The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-12-09
IMMIGRATION.
The indianapolis Convention.
The following are the resolutions
adopted by the convention:

the true interest of the immigrant on his arriv-
al and while in transit to his destination in
this country; and that for the accomplishment
of this purpose, IN the opinion OF the eonYen-
tlon, appropriate legislationis imperativeiy de-
manded of the federal government.
ResoEred. That the President OF the UEited
States be respectfully requested to open nego-
tiations with the countries from which persons
smigrate to this country, so as to secure joint
Jurisdiction on emigrant ships for the pRstec-
tion of enIgfanfe against abuse and frauds;
and that a copy of this resolution be transmit
ted TO the President of the United States and
to congress.
Resolved, That the convention unqualified
ly condemn all schemes, combinations and
which they are deprived of the proper and us
ual facilities for cheap transportation, and by
which various impositions are practiced upon
their INDECENT and dependent condition.
ResOlued, That, in the opinion of this con-
Vention, bureau of immigration should be
established under the auspices Of the federal
government.
Resolred, That committee of one from each
state and territory represented in this eonyen-
ton he appointed to memorabilia congress for
such legislation as will best accomplish the
views expressed in the foregoing resolutions.
Res0lred, That al capitation taxes collected
from emigrants, whether imposed directly or
Indirectly, with or without color of law, are
odious and unjust. and ought to be abolished.
The committee appointed by the con-
vention to draft memorial to Congress
met at Chicago, on Friday last, and
adopted the following:
To the Honorable Senate and House Of
RepreSeatattges Of the United States
an Congress assembled:
Your memorialists would respectful
ly represent that a convention in the in
terest of immigration was held at Ind
1 =. ia IL 8 ISa,.
1870, at which the undersigned were Sc
lected as a committee to lay before your
honorable body the views of the con-
vention, and ask for such legislation at
your hands as will correct the evils of
which we complain. We would state
that the convention which we have the
honor to represent consisted of delegates
from twenty two states and one terri
tory, and that it was composed, in a
great measure, of men representing the
different benevolent societies OF the
country, organized in the interest of this
subject, and men who, for many years,
have been familiar with the require
ments incident to the, care and transport
tation of immigrants from Europe to
the United States.
In presenting to Eousthe views oE-the
conventions, wea5vould state their belief
that immigrants are frequently placed
in badly ventilated ships, supplied with
insufficient food, and deprived of the
necessary means of securing personal
cleanliness, and unprovided with prop
err medical attendance, and even in the
better class of vessels, where proper
sanitary regulations are enforced, the
laws of the United States are often Vio-
lated by oveFcrowding the steerage.
Your memorialists- believe that like,
axiSt in fhn in
land transit of immigrants, and they
would call especial attention to the fact
that by far the greater number of I'M
migrants landing at our seaports pass
almost Immediately to the western and
southwestern states and territories, and
that during this transit, they are sub
jected to many abuses, which are detri-
mental to both their health and comfort
such as being crowded into cars insult
ficiently ventilated, without fire in the
winter, or water in the summer, and not
afforded sufficient facilities for obtaining
cheap and wholesome food being un-
necessarily delayed at wayside stations
where they find no protection from the
heat of summer, or cold of winter; be-
ing sent by circuitous routes in order
to accommodate favored railroads and
| steamboat companies, being enticed by
dishonOred runners into disreputable
| boarding houses against their wishes
and interests; not being allowed to
have their baggage checked through
and thereby frequently losing the same
being insulted and plundered by deck
| hands and thieves on the river and lake
steamers and, in fact suffering every
thing that men, women and children
can suffer, who, ignorant of our laws
and language, are unable to protect
themselves, and do not receive proper
protection from the government.
The annual report of commissioner:
of emigration of the state of New
! York. fer the year ending December 3
| 1869, fully confirms, in the minds o.
your memorialists, the belief that it ha:
become the imperative duty of the ma.
| tional government to carry out the hu
manitarian designs of the convention
we represent, as expressed in the resolu
tons accompanying this memorial.
| They would also call attention to the
annoyances and hardships imposed up
on emigrants by the action of custom
house inspectors. 1t has been alleged
that the property of immigrants is of
ten seized on slight pretext, and either
eonfiscated or detained so long as tC
| subject the owner to great expense AND
loss of time in securing its release. "A!
the present inspectors speak only Eng
lish, continental immigrants find grea
difficulty in ascertaining what article;
are dutiable, and for what amount.
Your memoriaists are convinced tina
if national bureau OF immigration, OF
board of commissioners should be es
tablished, it would secure to the immi
grant the care and protection of th'
general government from the time they
land upon our shores until they reacl
their destination in such portion of thu
United States asothey may have selected
for future homes.
We believe that this can be best &C
complished by placing the control o
this matter in the hands of honest anC
efficient federal agents, whose duty i
shall be TO direct and guide the immi
grants while in transit, as well as to in
terpose in their behalf whenever the,
may suffer wrong or require assistance
and we believe that the laboFs of sucl
officers would be greatly facilitated b.
} securing the cooperation of men VIII
may be selected by the different stat
and territorial governments, to look at
! ter the interests of the immigrant
seeking their respective localities; mel
who should be chosen for their imtegri
ty. intelligence and humanity, and VIII
. would be ready at all times to aid tn
government bureau with their counse
and influence.
We would further most earnestly re
. commend, that in the framing of such
law as has been indicated, a provisio
in substance as follows should be en-
corporated therein, namely: ''That N
i person shall be qualified to fill an
! Office under such law, who shall be di
/ rectly or indirectly interested in an
/ corporation or company having land
for sale to immigrants, or in the carry
ing or transportation of Immigrant
either from foreign countries to tn
United States and its territories, c
within the same, or who shall receiy
! any fee or reward, or the promise there
of for any service performed, or an
benefit rendered, to any person or pei
: sons, in the line of his duty under an
such act. And that any officer VIII
, shall violate such provision, shall upo
: conviction, be punished by both fin
and imprisonment, and forever after b
. ineligible to hold any Office of homo
! trust or profit of the United States"
: The convention has also instructe
your memorialists to call the attentio
: of your honorable body to the custol
: of imposing an indirect tax upon in
q migrants, which prevails at the port
: New York, and Othersports of the Un
3 ted States. Your Islemorialists behey