New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-27
THE IMMIGRATION LAWS.

| uOn ana exercise general supervisor
over persons arriving at this port from
foreign countries, has so far failed of
accomplishing the satisfactory results
contemplated by its trainers as to have
resulted in total repeal of all its pro.
visions. And not only is the law Itself
repealed, but all taxes and fines imposed
under said act are Internationally re-
mitted. The repeating act was approved
by the Governor on the thirteenth OF
June and promulgated on the twenty-ffth.
How far the remission of taxes and
fines are to extend back, we are unable to
say, as the language of the new law is a
little shadowy. But we may reasonably
presume it will include the Judgment
recently obtained in the Supreme Court
against the master and owaers of the
North German Steamship Sayonia, at the
suit Of the late commissioners of immigra-
ton.
The second section of the act of
1869 makes it the duty Of the
master and commander of any vessel
coming from any State of the United
States other than the State of LOUISE
ana, or from any foreign country, to
make report under oath to the Commits
sioners Of immigration or their agent,
which shall contain the names, ages, ma
tionalities, condition, description, etc., of
every passenger landed at this port and
coming from such other State or foreign
country, within twenty-four hours after
arrival in port, and in case of failure on
the part Of the master or commander to
report according to law, a penalty of one
hundred dollars is imposed by the law in
the case Of each and every passenger land
ed and neglected to be reported.
The steamship Saxonia, Captain Brandt,
arrived at the port of New Orleans 'on or
about the fourth day CT January, 1873,
and landed one hundred and sixty-four
alien passengers, and failed to make the
report required by law. 1t was established
that the report which was furnished by
the board Of commissioners to the
Saxonia was lodged in the Customhouse,
and that the agent of the board obtained
from the consignees an informal list, un-
signed and not sworn to.
The gist of the whole matter is about
this: The law authorized the commission
ers to exact bond from the vessel, condi-
toned that the immigrant should not,
within FIVE years from the date Of such
bond, become public charge on the
State, or any parish, city or town. AS
extraordinary surety is demandable upon
each Of these bonds, they could not be
executed without difficulty, but the COM
missioners, in the most magnanimous
manner, usually availed themselves of
another provision Of the law, which per-
mitted them to assess a poll tax of two
dollars upon each immigrant. This was
accepted as a Communication for the execu-
ton Of the bonds, the money placed in
the treasury of the commissioners, and
they thus became the underwriters against
the immigrants becoming paupers, insane,
or anything by which they would have to
be supported at the public expense.
We are too little acquainted with the
immigration system to say whether any of
the money raised from this poll tax has
ever been applied to the relief Of the class
of persons from which it was collected.
We have never heard of case point; never
known that an immigrant became pau
per within five years, and have not seen
any exhibit Of the manner in which this
poll tax has been expended. But
the captain Of the Saxonia neglected tn
pay the tax, or to give the bonds, which
seem to have been authorized by the law
as a sort Of stimulating alternative, as
something SO difficult to execute that the
payment of the two dollars Communication
was generally preferred, or to furnish
list Of passengers duly sworn to. But the
164 passengers were landed, and suit vas
brought before Judge Hawkins to recover
the penalty Of 500 per head. Judgment
was rendered in the Superior Court dis
missing the suit, but the commissioners
took an appeal to tie Supreme Court,
which resulted in reversal, and the con-
demnation Of the ship to pay SIG, 400 and
all costs Of suit. In the meantime the
immigrants scattered themselves around
the country, going chiefly to Illinois and
Missouri, and the ship has been with
drawn from very Improbable trade by
her disheartened owners. AS the judg-
ment is Of recent date, we presume it is
RENTED by the act of the thirteenth June
instant.
We notice in the old immigration act
the same erroneous principle that runs
through our quarantine laws-the imposi-
ton Of fine upon clean ships to defray
the expenses of relieving those infected.
In both cases, it amounts to tax upon
commerce and immigration, which the
people Of Louisiana pay very dearly for
in the long run. The new immigration
act contains nearly the same objections,
and will be found real discouragement
to immigration. Our policy should be to
meet immigrants with such little assist
ance as they may need, instead of well
coming them with poll tax upon the
ground that each and every of them is
liable to become pauper within five
years. Besides, the one who pays this
entrance fee for the right of asylum in
case of misfortune is not given any ade-
quate security that he will ever be able to