Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-06
ASSISTED EMIGRATION.

lnucf the SpeclouS term OF 'aSsl sled EN-
grafton England would like to conceal The
fact that she is sending her dsaffected pau
per classes to this country. They are com
ngin great hordes, overrunnlng the Immigrant
quarters of our principal ports, and taxing
the resources of the commissioners to TIT
utmost. What are they here for and wha
can be done with them now that they are
here! are the questions which are pressing
| for an answer. In reply TO the first, i,
seems pretty plain that these dis
affected Irish immigrants are here for
no good purpose. They are here
because England wants to get rid of them,
and wants to put them of on our hands. The
further question arises, then, what right has
she to do thisf She has right to send us
her working classes, her law-abding classes
but, if we are not mistaken, we have Il law
providing that in all cases where the parties
emigralngare "paupers, idiots, criminals or
incapable of self support" they shall he re-.
turned on the vessel which brought them
The National Land League has made a
point as to this business which may be we
think very properly called to England's at
tention. 1t is that her policy in ireland has
contributed TO produce this pauperism, and
hence she must care for it. The self-support
ing Irish do not want their paupers sent
here. They believe the English government
made many of the paupers and would like
our government to bring out this fact and
make it reason for return.
But England, of course, claims that
the class of emigrants she is assisting"
to our shores is not pauper class. Very
well, then, why does she send them to us in
such overwhelming numbers why is she 80
anxious to get rid of them? If, indeed, they
arc useful citizens, capable of self support,
why not keep them at home! Is it cheaper
for England to send them here than to let
them support themselves at home? The
fact is-as above stated that the National
Land-Leaguc has put its finger right on the
weak spot in this assisted emigration bust
ness. England, by her grinding injustice,
has pauperlzed her Irish subjects.
She has got them into condi-
ton i'll which their room is vast
ly preferable to their company. So she
progressively generously-not only to
give them to any nation which will take
thcm but also to pay the cost of transporta-
tion. Irish pauperism is the fruit of a tree
called English land-lordism. 1t is mighty
bitter apple, and England does not like the
taste OF it SO she heads up the whole crop
and packs ii of 10 America II this is not au
instance of sublime selfishness, we should
like to know what Il is. Let the dead bury
their dead If England by her selfish
policy has pauperized her Irish subjects, let
her take care of them. 1t is the
acme OF presumption on her
part to take advantage of the generous posi-
ton of this country toward the poor indus
trious classes of the whole world, and send
us the impoverished, exasperated, disafrect-
ed paupers of one whole province of her
Kingdom. Let the invasion be stopped. 1t
can be done. We have laws which render il
possble-nay, which render II obligatory,
for us so to do. Why not enforce them at
once, so as to prohibit, or AT least To check,
this turbid stream of pauper immigration,
pouring its slime into the fair tide of our M
tonal prosperity