Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-01-30
From the Correspondent of the National ntellgcnccr.
New York January IL ISal

From the Correspondent of the National ntellgcnccr
New York, January Is, 1916.
! very able report has just been made by Alder
man w. S. MILLER, Representative elect TO Con-
gress, and chairman of the Committee on Chari-
ty and tho Almshouse, in relation to an abuse
connected with The emigration of foreign paupers
and convicts. 1t appears that law of this State
authorizes the Mayor to require bonds for every
allen passenger, In sum not exceeding three
hundred dollars, from the master of the vessel
with two Sureties, to provide for the support of
any such person as shall become chargeable TO
! TO the city at any time within two years from the
date of such bond. In lieu of such bonds, the
Mayor has authority to compound for alien pas
sengers such terms may be agreed upon
with the master consgnee.
| Under these provisions the importation and bond
| ing of passengers have become matters of specu-
laton, in which many individuals on both sides
of the Atlantic are extensively engaged. The
bonds of nine firms in this city exhibit the i'm
mense liabilities OF sixteen millions Of dollars.
The opportunities for fraud under this system are
very great; as, by bonding passengers under
false names, the consignee may evade his liabi-
ties. The pauper may swear 10 the ship and the
time of his arrival but if his name does not APP
pear on the manifest, his oath is considered in
sufficient to establish the liability of the bonds
man, and the burden of his support is thrown up
on the city.
AS an illustration Of the present bonding sys-
lem in It's application to children, the committee
state that the whole number of children under the
support of the Almshouse is S2I. OF these, 626
are OF foreign parentage, 1873 American; exhibit.
ing the average of more than three foreigners to
one native! or the latest born infants, 80 are
foreign, and only two American showing the ra-
ito OF the recent births to be Scvcniecn for
eigners TO one american!
! The committee declare that they have satisfac-
tory evidence before them that extensive contracts
have been made and now making in Europe
10 ship off to this country and to Texas whole
classes Of refuse popuiaton--the lawless and de-
PRAYED, as well as The destitute; vagabonds and
thieves well as paupers. /; is also well ascer-
tanned tina, Botany Bay contributes her annual
quota Of individuals who have served their pro-
stationary term in that interesting settlement
"Such," says MIR. Miller, ''are the seeds of Amer
lean commemorative, by the liberation of a.
merican Legislators The evil is urgent, alarm
ing, and on the rapid increase, and demands the
=. prompt interference Of our National Government
in the passage of remedial laws"
: The number OF emigrants committed and bond
ed arriving In this city tho past year exceeds Co.
GOO and the agents Of the spectators have made
arrangements for larger importations than have
ever before been made. We may expect thous
ands of paupers and felons thrown upon us this
year a; an earlier period than heretofore. On
lime probably for our Spring electionD
The report concludes with recommending tina
Congress be memoraized for the passage of q
, law iustructing our Consuls abroad to adopt Ger
tain precautionary measures in regard to the ship
mcnt Of efDigJan,s and the registering of Their
Dames; also giving the city of New y ork anc
other commercial cities power to ship back at any
+ time any and all emigrants to the country whence
they came, whether certified by the Consul o
= not, on discovering that such emigraut has beer
e imposed on US contrary to the rule established
and that he or she had ever been the tenant of
poo!-house as vsgrant or pauper, or Of pTisoi
f as criminal, or had been supported begga
, by any town, community, individual, or charita
S Bile society.
There are other remedial suggestions in thi
report, which concludes with resolution TO mem
.oEaize the State Legislature and Congress 70
/. sPeedy legislation on the subject 10 which it call
attention.