The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-09-21
FOREIGN pAUPERS.

dressed to JAMES C. DUNN
FOREIGN PAUPERS.
5" The House of A,dusfry.---Many reports
have been lately in circulation in the newspapers
respecting this and the other public institutions
at South Boston; some of them are mere pufis
written by interested PERSONS some the complaints
Of imaginary sufferers and others, the mere I'M
pressions Of transitory ysiters. lfthe condition OF
the pauper poor be an object of any interest, the
reader viii thank me for the assurance that the
following remarks are the fruit Of patient person
al observation.
"rhere are upwards of five hundred inmates
of the House Of Industry, about one-third ofwhom
contribute TO their own support. Four 6fths Of
the whole number are aliens, or the young chill
dren Of aliens; but no distinction is made between
them and natives. All are we'll fed and lodged,
comfortably clad, and kindly treated. BOSTON
Post.
From the above, it will be seen, that four out
Of every Eve of the paupers in the Boston Aims
House are aliens, SO that the municipal taxes OF
the place are almost entirely absorbed in support
ing worthless people who have no claim upon us,
who have no relations among us, who contribute
nothing to our revenue, and yet, besides adding
the viciousness Of their example to our own stock,
are burthen upon our industry, as certain por-
ton of its profits is necessarily devoted to their
support. The same thing may be said of every
Corporation in the Union, and even here, which
is an interior City, with few inducements for the
foreigner to visit us, we find ourselves under con-
tribu,ion for the poor of other countries, in the
,0ctb rao IN On Of
We have lately understood, that in discussing
the propositions for American loans in Europe,
and particularly in England and Germany, it is
made condtion-not expressed in visible form,
it is true, but tacitly comprehended-tha in the
application Of the money for railroads, canals, and
other purposes Of public work, weashall tolerate
certain proportion Of emigrants, and that the
contractors shall not fail to employ certain por-
ton Of the necessary hands from among the peo-
ple Of the country where the loan is obtained.
If this is the case, then scheme Of deep policy
is playing against us in Europe, which not only
makes us pay the interest upon their investments,
but actually increases the value Of their property
at home, by our relieving them of the burthens
which have heretofore diminished it's profits.
We therefore pay the interest upon foreignfunds,
Support their poor,
Take among us their refugees and outcasts,
Diminish the aggregate amount OF vice there
And raise the value of their property.
The inquiry, then, will be, what effect has this
course upon ourselves; and the answer is this,
that as there is nothing lost in nature, SO it is IN
society, and what is subtracted from one portion
gis added 10 another. In this way we have an ac-
,eession Of population from the .crudest parts of
humanity, and the Europeans receive, in return,
the value of our labor, and the benefits which a
distant ASYLUM for vice and population, gives to
their remaining people at home. Independent,
therefore, Of any reasons arising from prejudice
or feeling Of nationality, there are hundreds
which proceed from selEprotection, self-interest,
and a regard to our future welfare, as body OF
men, that we should unite TO stop this current OF
emigration, and compel the diAeren. parts Of Eu-
rope to do as we are compelled to do, and that
is.. 10 enforce the penalties OF their own laws
against their bad subjects, and extend the hand OF
support to their own beggars, instead OF sending
them to us.
Our people will, ere long, begin to look into
this evil, as politco-economists, and in sef-de-
fence will Join us in the endeavor not merely to
repeal the laws of Naturalization, but to erect all
sorts Of barriers, even to keep the foreigners from
our shores.
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