Star.
London, England, 1831-04-04 00:00:00

EMIGUATION.

The sad consequences of that mistaken system and unnatural state
of society which drives any portion of the population of any civilized
country to an expatriation of themselves and their families trom their
native land are now extensively operating with the most calamitous
effects on a vast population of unfortunate emigrants, who have, within
the last few years. quitted this kingdom on the emigration system, and
taken up their residence in the United States of North America.
it appears by the well-authenticated representations of the Right
Rev. Dr. De Bois, the Roman Catholic Biahop of New York, who is
at present in London, that in the city of New Yolk, and within an int
mediate neighbouring district, over which the spiritual care of the
Right Reverend Prelate extends, there is at this moment a dense pop,.
lesion of English, Bauch, and Irish emigrants, men, women, and chil-
-1 drat, In a state of total wane med domtimion ; that the labour market
has been long overstocked; no work or other means, ass seines of sub.
sistmce, to be procured at any rate of wages, and that these poor crea-
tures are actually sinking into death by hundreds in garrets and in
cellars from starvation and disease.
This vast congregation of misery and want the Rev. Prelate repre-
sents as extending to above 130,000 in number, and the total deficiency
of hospitals' and charitable institutions of that nature, ha the city of
New York, affords no opportunity of effectually curing or even reliev.
ing this mass of wretchedness and disease. Tile charitable and humane
of all ranks and professions in that city do all in their power by visit-
ing the unhappy beings in their loathsome abodes, to soothe and aasuaiN
their sufferings; but the want of such public institutions as hospital.,
where cleanliness is half cure, renders all the efforts to check disease
and death abortive.

The object, we understand, of Dr. De BOIS% visit to this moony,
is, if possible, to raise a sufficient sum of money for the building of
an hospital for the use and reception of all emigrants and strangers
reduced to the situation of the unhappy beings above de-
scribed; and he calculates that the hospital once built, would
be in a great degree sustained by a small chuge to every one
claiming admission to it, and not belonging to the class of strangers for
whose benefit it was designed. That applications to be admitted in this
way, the rev. prelate feels satisfied, would be numerous, because, in the
whole city of New York, there is but one public hospital, and that on
so very limited a scale, that it only accommodates about 40 patients ;
and the mo.et able and experienced surgeons, physicians, ap tame:arks,
and all branches of the profe-sion, have offered their services gratui-
tously to any institution of the kind, that he may succeed in vita.
blishing.
Nothwithstandin. the enormous unemployed population of en,i_
grants above stated,° ships arc still daily arriving out from these
countries, wi h carg9e4 of wretched beings, who are discharged on shore
by the captains alto estrry them out. like so much ballast, and there
left to perish, without any possible means of ever returning to their
own country, which they never should have quitted, and there is too
much reason to suspect that false hopes and alluring prospects of
comfort and plenty are held out to these poor creatures
by the owners of vessels, or their captains, to induce them
to quit their homes for the sake of the passage money that may be lad
for their transport. Dr. De Bois, however, mentions otyg KlLPanc ex-
ception to this suspicion, if there be groundtgor pimellywAhaaptalti
of a vessel, who arrived at New York, a fewNeks hefore he.(Dr. Ile
Bets) left there, with a cargo of 300 emigrants fret: Cork and that
neighbourhood, in Ireland. hut the captain; firth :•• tfe deplorable
situation of the emigrant population already there, would no: chschar•re
his poor passengers, but sailed with them again in a few days. an r
taking in proviaions, titc and brouyht them back .ig .in to their native
country at his own erpense !
Dr. De Bois, on his first arrival in Europe from America visited
Rome and paid his respects to the late Pope. to whom he repr:sented
the object of his mission to Europe ; and Ms holiness presented int
with a very lutnelsome sum towattls an huitabk sa cud .4 his tun.
aeription, as did also several of the Carditals, and otter digoitanes at
Rome.

The reverend prelate next proceeded to Paris, tint was most k.nilly
' received by the present King, who also became a bubscriber blear !s
the required fund, and expressed a warm hope that the reverend pre.
late's humane mission might be crowned with success. Since the ar-
rival of Dr. De Bois in London, he has been received in the most af•
fectionate manner by the Marchioness of Wellesltv, with alt nt tcd
her family the venerable prelate was intimately acquainted in Attlettee,
and the Marchioness, who is one 01 the lathes if honour to the Queen,
having mentioned the arrival of the respectable prelate to her 31ajoey,
and the object of it. her Majesty imniediattly expressed a wish to eta% c
him presented to her, which was a..conlingly dime, and after expressing
het best wishes for the accomelishineut of the laudable end he had id
view, her Mapsty, with that benign and charitable feeling that is so
well known to characterise her, took out her purse. and handed its con.
tents, which were nut inconsiderable, to the reverend waste.