American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-12-17
from the New York Evening Mirror.

MEssRs. EDlToRs:-I saw an article in the
True Sun of the 4th inst, in relation to foreign
paupers and criminals. 1t is all true. The
number of paupers sent from Germany yearly
to the United States, is very great. A vast
mass are sent by the towns and communities,
to avoid the expense of maintaining them
Nor is this all In the small principalites of
Germany the Princes have not the means, or
do not like the expense of maintaining prison.
ers; and new mode of disposing of them has
been adopted
Any person, imprisoned for an offence, not
criminal, can be released on condition OF going
''beyond sea, this is the term used, but it in
fact means Omitted States" and for this rea-
son, The criminals can go no achere else, and they
you'd not be receired if they did.
The manner of disposng of the criminals is
as folows;-A bond is given by the relations in
the penalty of five hundred or one thousand
"thaiers," that the criminal shall ego beyond
sea-" The criminal is then sent to the seaport
and shipped for America; and a Consular GER
tlficate to that effect is sent back to the Court
whore the criminal was sentenced, and it is
there recorded.
Now, Messrs. Editors, if this injustice was
confined to twenty or fifty cases, it might not
be worthy Of notice, but it is becoming a
iIlSuty Ctll' le pIeCCucHL 10 DClllp IOl-
lowed by other nations, and the criminals of
Europe will soon be sent here in battalions.
If thought any accommodation | might
offer would attract attention i'll the proper quar-
ter, it would be that the Secretary of State at
Washington, lose no time in applying to our
Ministers and Consuls abroad, for information;
and that some measures be promptly taken to
prevent an evil that is hourly increasing.
Our country is populous enough to dispense
with foreign immigration, unless we can have
the honest farmers and mechanics; these will,
and ought always to have, hearty welcome;
but protest against the admission of helpless
paupers and criminals
An arrangement is in progress in Germany,
in which Princes have taken prominent and
active part, to send over many thousands of the
worst and helpless classes to Texas. Over
100000 thalers have been subscribed for this
purpose, and large tract of land in Texas has
been purchased. The agents have been in
America, and have returned. Their acts have
been approved, and the purchases made, con-
hrmed. The people who are to be collected
from the Poor Houses and Prisons of Germany
are designated; and the first detachment will
be sent out in April The agents of the Prn-
ces have chartered the vessels, and the money
is all provided to pay for the transportation of
these people to America.
Germany is over-peopled and all the idle,
wicked, and discontented, are to be exported;
part directed to New York and the remainder
to Texas, whence they will find their way into
the heart of our country.
Another great source of annoyance, of which
we do not properly consider, is the immigration
of English convicts to the United States, from
Botany Bay.
The number of convicts sent out from the
United Kingdom TO their settlements, exceeds
very far anything that would be credited here.
On future occasion | will furnish you with
statistics OIL this subject.
1t is ascertained that the largest proportion
of the convicts, who have served out their time
in the English settlements, leave as soon as they
are discharged. 1t is also well known that very
the Police in England know every man who is
discharged that lists of discharged convicts are
kept at all the principal stations; that they are
closely watched, and that it is impossible for
them to operate with any success after their re-
turn. Where do they go? Our own Court re-
cords answer to this question, 1t is crying
shame, that the people of the United States
should submit any longer TRANQUILITY to endure
the evils of system, fraught with terrible con-
sequences to the morals and manners of this
country.
One half of the crime perpetrated in the
United States, and reported in our papers, is,
in Europe, attributed to the Natives, and is, in
fact, perpetrated by foreign conuicts.
II is time that our Legislature should awake
from the apathy, which has so long closed their