New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-07
MIR. SEMLER AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF
EMIGRATION.

To ne Editor Of The ~ y. Tribune
Sir. The statement in Thursdays issue OF IHs
TRIBUNE in regard TO the part taken oy mr.. Loows
Senior in the coup detat Of Mayor Wood against the
Castle Garden establishment seems to DO grestm'
Justice to that gentleman. First, as to the 'acts' It
ia stated that Mr. Semer when he heard that the men
were out on duty, went outside of the Garden end
hired boats to bring them ashore. Now Mr.. Senior
WAS neither inside nor outside Castle Garden, he hsv
ing sent down the order from his office in City Hall
bv one of bis men. lie declined to serve the order
personally because he opposed to the order ITSELF
The Mayor ordered him to withdraw the squad from
Castle Garden as early as two weeks ago M Sem.
Ter understanding the meaning OF this osooeyed
it for several days. aud when reminded oil H. protesed
earnestly against it, requesting the Mayor NOT 20 lns.s
u SP0hh the emSTants. fhe Mayor seemed to yield to
these demonstrations and did not insist. But on
Wednesday he cent for Mr.. Senior again, and after
having asked him In the sternest manner why ne ma
failed 10 obey, he ordered him most peremptorly to
execute his Instructions without any further delay.
Then Mr.. Senior was Ut course compelled 10 Monty
his men of the express command OF the mayor. Dus
Justly indignant sud Disguised by the proceens ~
the Mayor he Immediately afterward drew up MS re-
signaton. OF this letter copy Is seoJoineu.
Infbe article referred to it is stated that he IS sad
"to have been leagued with the runners; also, ,n1
she has ever since been persistenty ensaged ia
.ende.yoripp 10 thwart the COMMISSIONER in
atbeir effo,ts TO protect the immigrant from plum
der" These expressions, SO injurious to the cnar'
s.ter of Mr. Senior. are undoubtedly based upon ex
nnrte statements. As to his having been iesgued
with the runners il s very much doubted whether any
one who has heard it said could show the slightest
evidence for this grave assertion That has thwared
the Commissioners in their efforts to protect the mm
grants from plumber cannot but be considered mis-
statement Of facts. just the reverse Is true. Hns
fact too well known, that the Castle Garden estab
sfment, beneficial as il may be to the Immigrants
generally speaking, is still very far from being perfect
very tar from preventing all abuses. Again, II sa
matter of notoriety that considerable number OF I'M
migrants almost all OF them Gernans) have lost their
luggage at the Castle Garden depot, after having
been compelled to ntrust it to the safe Keeping OF ne
establishments aud have never been compensated for
such LOSSES the Commissioners declining all respons
by for them although it il by their regulations that
the immigrants are compelled to intrus their property
to the officials at the depot. Now, in such and simi:
lar cases, the office under the charge Of Mr.. Senior
has been the last resort Of these poor Immigrants
Acting a. interpreter and police osicer he has In
many cases srdeavored to End out Ind restore the
lost property or obtain compensation for the i'm
migrants. He has also brought the question OF re.
sponsbility at the depot to test before tbs courts VI
Justice. Now, this 10 the way In which he has
" thwarted the efforts Of the Commissioners" There
is doubt that the Mayor has tried to make capital
brought before Mr.. Semers office, but it would be the
hight Of injustice to hold Mr. Senior responsible for
this. What he has done was done for the beneet OF
the immigrants, and even those who should be OF
opinion that he has unconscOusy been instrumental
to Mr. Woods hostility against the Commissioners,
should refrain from throwing suspicious upon has
motives. T..