The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-09

FRAUDS ON EnIoRASrs.-TuE Co~pucr OF THE
COMMISSIONERS or EMIoRATIos.-We referred the
other day, in general terms, to the numerous frauds
and imposiIons practised upon persons arriving at
thie port from foreign places, and intmsed thar the
Commissioners of Emigration were justly chargea-
bic 10 q very great extent with them, because
they DO not take to protect those strang-
err, and tolerate IL not wink at them. About a
week since, an English family arrived at this port,
ard no sooner had the vessel reached the Quaran-
tine, than she was boarded by horde of runners
and bullies, who seized all baggage within ,ht nv
force, and thus compelled the owners to follow
hem wherever they pleased. On being remousrat-
ed with for their conduct, a pSrson representing
himself to be Sheriff Of New-York, was appealed
,owho said the ouira geous procee dingwas right and
the runners handed cards to their victims on winch
the names Of two ofthe Comm ssioners Of Immigration
were printed, as references. One of the Commits
sioners thus referred to, has been applied to on the
subject, and said that the use Of his name in IN Al
manner was not without his authority The resul,
was IN the OF the family, that the runners who
violently seized their baggage brought them to
some forwarding house. where they were charged
something like five dollars head more than they
ought TO have paid. The runners, ss they are call
ed, receive very large salaries for their services
rome Of them high thirty and forty dollars per
week each, for services Of this kiri The Commits
sioners Of Emigration were made uornirant of this
but they were powereee, they said TO give any
relief
This is a specimen Of the fraud. that are pine
ts,d upon persons arriving at this port from foreign
counties. The aggregate amount Of wrong infl,ct-
ed on these strangers must he immense in a single
season. Our State Legislature have, from time TO
time, passed laws for their protection; bat accord
inc TO what we and hear around us, they are
imperative. The Commissioners Of Emigration
owe their Offices 10 a recently passed enactment,
but we have yet to hear Of their comforting any al
vantage on the stranger, or protecting him from
the numerous runners who infest our docks. and
board ships arriving at this city. In the case we
have related, we see the names Of two Of thase
Commissioners used as references, with the sane
ton Of one, and yet those people were cheated out
Of FIVE dollars each, and compelled, against their
will, TO 20 as the forwarders dictated. Now, is
there no way in which this system Of robbery and
plumber and abuse, can be put an end to n the
Commissioners Of Emigration cannot, or do not.
or will not, protect the stranger, we hope the
Legislature will abolish the Office and leave IL to
the protective enigrant societies, or the consus Of
the nations which the emigrants leave, as wac
formerly the case. This matter ought to be taken
in hand by the press and the public. and some
remedy devised that will cave strangers seeking
our shores from at cas, some Of the mpo-,ons prac-
tised upon them. In the mean time, err myers
arriving here should ~ proceed 10 the Brii4h
Protective EmiRrant Society, the German Emi-
grant Society, and other similar institutions. where
they can get information and advice, free Of
Cxpente.