Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-01
Foreign Criminals and Paupers.
From the Nesc York Times.

The police records of this city are. aft IT all,
the strongest argument that any Know Moth
ing can advance for the faith that il in him.
We are almost tempted to say that they are
an unanswerable argument. No candid and
intelligent man will deny that they point out
a necessity for sweeping reforms, reforms
which it might have been the destiny of Am
ericanism" to carry out, if Amoricanism, so
called, had been less exclusive and dictatorial
and more practical in it's policy.
We published several days ago the report of
our Police Superintendent Oh Metropolitan
Crime and Criminals, and from that document
il appeared that, dnring the last three months,
some twelve thousand arrests were made in
this city, OF these, eight thousand were Irish,
and over two Thousand were foreigners of 9th
or nationalities In all the large cities Of the
Union the same is repeated. tn proportion
of foreign criminals is az five to one in the
prisons which law-abiding citizens are so
heavily taxed to support.
This ia an alarming exhibit, and suggcs-
tive subject for the legislator, and for every
man who deposits his vote in the baiiot-hox.
What-we hear asked-would New York be
without its foreign element of ignorance, pau
Derism and crime? Why, its courts. lalls
and warehouses would be comparatively
empty: about one-half its present police force
would be amply sufficient for all contingent
cies: and instead of being, as 1t Is, the worst
governed ana most HeaVlly Guy Ill tue
world it would become what enthusiastic
Americans 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 Il
century house of refuge to all the down
trodden wretches in the world. Escaped con-
yicts and men who had not the renlotcst claim
to our sympathy have been plblicly recog-
Missed as patriots, and when We gather in our
,Nf a..I For t,rt,
criminals, we really reap the fruit OF what we
ourselves have sown.
IL is unnecessary to say here that we are al
together opposed to any policy that would
place obstacles in the way of legitimate immi-
grafton to these shores. twas partly by such
immigration that the Northern States, espe-
cially, acquired their preponderItIng inHu-
ence, and rose so rapidly to their high position
among the nations of the earth. We will
readily admit that every no lest, Woodworking
man, be he poor or rich, who arrives i'll this
country. is an addition to its wealth and
strength; but, on the other hand. every dis
honest idle scoundrel, who seeks refuge here
more than counterbalances tn honest inimi-
grant for he contaminates Others with whom
he is brought in contact.
five are to credit the repoIt of superinten-
dent TaIlmadge, it would appear that. us far
a. the Irish are concerned, the vicious out
weigh the peaceabIy disposed. The Grim to
which they are peculiarly addicted are crimes
of blood from murder down to simple assault.
The English who emigrate TO this country,
though vastly inferior in number are little
better than their Irish compatriots New
York is an ASYLUM for all Elglish pckpock-
cts. thieves, and burglars. when they find
London, and other large cities il the British
isles. too hot to hold them. The Germans
are by far the best behaved of the foreign
population of New 1Ork-such inference, at
least. is to be drawn from the figures present
ed in the superintendent report.
In addition to the offences that properly
belong to police report. 1t is not too much
to say. that to the foreign element OF the
present day can be traced vast deal OF that
bribery and corruption with which the adj
ministration, both of State and Federal Gov
eminent has been disgraced. Statesmen, Of
otherwise high standing, do not hesitate to
pander to the passions and prejudices of an
'.Irish party" or of any other un-Amercan
party. and thus encourage them to renew, on
American soil, the feuds that curSed the land
of their birth. This it was that gave rise To
as great an evil, in the shape of hnow-Noth-
ingism; but, though that abortion has been
repudiated, some of it's principles, which were
sound and polite, have not been without their
influence on the public MUD.
great outcry was raised abroad against
"Americansm," and it was ignorantly or ma
liciously asserted that general persecution oI
foreigners was intended. Such, however. was
never the case the rights of foreigners have
never been invaded, and never will be invad-
ed. Popular sentiment here has always erred
on the opposite side. and, unfortunately for
the rlSilc good, has symp itllz-d with people
of every class and condition, without the
slightest discrimination. We shOall not. per
haps, regret our extravagnnt gen,ro> ty, even
though it has been often eXtravagantly abused
But. at the same time, this great Increase OF
criminals among the foreign population OF OuI
large cities is matter which merits inquiry
for it is not upon them, but upon the ltepab
lie of the United States, that tn staih rcsss Ii
the eyes of the world.