The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-03
Immigration.

Immigration.
New York is the head Of the immigration
power. The Empire State has great Board
or immigration, whose operations were put
On foot for the promotion Of the wealth and
power of the State. The subject of immi-
grafton has ever been one Of avarice and
fraud, and the machinery and influence OF
the Board have been most zealously exer.ed
to carry out its objects.
Blu. this year the cause Of immigration in
New York has been declining. The ipflox
Of Immigrants is only half what it was last
year, and such has been the dimirution OF
income that it is proposed to increase the
charge for head-money to double. e.,
from Sl.25 TO $3.50. Such has been the
d;mnution OF the incoming population
tina: State agencies have been discon.
tinued, labor bureaus closed, force reduced,
&C., &c. The Board of Commissioners
had deb, in 1874 of $4,000. That debt
has increased to S21l Jos. Besides, there is
a deb. 10 various counties in the State Of
nearly 100000; the total debt Of the De-
diupuutiOS " ~SDt ,Soo' L bS toAi~
mutation money received during the past
year amounted TO only S126,846 against
S2l0,514 for 1874 and S4O1 ,099 for 1878. The
largest SUN produced from this source since
1866 was $685., 072, which was produced in
1863. The falling of in numbers OF imni-
grants last year, compared with the preced-
ing year, was from 2GG,Sl9 in 1919 to 81 $50
in 1875.
The commissioners indulge the hope that
the tide of immigration will soon flow in
fully again. Now, for ourselves, as CITIES ns
OF thi. "pation," we do not desire TO see
ever again the renewal Of the immense influx
o. immigrants that has been thrown upon
the American shores. There can be no such
thing as the easy absorption OF the elements
OF our foreign immigrants by our native
population under this immense tide. We
have seen the display Of foreign ideas
and pcculiarities with force that
ha4 ~. been favorable 10 the serenity OF so.
cial ~. which can only be maintained where
there IS u healthy homogencity amongst
the people. We saw in the late unfortunate
struggle bow the immense tide OF immigra-
tion cxertca powerful effect upon the ma
turc OF The civil conflict. EXerted as ii was,
il was 4 matter Of national felicltation Tin
the North); but let Us remember that like
Injection Of the foreign clements TO exert q
bias on domestic differences may at another
time have an effect that may be far from
being a source Of felicita,iou, in manner
clearly for the good Of the nation.
Immigration we never considered healthy
that tended to the establishment of a foreign
nation, as it were, in our midst. The greed
for money. making through immigration has
caused an immense Objectionable population
to he transported flor their own country's
good 10 our shores America had indeed
become grand penal colony for the great
European Powers.
AS 4 southern man We want to see rcSpon-
sihlc, worthy men, coming gu hcre-uen
VINO understand tiiluge and manufacturing,
and who will 90 at once 10 the pursuit Of
their calings with that skill and earnestness
that will give them success and make them
valuable citizens. They would be inva1ua-
bic acquisitions to the public welfare. But
the process of setting at liberty in our midst
such people as are unproyided, and who are,
by education, unsuited to become useful and
thriving people, is Injurious. Such peo.
pie are ever Improbable newcomers. AS
sure as there are such people put in the
midst of orderly communities will there be
an increase Of crimes and there will be
new horrors the like Of which were un-
known in the land before. Need we point 10
the iunumerable horrors that are constantly
multiplying at the North-horrors which
startle the mind at times, and copJure up
before the Imagination some heavenly pun
ishments like those Of the cities OF the plain
as retributions that alone could equal the
horrors of mans offences.
II the tide OF immigration were perma.
nently checked, we should not depore it. 1t
cannot but be greatly injurious to the nation
when the tide is mighty and social order is
kept in perturbation by it. We have great
and noble country, filled with blessings, and
while we would not restrain immigration
but would welcome the foreigner, we would
not pump immigrants into the land by any
patent system invented by greed and man.
aged by corruption.
Let us cherish the heritage we have from
our fathers, entirely satisfied With the natural
increase and the peace and order il will in
all likelihood maintain amongst homoge'
pao,Is peope