census-taking were put in charge of the newly created Department of the Interior, and all census laws since and including that have been administered under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior. The first schedule, that for 1790, was a very simple affair, and was as follows:
| Schedule of the Whole Number of Persons within the Division allotted to A. B. (1790.) | |||||
| Names of heads of families. |
Free white males of 16 years and upward, including heads of families. |
Free white males under 16 years. |
Free white females, inc- luding heads of families. |
All other free persons. |
Slaves. |
In 1800 the scope of the population schedule was enlarged somewhat, and it was used in the following form:
| Schedule of the Whole Number of Persons within the Division allotted to A. B. (1800.) |
The foregoing schedule was used in 1810 without change, but the scope of the census, by act of May 1, 1810, was enlarged. This act required the several marshals, secretaries, and their assistants, "at the time for taking the census or enumeration aforesaid, to take, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, and according to such instructions as he should give, an account of
