New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-15
THE COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATIOS
At ALBANY.

To tie Editor Of The n. Y. Tribune.
SIR: With regard to the recent case Of arrest for
contempt Of the House Of Assembly TO which VOC
alluded IN your issue Of this day you will fnd upon
closer examination Of the circumstances az appearing
in the debate, that the course adopted by Mr.. Ken.
nedy the Superintendent Of Castle Garden, was en-.
trey iustifable AID you will find the corroborstion Of
this view in the fact Of his discharge from custody
without being required to purge himself Of the alleged
contempt. The Geographic brevty OF your first ihior
nation must have led you to the erroneous belief that
the refusal TO testify before the Committee, without
being attended by council originated in hesitation to
testify at all and in desire to thwart the object !o'
which the Committee was appointed. Such a course
you very naturally condemned. But the facts of the
case differ materially from the impression conveyed
by the Geographic communication. Please, therefore,
ct the impression your readers must have reoev
The truth Of the mat er is in perfect accordance
with your frequent reports about the conduct OF
affairs at the Emgrant Landing Depot and OF the Diff
cultes which its managers have had to bste against
ever since its FIRST organization in 1850. The pro-
tection afforded by the Depot against runners,
baggage smashers, &C., has spoiled the trade
Of the natural enemies of the emigrenti hence
their hatred Of the institution and it, managers.
Violence their first resort. II failed Next TO-!
lowed senes Of harassing suits at law against the
Commissioners Of Emigration to prevent them from
using the old Castle at the Battery for such depot.
They all failed Then an effort TO obtain an In
dicment from the Grand jury against certain Gnu
ployees at the Landing Depot for the purpose OF IN
dOIsng the numerous ISLANDERS against the latter, su-
diously spread ct home and abroad. This measure
failed with vengeance, for the Grand Jury made a
presentmen describing at length the conduct OF AFFAIRS
at Castle Garden and commenting this protective IN
sttution TO tie fostering care OF the authorities Inc
Lex move investigation OF the affairs oil Caste
Garden by Committee OF the Common Council.
This vas the first attempt at legislative interference
with the protection OF emgraIts and the lnVeslga-
ton was conducted by the then Council nan Jacob H.
Snif Iyln .lp Testimony a number Of The
former EMPLOYEES OF the Depot, who had been dls-
missed for cause. and of no nconslderabe amount OF
hearsay and speculative testimony, brought IN
smI report about the abuses thus testified to-
Practically, the report of effect a. the Com
missiOners Of Emigration, body Of State officers.
could not be disturbed by the Common Council, as
had been believed But the report was extensively
circulated by the interest IN Europe for the
purpose Of misleading cmigrants, aud thus getting at
them if they left he depot on landing, Instead OF
awaiting themselves of its protection. Practically
failing in the legislative body of this city, the Legs
ature Of this State next to furnish the means OF
annoy srce and the Councilman elected me nber
Of Assembly. Hardly had the House been orgauized
when be Brought in preamble and resolution charging
the mott outrageous frauds upon the Commissioner;
Of Emigration, and demanding Select Committee Of
Investigation The argument being strictly phlan-
tbropic. the Committee was granted, aid The Hon.
Jacob l., Smith was nade its Chairman.
With all these facts before them, the Commissioners
Of Emigration appeared before the Committee aGd
demanded being directly implicated IN the pream.
be alluded to- the night OF representation Oy COunse
at the meetings of the Committee, for the purpose OF
cross.questoLins witnesses, and OF producing such
testimony as the Chairman Of the Committee might
not see ft 10 call forer desire beng 10 hare nor
ough aud searching Investigation and far report,
Qkch thfv are ante SIRE cN t0rtrtr SdcRcc the BAT
hyv IF Islander nckich has annoyed them ertr since
the D,tot ,ras established. This just demsnd wss re-
fused by the Committee and it thus clear that az
ipouisCn was aimed az rather than an inyestgat!cn
Mr. Kennedy then told the Committee that he would
find means &c bring the refusal to the knowledge OF
House AID, when called upon to be sworn as W.T.
mesa he adopted his course OF refusing TO be sworn,
the Iea5iest means of compelling the COMMITTEE Ia
bring the matter before tho House by resolution for
his arrest for contempt. II thus appears that the or
rest did cot result from desire the pay! OF .Ge
| Commissioners Of Emigration 10 avoid al inves,igs-
ton, but that it was the only method by which trey
could obtsn order of the House for fair ION
will find this very clearly stated by Mr. Kennedy him
self in his frank and manly speech before the bar Of
the House, rom which the following paragraph is
quoted
regarded ha. when :bs question Of the rsh' Of citizen
fore tbs House they would I'd him hat which would be al
lowed petty s,ctIy thief II the Court Of Sessions At any
Sir done with The hope not Of giving te House o.
Tense but Of placing myself in position where % House could
justice If Iwss wrong in ths view stn patty to
blame myself and siy my adviser; nave M any d5s 20
r1 sided investigation such as knew was likely 70 be the
esu shere but men Der on ,r Committee (ad he com
ed Understood hr ustters they investigating
other members the Committee being entirely SqiAned
the affairs connected with Castle Garden. Onc OF the mem
hers of thst the study and purpose OF BIS
life move the Emgraut Depot It's preser. locality and
possible suppress Knowing this be The feeling could
70, my utr,icn such hands and that ground de-
be Pofey protected If have erred in ;hi. an rcsiy
make every acknowledgment the House may -eqnre
Ma, Y,,t March IS iSsS
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