American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-03-05

limited only for certain period in re-
ference to the slave trade, in which at
{ he time Of the adoption Of the Consti-
tuition large amount Of capital was
employed. ~
. T"rre CAN be nodoubt of the power
OF Congress to restrain this immigra.
ton, nor is there any dun1t Of the ne
cessity for the propAps fatervention of
Congress in this respect. Wepublish.
ed few weeks ago an article from tho
pen Of Sno. Mitchell upon this subject,
which presented in strong anil convin--
cling language the necessity for lcgis.
atlon to- prevent the emptying upon
or shores Of this very Objectionable
aud offensive class of population. We
find in the New York Times the follow
ing upon the same subject. 1t, like
the other, is from a source that has
hitherto violently opposed the Ameli-
can party, and lis appearance now is
an acknowledgment Of the rightfulness
of the position which the American
party has ever maintained:
Tho police records Of this city are,
after all, the strongest argument that
any Know Nothing can advance for the
faith that is in him. We are almost
tempted to say that they are unan-
swerable argument. No candid and
intelligent man will deny that they
point out necessity for sweeping re-
forms, reforms which it might have
been the destiny Of /" Americanism to
carry out, if Americanism, so. called,
had been less exclusive and dictatorial
and more practical in its policy.
We published several days ago, the
report of our Police Superintendent on
metropolitan Crime and Criminals, and
from that document it appeared that,
during the last three months, some ~
thousand arrests were made in this city.
OF these, eight thousand were Irish,
and over two thousand were foreigners
Of other natlonalities. In all the large
cities of the Union the same story is
repeated. The proportion of foreign
criminals is as five to one in the pris-
ons which law abiding citizens are so
heavily taxed to support.
This Is an alarming exhibit, and
suggestive subject for the legislator,
and for every man who deposits his
vote in the ballot.box. What, we hear
asked, would New York be without its
foreign element Of ignorance, paupcr-
ism, and crime I? Why, its courts, jails,
and warehouses would be comparative
ly empty; about one.half its present
police force would he amply sufficient
for all contingencies and, instead of
being, as it is, the worst governed and
most heavily taxed city in the world,it
would become what enthusiastic Amer
leans imagine their metropolis ought to
be--a model to the capitals Of the
"down-trodden" States of Europe
Unfortunately for New York, however,
it has been for half "A century a house
Of refuge to all the down trodden
wretches in the world. Escaped con-
vlcts and men who had not the remotest
claim to our sympathy have been pub
llcIy recognized as patriots, and when
We gather in our tri-monthly harvest Of
ten thousand foreign criminals, we
really reap the fruit Of what We, our
selves, have sown.
1t Is unnecessary to say here that
we are altogether opposed to any poll.
cy that would place obstacles in the
way of legitimate immigration to these
shores. 1t WAS partly by such immi-
grafton that the Northern States, cs.
peciaIIy, acquired their prcponderating
influence, and rose so rapidly to Their
high position among the nations Of the
earth. We will readily admit that
every honest, hard working man, be he
poor or rich, who arrives in this country
is an addition to lis wealth and strength;
but, on the other hand, every dishonest,
idle scoundrcl, who seeks rcfnEa here,
more than counterbalanccs the honest
immigrant, for he contaninatcs others
with whom he is brought in contact.
If We are 10 credit the report of Su.
pcrintendent Tallmadgc, it would APP
pear that, as far as the Irish are con-
cerned, the vicious outweigh those who
are pcaccably disposed. The crimes to
which they are peculiarly addicted arc
crimes of blood, from murder down to
simple assault. The English who emf
CRATE to this country, though vastly
inferior in numbers, are little bettcr
than their Irish compatriots. New
York is an asylum for all English pick
pockets, thieves and burglars, when
they find London and other large cit
les in tho British isles, too hot to hold