Year: 1876

The three decisions rendered by the Supreme Court OF
the United States Monday last mark epoch in
the history OF emigration to this continent Individual
States heretofore impressed by the great importance
Of encouraging industrious foreigners to settle within
their limits passed very liberal laws 10 promote this
end; but the other hand several States have found
It necessary in the interest OF the emigran well
for scfprotcction provide against the introduction
of helpless, criminal and idioc aliens, and also, by
imposing head tax, to provide against any portion OF
them becoming burden tho community The
power OF State under the federal constitution to
enact such laws has long been questioned but 1t has
been settled at last Further the highest tribunal in
the holds In California that State
exclude prevent landing females brought specially
from China for immoral purposes. In short,
that legislation bearing on foreign commerce
can only be dealt with by Congress. Tho
effect OF these decisions TO practically
bring to a close tho operations of the Commits
sioners OF Emigration in this State as at pres
ent organized. The head Communication
longer be collected, and, OF course the institutions
under their charge at the Battery and on Wards
Island be closed look TO the State for support
The Commissioners have a claim of about $500, 900
against the State for disbursements account of the
Marine Hospital, which may prove in some form avail
able for temporary purposes but tho only permanent
and direct effect Of Judge Mer's decision is to mako
it incumbent Congress to pass general act provid
ing for the and protection of emgrants landing in
the United States, such was before the House of
Representatives In 1879, and which asked for by
the Immigration Convention held in indianapolis in
1870


ORIGIN COMMISSION.


Previous to the year 1S47 the subject OF the care
and support fallen immigrants left either to the
genera! quarantine and poor laws or to local regula
tions, varying sometimes to provisions and very
often as to practical administration. With the great
and rapidly increasing immigration from 1s4o to ls47
to this city these provisions found nconvenlent
TO shipowners and wholly inadequate TO the important
and necessary aid and relief to the immigrants falling
into destitution. No general system pro-
vidng for the protection of aliens who might need 1t
from other existed, and it to happen that
great suffering and mortality occurred among the poor
] strangers freshly landed upon shores Their
protected condition left them exposed to many other
dangers and hardships They became the victims in
very many instances OF heartless and unprincpled
class of men, who did hesitate rob and maltrcat
them. The runner" the baggage smasher'' and
the pretended friend had long been in the habit Of
taking possession Of tho person and property of tho
! connding immigrant and seldom permitting him TO
pass of their hands without damage, aud Ia many
reducing him from comparative aluoncc to dest
tuition, cr'pping him to extent affecting njurously
"
often happened that morals corrupted and bodies
diseased by either force or fraud This state of things
becoming most distressing as emigration increased
and 1t threatened danger to the public health
number Of citizens OF New York. to whose notice these
facts specially and frequently brought-some from
their connection with commerce and position, and to
others from their personal sympathy with their
countrymenmet about the close OF lS46 and consulted
TO the means OF remedypg these evils Among
them were the late Archbishop Hughes, Mayor
s1d Ro5e HSey S9s C1s
pared and agreed upon plan OF relief, which was
s47 enacted into law Of ihe State. % This original
system has since been, at different periods altered
modified in Its details as expodency pointed out or
up to tho late decision Of the United States Supreme
Court the same as created and organized twenty-nine
years ago.


Tho act Of 1847 referred to created commission,
with very liberal powers 1t provided for the and
protection Of immigrants for five years after their
arrival and the time It relieved the city and
State OF New York from any expense attending upon
the landing OF largo numbers OF Aliens many of them
likely to be sick destitute, and consequently to be-
come charge on the public The law organizing the
commission required the master OF the vessel and
the owners or consignecs to execute bond
IUr of sso snae such um
be from tlmo TO time collected TO meet
any expenses incurred either directly in their own
stiiutons or indirectly any other county Tor the
individual alien for whom the bond given In the
event OF bis or her becoming public charge The
law also authorized the payment OF 81 TO the City
Chamberlain In consideration OF such bond to be paid
at the option Of the master or owners OF the vessel





Legislature transferred TO the board the quarantine
or marine hospital at Staten Island AT that time the
latter derived its support from tax Of 81 every
cabin passenger and hfty cents every pas
scnger from foreign port and twenty i've cents from
every passenger from a domestic port, both citizen
and alien. In 1s4S the Supreme Court OF the United
States decided the passenger cases" brought by
chants In New York and Boston to test the right TO
compel the Of tho hospital Very elaborate
opinions delivered in the case by Justices Mclean
Grer, and others /. held that "a State law which
requires OF vessels engaged in foreign
merce to pay certain sum 10 State officer account
the State before landing any alien passenger In the
state Is imperative by reason of Us conflict with the
constitution OF the United states" Tho Legislature
in 1S49 modified the OF 1S47 TO obviatc this const
tutonal objection, by requiring bonds with ample
ry, or commutation in lieu thereof with other pro-
visions for specified cases The beneficial results TO
emigrants arriving at this port, under tho operations
OF the commission, is but just to state cannot be too
highly estimated, and II becomes serious question
how after the decision Of tho United States Supreme
Court, just rendered, an equally useful body can be
found to take It's place.


Garden.


was not until 1855 that the landing depot was es-
poraion had leased the building 10 parties for Ave
years. who In turn assigned 10 10 the Commissioners
the annual rent being f12 900. No place could have
been more suitable for the purposes TO which II has
since been applied. immigrants were secured a safo
and speedy means OF disembarking and TO depart for
their future homes without delay without having
their means impaired. No opportunity or pretext was
afforded runners baggage smashcrs or even worse
characters 10 take advantage Of their inexpercncc
ignorance Besides there were various and efficient
measures put In operation TO assist the needy and
!
essential their future and their nde-
pendent support The landing depot enabled
the Commissioners to eoctually guard against the n
PRODUCTION into the country OF nflrm and helpless
persons afford ing at the time conveniences for
reliable Information, such simple strangers would
require. and giving them assurance that should mis-
fortune sickness overtako any among them alter
their ARRIVAL they would be cared for and maintained
during their disability fund created by their
contributions Still further, Castle Garden guarded
very e1ectuay emigrants from frauds mpositions
certain, II they left unprotected TO be practiscd
upon them by unprnciped persons Keeping boarding
houses IN selling railroad tickets and contracting for
transporting baggage TO parts OF the country
From this standpoint anything TO impair s value be-
comes matter IN which tho country is much inter-
csted.


YEELING IMMIGRATION.


In many the Western states wal felt O 10