The New York herald., 1868-06-03
DonneIly Looming Up ATain.

DOnneily Looming Up Again.
| The report of the select committee on the
| Washburne- -Donnelly investigation, assigning
their reasons for asking to be discharged from
| further consideration of the subject, was On
Monday ordered to be printed and recon-
mitted. The questions involved in the case,
however, may be regarded as virtually settled,
inasmuch as Mr.. Washburne has withdrawn
all charges against Mr.. Donnelly of bribery
and corruption and all charges affecting his
character and standing as member, and mas
to the other charges affecting Mr.. Donnelly's
history before he became member, the &C
tions of members before being elected to
Congress were not proper question of parlia-
Inentary privilege. Mr.. Donnelly remarked
that in the absence of MIR. Washburne he could
not say what he thought of the report. The
additional remarks which Mr.. Donnelly was
proceeding to make were interrupted, and the
whole subject was referred back to the COM
mittee. =
But in connection with another subject Mr..
Donnelly, on the same day loomed up again
conspicuously before Congress and the country
by oilering'a bin to establish, under the dircc-
ton OF the Secretary Of State, agencies in
Great Britain, Germany, Sweden and Norway
for the promotion of emigration to the United
States. The proposition was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Now, we are as fully aware as Mr.. Donnelly
can be OF the vast Importance of emigration
| Of, l. 1
| gladly favor all legitimate means of encouraging
and promoting it. But we are convinced that
the direct intermeddlng of the United States
government with emigration would either tend
TO check it or. would stimulate it 10 an ila-
mediate unhealthy Development, which woUld
ultimately prove deplorable., The natural law Of,
emigration has hitherto successfully regulated
itself to the advantage alike of the emigrants
themselves and of the country. Not only
would our government exceed its powers in
becoming. as it were, board of emigration
and infringing upon the sphere Of priya q ssn-.
terprise, but by adopting the scheme proposed
by Mr.. Donnelly it woud directly encourages
what looks very like a big job. The
first and second sections of Mr.. Don
nelly's bin provide for the creation and
payment Of four commissioness--onc for Great
| Britain and Ireland, one for the North German
Union, one for the Austrian empire and one for
the Kingdoms osNorway and Sweden Here are
| four fat Offices to begin with, and there is no
end to the possible Glvantages that might be
monopolized by land spectators and emigra-
ton societies and steamboat and railway COM
panies which would become identified with the
scheme
Mr. Donnelly proposes that these four com
missicncrs shall collect and disseminate in
formation as to tbc several States and Terri
tories 50 as 70 produce and protect emigration
20 the United States; that they shall expose in
their Offices in the cities where they are
located books, maps and specimens of the
agricultural, mineral and manufactured pro-
ductions Of the States and Territories which
solicit emigration, and that any state or Ter
ritcry may furnish books and pamphlets TO the
commissioners for distribution among those
contemplating emigration TO the United States
lt is well that all the information
alluded to by Mr.. Donnclly should be dis
seminated in Europe. Buthe lorgots the foreign
jealousies which would certainly be awakened
il the United States government should make
Itself the direct agent for conveying this in
formation TO Europe and for soliciting emf
grafton. American susceptibiltes would at
once be aroused by the establishment in New
Iorl; or any other of our cities OF an agency Of
the New Dominion TO recommend and invite
emigration from the United States. There
could be no objection, however, to supplying
every American legation and consulate with
The ampest means Of afiording such informn-
ton to foreigners who may desire and seek for
it. The fact is that the millions of letters
sent back TO the old countries by emigrants
to the United States have furnished and rcg,i-
larly furnish an .incalculable amount of the
very informai9n' which Mr.. Donnelly would
have. the government itself supply. The
European edition Of the HERALD sends abroad
by every mail more information respecting the
! resources and special attractions Of every sec
1 don of the Union than all four Of Mr. Donnelly's
fst and lazy commissioners could collect and
distribute in any other way.
H. One section.of Mr.. Donnelly's bill provides
that the commissioners, under the direction Of
| the Secretary Of State, may make arrange
ments with steamboat or railway lines to
reduce the cost Of the travel Of emigrants to
the United States. This he would have done,
/ however, he adds, without cost to the govern
ment. Nevertheless, like other provisions of
the bill, this would open wide door for profit