Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-01-31


land, there were one hundred and thirty-eight Of
foreigners to eghty-two Of natives.
But our wonder at the magnitude of the proper
ton OF foreigners to natives yanishes when re-
collect that hundreds and thousands of convicts,
from European work-houses and prisons, are annu-
ally landed on our shores. Trained 10 crime at
home, and sent hither only because their presence
endangers the peace and security of society in
their native country, these men arrive here, In
many instances, direct from prison. and conse-
quenty destitute Of means of support. To obtain
1t, they betake themselves 10 their old courses !;
and not only do they commit crimes themselves,
but lead those with whom they become acquainted
on their voyage and who are equally needy, into
their preparation. These facts account TO some
extent, for the enormous disproportion between
the amount Of crime perpetrated by the native and
foreign-born. But it is not only the convicts who
sent hther and their pupils, who figure 30 large
in the dark calendar of crime. The paupers, who
are brought here by the compulsory agency Of
their governments being thriftiess at home, be-
come criminals here. Idleness is, too often the
parent of vice, as well as of want AT home, in
their own country, idleness begot want and here,
both together beget crime. Here, then, is another
reason why the amount of crime committed by for
eigners rises in such huge disproporton above the
amount committed by natives. tf
/ do not wish to be understood, Mr.. President,
by what have said just now, that poverty or even
declared pauperism furnishes evidence of guilt.
By no means, sir, would / be so understood.
am aware that in European countries, especially,
there are so many clogs to industry, 80 many bur-
dens to BIO borne, and SO much precariousness in
the means Of procuring livelihood, that the hon
est and virtuous, well as the idle and vicious,
often fail In doing it. In those countries where
every hour of the laborers time is required to pro-
vide scanty subsistence for himself and his fani-
Iy, visitation of Providence, affecting him with
disease, may render him destitute, and compel him
to seek the aid Of public charity, or see his family
starved before his eyes. Here, where wages re-
munerate better, though disease and affection
should overtake the aborer, restoration to health
may restore him to the possession of competence;
but there in the countries to which have referred,
If the laborer should get behindhand but for a
month, or even week, he becomes slave, and
his life is a struggle with want For desiring TO
free himself from the hardships of his condition,
and find happier home and plenty in land OF
plenty, no one can find fault To such our doors
have been always open, and against them, trust,
they will never be closed. Those who come here,
fugitives from injustice and oppression, to cast in
their lot and become one with US, will always find
welcome. 1t is not against the immigration into
the country of such these that objection is made
It is only against the admission Of the turbulent,
evil-doers, conspirators, not against thrones and
Lnfoneu oppression, put akaiiSt society, tndt W.
ject.
Against the admission of these, and the admis,-
sion of paupers, declared such by law, and sent to
this country by the compulsory agency Of the gov
ernments to which they belong, object in the
name Of the American people; and here to-day,
in my place in the Senate, ask that measures may
be taken to prevent 1t for the future. / ask this
in the name of the naturalized as well as of the
native citizens. / ask it in the name and on the
behalf of all who have stake in our institutions,
Of all who desire the preservation of social order,
who value the purity of the public morals the free
dom of the elective franchise, and who are inter-
ested in transmitting to posterity unimpaired the
heritage of liberty which our fathers left US. But
the preservation of this heritage, glorious benef-
cent, as it u.s. is impossible, If we permit it to be
invaded by men, trained to vice in the warehouses
and prisons of Europe, and sent here to propagate
disorder and crime This class of foreigners,
taught at home to repudiste everything venerable
in human institutions, have already raised the
standard of Atheism and irrelgion in our cities,
and declared war OF determination against the
dogmas of every creed-against faith which sup
ported man in the past, and the hope which ami
mates him for the future If these apostles Of vice
and disorder are to be reinforced continually with
fresh recruits from the prisons of the Old World,
we will soon ind that our statistics Of crime will
need revision mobs, riots murders, will be multi
piled; our courts Of criminal Jurisdiction must be
increased in number, and our warehouses and PEN
tentiares require extension. 1t is to prevent all
this, at least TAR it is possible that ask the
nterposition of Congress and of the State Legisla
lures within their respective spheres.