The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-15

THE COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION AND THE
HEALTH OF THE CITY.-It is oil important for
the health of our city to provide against every
possible chance of the introduction of conta-
gous diseases by emigrants, and the Commits
sioners Of Emigration should be foremost in the
preventive movement. But how are they act
ing? They are at present before the courts of
law as respondents, to show cause why an in
junction should not be issued to restrain them
from opening house to receive emigrants in
Franklin street, or at the corner Of Canal and
Centre streets, the inhabitants of the ward being
impressed with the natural fears that such
receptacle, located among private residences
and places of business would be perfect null
sance, and would be calculated to cause the
spread Of eruptive and contagious diseases,
with which majority Of the poor emigrants
are more or less affected
The Commissioners of Emigration, however,
fad in the mock philanthropy of the Tribune
q writer to defend them from the severe public
censure which they have received for endeavor-
ing to locate a lodging house for emigrants in
the very heart of our business streets. The
Tribune, with its usual disregard for truth,
charged Judge Ingraham with having granted
an injunction restraining the Commissioners
from having an Office to transact their business
in Franklin street or at the corner Of Canal and
Centre streets. This is not So The injunction
only restraints them from jeopardizing the lives
OF the inhabitants Of those streets, by allowing
to be congregated there infected emigrants
The perversion of this fact, however created
for the Tribune writer an opportunity to in
dulge in unmerited and innocuous abuse of the
learned Judge
We have all Of US sympathy for those poor
creatures who are cast penniless and famine
stricken on our shores and the benevelence of
cur laws has made ample provision for them
under such circumstances but the right is pre-
served 10 our citizens that the emigrants shall
be provided for in such manner as not to en-
danger the lives or health Of the inhabitants.
The Tribune asserts that the Commissioners
perform their duties without fee or reward,
and expose themselves to the diseases of the
emigrants out Of pure benevolence, and, there
fore we suppose, would infer that they may
with impunity expose to infection the people of
this great city.
Let us see to what extent the Commissioners
Of Emigration expose themselves, and how, in
their unbounded philanthropy, they provide
for newly arrived emigrants. They have a
well paid secretary and vice president who per-
form all the duties whilst the Commissioners
themselves meet some three or four times
year-in CO wfortable office, far away from the
receiving house Ito examine into the accounts
Of their officers, aud provide for the payment
of their salaries.
We reterate our formerly expressed opinion,
that The receiving hol'se for emigrants should
be on the borders of the river, at some place
to where they are landed. Then
the eye would not be Offended and the nears
sckened with such scenes as are daily VII
messed at the receiving house in chambers street.