New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-01

q
who had bis full confidence, to Europe, t.
discover adequate remedies for the protec
ton of immigrants on shipboard, and aftel
their arrival.
Mr.. j. Fred. Myers, on his return, made
a report recommending that the Govern
ment should take exclusive control of immi
grafton affairs, and that all State commits
sions should be superseded or subordinated
This report was sent officially to the Com
mittee on Commerce of both Houses. A
bill was also drafted to meet the views Of
the report, which was introduced by Hon.
o. d. Conger, of Michigan. The bill was
approved unanimously by the Committee
on Commerce in the House, and was otii'
cially Endorsed by the Secretary of the
| Treasury.
Owing to the great amount of time wasted
in proftless and angry discussions by Schurz,
Sumner 4 Co., the tariff bill and appropria-
ton bills were retarded, and the immlgra'
ton bill was about to fail for want of time.
| The President, on the 14th of May, sent the
following special message to both Houses
of Congress with Mr.. Myers report, and
thus called attention thereto:
To the Senate and House of Representatives
ofthe United States:
In my message to Congress, at the begin
ming of its present session, alluslon was
made to the hardships and privations in.
| flicted upon poor immigrants on shipboard,
and upon arrival on our shores; and sug-
gestion was made favoring national legisla
ton for the purpose of effecting radical
cure of the evil.
Promise was made that a special message
on this subject would be presented during
the present session should information be
received which would warrant it. l now
transmit to the two Houses of Congress a IL
that has been officially received since that
time bearing upon the subject, and recon-
mend that such legislation be had as will
secure, first, such room and accommoda-
tons on shipboard as are necessary for
health and comfort, and such privacy and
protection as not to compel immigrants to
be the unwilling witnesses to so much vice
and misery; and, second, legislation to
protect them upon their arrival at our sea-
ports from the knaves who are ever ready
to despoil them of the little all which they
are able to bring with them. Such legisla
ton will be in the interests of humanity,
and seem to be fully justifable. The immi.
grant is not citizen of any State or Territory
upon his arrival, but comes here to become
citizen of a great Republic, free to change
his residence at will, to enjoy the blessing
of protecting Government, where all are
equal before the law, and to add to the ma
tional wealth by his industry.
On his arrival he does not know States or
corporations, but confdes implicitly in the
protecting arms of the great, free country
of which he has heard so much before leav.
ing his native land. 1t is a source of seri-
Gus disappointment and discouragement to
those who start with means sufficient to sup
port them comfortably until they can choose
a residence and begin employment for
comfortable support to find themselves sub,
ject to ill-treatment and every discomfort
on their passage here, and at the end of their
journey seized upon by protested friends,
claiming legal right to take charge of them
for their protection, who do not leave them
until all their resources are exhausted, when
they are abandoned in strange land, sur
rounded by strangers, without employment
and ignorant of the means of securing it.
Under the present system this is the fate of
thousands annually, the exposures on ship.
board and the treatment on landing driving
thousands to lives of vice and shame who,
with proper humane treatment might be-
come useful and respectable members of
society.
| do not advise national legislation in
affairs that should be regulated by the States,
character than provision for the safety and
welfare of the thousands who leave foreign
lands to become citizens of this Republic.
When their residence is chosen they may
then look to the laws of their locality for
protection and guidance.
The mass of immigrants arriving upon our
shores, coming as the y do on vessels under
foreign flags, make treaties with the ma.
tions furni shing these immigrants necessary
for their complete protection. For more
than two years efforts have been made, on
our part, to secure such treaties, and there
is now reasonable ground to hope for sue
cess.
U. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, May IA, 1872.
We also annex the following synopsis of
the law which is designed to obviate the great
wrongs that have been committed under the
auspices of the Tammany Hall Democratic
immigration Commission. 1t will be seen
that it has been prepared with great care, and
for the sole end of benefiting the immigrants
1t is believed that the Republican press
and the people will insist upon the enact
ment Of this wise and benefcent measure,
because immigration has grown into a system
an established institution. 1t is safe to as
sumo that for the next fifty years an average
of half million of people per year will seek
home within our jurisdiction, and the re-
fusal to give adequate protection to this mass
of helpless human beings would be criminal,
and a blot upon American civilization. The
Republican party, moreover, is pledged by
the following resolution, adopted at Phila.
delphia as part of its platform, to support
this cause. Here is the resolve:
Ninth. The doctrine of Great Britain and
other European Powers concerning allie.
glance, "Once subject always subject"
having at last, through the efforts of the Re-
publican party, been abandoned and the
American idea of an individuals right to
transfer allegiance having been accepted by
European nations, it is the duty of our Gov.
eminent to guard with jealous care the rights
of adopted citizens against the assumption
of unauthorized claims of their former Gov
ernments, and we urge continual careful
protection and encouragement and protec-
ton of voluntary immigration.
We believe that we have now proved by
incontrovertible evidence, that while the
Democracy has cajoled and hattered the
foreigners so that they might please them,
President Grant has gone to the utmost verge
OF his constitutional privileges, to induce
Congress to give to the immigrant adequate
protection. While Brooks, and the other
Democratic Congressman from New York
city, raised their voice in opposition against
every attempt to improve the terrible situa-
ton of the foreign immigrant, and Carl
Schurz, though German born, and the other
so'called Liberal Republicans were silent,
President Grant used all his influence to Sc
cure adequate legislation. If Grant is re-.
elected, and public sentiment is enlightened
upon this great question, there is no doubt
that he and Secretary Boutwell,, who are
both earnest friends of the measure, will Sc.
cure its adoption. But, inasmuch as Horace
Greeley is surrounded by, and dependent
upon, the influences of Tammany Hall and
its power to manufacture bogus voters,