Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-07-18
ruIGR ATlON-FOREIGN PAUPERS.

FNIGRATlON-fORE PAUfEhS.
n, the last dav of the session of Congress, Mr..
Davis. of Mass reported from the committee OF
Commerce the following resolution, which was IA
creed to by the Senate:
P,solced, That tho Secretary Of the Treasury
h. directed to cause to be collected and laid be-
fare The Senate at its next session all such facts
and inflammation as can be obtained through the Gus
,,mlouse or from other sources, respecting the de-
narration of paupers from Great Britain and other
places, ascertaning as nearly as possible to hat
countries such persons are sent, where landed, and
What provision, if any, made for their future sup
port.
The importance of the enquiry directed by the
foregoing resolution is more apparent IN the non
,laycholding States, and especially in the Atlantic
cities, into which the redundant population of Eu-
rope is necessarily pouring and where ITS evils are
more Immediately and more permanently felt, than
it is with us, who receive only an occasional ac-
ces,on from this immense tide of foreign cmigra-
,ion and that happily, Of the more reputable and
intelligent classes. Tho \. Y. Daily Advertiser,
for example, states, on credtablc authority, that
the steerage passage Of more than thirty thousand
persons has been paid to different agents, in Eng
land Scotland and Ireland, who were TO leave
those countries for America prior 10 July, most of
whom will arrive at the port of New York ; and
that paper adds, 4" from the best calculations
can make, there will from 10000 to 100000
emgrants arrive here between the months of May
and November inclusive"
tits certainly neither the policy nor the inc-
milton of our government to shut the door to for
eigners who seek in this country either better
and wider field for the exercise of their industry
and skill, or asylum from the oppre sson OF
their own institutions. But, on the other hand it
certainly behoovcs u.s. if can, 10 arrest the tide
Of vice and ignorance which is annually emp
lied into our lap from the prisons and poor-houSes
of Europe or, if we cannot do this, we must "a
dept some remedial measures which will mitigate
its mschieyous consequences both upon our social
system and our political stutions-Some plan
must be adopted either 10 check this overwhel-
ming influx of the unrducatcd, the criminal, and
the pauper, or else shall be compe He'd, in self
defence, to impose upon them such restrictions as
shall preserve the public morals from the RAPID
deterioration which now threaten them from this
source, aud above all to prevent our elections from
falling under their control. Masses of such men,
coming into the country, without any knowledge
OF the nature of elective governments and OF the
= responsibility ofelcctors, it is evident, may be
welded at will by any designing dcmagoguc, (and
there are unfortunately too many such in every
country and the consequence will be that our Of
fees will be filled by the corrupt agents of these
ignorant sulragans, who will generally be found ar
rayed in opposition to the virtue and intelligence
the land, which will never condcscend to traffic
with them for their votes. These remarks do not
apply, of course and are not intended to apply, to
the better part of the foreign emigrants who come
amongst us. and whom should always rejoice to
take by the hand-but they refer exclusively to
the tenants of prisons and poor-houscs, whose emf
grafton is forced rather than voluntary, and whose
passage-money is gladly paid by the jallors and
parsi-offcers, Il sort of commandments, to
get rid of the necessity transporting them to Bot
any Bay, or of supporting them for life. The facts
which may be elected by diligent enquiry, will,
we have no doubt, astound the community, who
nave no adequate conception of the extent to which
this forced emigration has been carried, or OF the
evlconscqucnces which have already resulted from
1t IN some of the Northern States, particularly in
New York.