Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-02-19
Iri. h ElnigratjoD.

rev. edward f. Hale, pastor Of the second Uni.
aarian Church IN this city, having revised and i'm
proved the series Of letters originally published by
him, in the Boston Daily Advertiser. on irish Fm.
agrauon' has now issued them in a collected form.
We regard those letters as forming the best general
treatise ON assgredy the sgreatest movement of the
age" which has yet been written. All the statis-
tics which 1t is possible obtain, in the present
imperfect stateofthe records ofemg have been
obtained and embodied in those admirable letters.
Besides, they contain the most accurate and graphic
details of all the circumstances. in which The moor
lrIshman finds himself. from the moment he con-
cudes to leave his native country, until he arrives
on these Western shores.
Mr.. Hale,ln common with every enl ghtened man,
who has critically looked at the subject of emigra.
ton, declares that those countless millions Of exes.
whose nursing, growth, and training never costs this
country penny, have by their labor, contributed
more than any other cause to increase our material
prosperity. And they have allowed us opp rtuntv
as natlon to advance our civilization with rap
adIly, and to degree which it never could have
attained unless our ctzens bad been generally eman
cpaed from the necessity Of pursuing those branch
es Of physical labor which they have prosecuted in
their stead
This emigration, which is a stern necessity to the
poor Cell land which isa blessing to this nation
generally, Mr. Hale would hare the national gov
eminent legslae for, 50 that provision shall be
made for the pecsiar difficulties, that must inevita.
bly arise in connection wdh his vast deportation of
race. ne mighty garments Of Humanity which
are constantly sweeping towards the Western will
derness, to enrich 1t by their toll necessarily bring
with them the sediments Of pauperism, which they
leave on the sea-board States This pauperism has
5ecome subject Of irritation, and great com.
plant in Massachusetts. and in some instances poor
fugitves from "Misery'' have been returned to the
land from which they were expatriated Mr.. Hale
thoroughly discusses the foreign psuper question, in
connecion with our State pauper system and law Of
settlement, and shows that some reform of those
both for the protection Of thes State, and in justice
TO our natnralized citizens, as necessary.
The present law Of Massachusetts requires for citi
zenshp, ten years Ouninterpted residence, and the
payment Of taxes FIVE years, order secure to an
alien, hs native born children, the right of set
Element. This almost amounts to positive pro-
scripton, and the consequence is that the man Who
came here in his vigorous manhood, and becomes
pauPer 10 his age, is still State pauper. and has
no legal home, hasng been constrained by the actiy-
iesof our national life. and BY the exgencies which
arise in our rapidly increasing communities, 10 fire.
quently shift his residence for employment.
by facilitating the requirement Of settlement,
measure of justice to the emigrant would be execu
ted, and by the enactment Of general law exacting
cap'tatlon tax on every one entering the country,
themeans Of amply sustaining the foreign paupers
would DC provided by the emigrants themselves.
Mr. Hale says sit is the interest ofevery section
OF the country to see that the national government
does take the whole care, and the humane care. of
newly arrived emigrants into it's hands