No. 130.
Mr. Davis
to Mr. Everett.
Department
of State,
Washington, August 18,
1884.
No. 280.]
Sir: With reference to your dispatch No 313, of the
28th ultimo, requesting information as to the regulations concerning pauper
emigrants landing in this country, I have to inclose herewith a copy of a
communication which I have received from the secretary of the board of
commissioners of emigration at New York, in response to my inquiries on
behalf of your legation. It is thought that the letter in question will
furnish you with all the information you desire.
I am, &c.,
JOHN DAVIS,
Acting
Secretary.
[Inclosure in No. 280.]
Mr. Jackson to Mr.
Davis.
Castle
Garden, New York,
August 15, 1884.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, and in reply to state that
no formal regulations have been adopted by the board of commissioners of
emigration in relation to the prevention of the landing of pauper
emigrants, the action of the board being governed by the provisions of
section 2 of the act of Congress to regulate immigration, of which a
copy is inclosed.
[Page 199]
Where it is apparent, by reason of insanity or other permanent
disability, that an emigrant is unable to care for himself or herself,
such persons are detained on board the vessel and are prohibited from
landing. But in cases where, from attending circumstances, emigrants
arriving are thought likely to become a public charge, they are
transferred from the vessel to the landing depot and their cases are
investigated by the commissioners, each case being determined on its own
merits.
Where such emigrants have relatives or friends resident in this country,
they are promptly communicated with, and if they can show that they are
willing and able to provide for the emigrants, such are permitted to
depart. If the contrary, or that it appears, in the judgment of the
commissioners, that immigrants of this class are likely to become a
charge on the community, they are either returned to the vessel or
detained at the Emigrant Refuge until the sailing day of the vessel,
when they are placed on board by the officers of the Commission, and are
returned to the port from whence they came, at the expense of the
steamship company that brought them. The courts of this State have
recently decided that it is not necessary to make the examination of the
emigrants on board the vessel, and that it may be made at the emigrant
landing depot, the emigrants being considered still in the custody and
under the jurisdiction of the commissioners, and their right to prevent
such emigrants from landing, and to return them to the vessel, being
unimpaired.
I am. sir, &c.,
[Section 2.]
That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby charged with the duty of
executing the provisions of this act, and with supervision over the
business of immigration to the United States, and for that purpose he
shall have power to enter into contracts with such State commission,
board, or officers as may be designated for that purpose by the governor
of any State to take charge of the local affairs of immigration in the
ports within said State, and to provide for the support and relief of
such immigrants therein landing as may fall into distress or need public
aid, under the rules and regulations to be prescribed by said secretary;
and it shall be the duty of such State commission, board, or officers so
designated to examine into the condition of passengers arriving at the
ports within such State in any ship or vessel, and for that purpose all
or any of such commissioners or officers, or such person or persons as
they shall appoint, shall be authorized to go on board of and through
any such ship or vessel; and if on such examination there shall be found
among such passengers any convict, lunatic, idiot, or any person unable
to take care of himself or herself without becoming a public charge,
they shall report the same in writing to the collector of such port, and
such persons shall not be permitted to land.
