The native American., 1838-08-11

4
To enable the committee to obtain all the in
formation which was accessible the following in
terrogatories were propounded to the Mayors OF
the respective cities Of Boston, New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Is. c. and New
Orleans, and to the Presidents of the Native
American Associations in the city of New York
and in the District of Columbia:
lst. What number of foreign emigrants arrive
at New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Charleston, and New Orleans, respectively, in
each year, and have done for the last ten wears!
I'd. What number have arrived within the
United States each year, within the same period,
and what in each State?
Sd. From what countries have they emigrated!
4th. What proportion bring with them the
means of subsisting themselves and families!
5th. What proportion are paupers.
9th. How is the expense of transportation
hither of such as are poor betrayed, and by
whom!
7th. Are there, within your knowledge, OF
have you been informed, of any frauds practsed
III procuring certificates of naturalization under
the present laws of the United States? And, if
so how and by what means are such frauds prac-
tised; and what remedy can you suggest for their
prevention!
9th. Is the emigration of any particular class
of foreigners into the United States at this time,
pre- judicial to the interests of the citizens, or
dangerous to the institutions of the United States?
If so, what class, and what remedy can you sug-
gest for avoiding the evil apprehended?
9th. What proportion of the inmates Of poor
houses and pententaries are native American
citizens?
10th. What is the expense per week of main
tanning an adult pauper!
The prompt answers which have been return
ed to these interrogatories from the Native Ame-
rican Association in the city of Washington, and
the Mayors Of the respective cities of Boston and
New York, have greatly alleviated the labors of
the committee, and present combination of facts
which cannot fail to attract the attention of the
American people, and to establish the necessity
Of immediate Legislative action, not only by Con
gress within the sphere of its powers, but also by
many OF the States in theirs, that, by an harmo-
NOUS cooperation, existing evils may be remedi-
ed, and impending calamites averted.
There is probably pauper population in the
United States of about lO5, 900 who are supported
at public expenses; and it is estimated that more
than one-half the number (and these the most
helpless and expensve) are foreigners. On the
18th of June, 1887, there were in the aims
house, in the city of New York, 3,O74. of which
number three-fourths were foreigners; and of
200 admitted into the alms-house at Bellevue,
9S2 were aliens; and during the year preceding
the 29th March, 1887, there had been supported
or relieved at these establishments, 6,S74 for
eigners. On the lst of May, 1887, there were
in the Bellevue alms-house 600 men and TAT
women; and by the report Of the resident ply
sician of the hospital, it appears that of 1900
which were admitted into his department during
thn he 1St of Tan,
were received into the maniac department.; and
that ofthe whole number only 2O6 were born in
America. In 1886, there were in the alms-house
at Boston, Massachusetts, 500 Americans and
673 oreigners; and in that of Philadelphia sos
Americans and 1866 foreigners. The average
expense of supporting pauper in the United
States is estimated at about $42 year. If the
estimate of numbers and the expense of their
maintenance be correct it will be seen that the
citizens Of the United States are paying annually,
for the support of their pauper population,
81, 400 ,O00 onehalf of which, at least is paid to
support foreign paupers; or, in other words, the
citizens of the United States are contributing an
nually So 100000 to relieve foreign governments
from the support of their own poor.
In a communication to the Common Council OF
the city of New York, the late Mayor, in relation
TO this foreign population, remarks that, ''our
streets are filled with these wandering crowds,
clustering in our city, unaccustomed to our eli
mate, without money, without employment, with
out friends, many not speaking our language, and
without dependence for food, or raiment, or fire.
side. What is to become of them? is question
of serious import: our whole alms-house depart
ment is SO full that no more can be received with
out manifest hazard to the health of the inmates;
petitions signed by hundreds, asking for work, are
presented in vain; private associations for relief
are almost wholly without funds; thousands must
therefore wander to and fro filling every part of our
happy land with squalid poverty and profigacy."
The tax for the support of paupers in that
city has more than doubled in seven years; and
this remarkable coincidence will be found, that,
in the same period of time, the foreign population
in the city will have fraction more than doubled.
From this it is evident that, in proportion to emf
grafton from foreign countries, paupersm is in
creased in nearly an equal degree with population
from abroad.
The population in the city of Washington, in
the District of Columbia, is $4,000. During the
five preceding years there were CTS paupers adj
mitted into the infrmary in the city Of Washing
ton, and | 1886 committed for disorderly conduct
The average number of paupers per year is 1916
and the average number of vagrants for the same