In institutions erected by the United States Government and under its care and direction? Not at all. in institutions erected not even by the State governments. but by private individualo perchance. anyinstitutions whatsoever within a State which may be designated by the governor thereof. There is not an immigrant boardinghouse. certainly not one upon a large scale. in the city of New York which. under the provisions of this bill. might not come in to claim a share of this national bounty. if only it could find the favor of the governor in making the claim. This. sir. is the nature of the bill. not to provide regulations for the voyage of the immigrant across the Atlantic. as has been done in a bill introduced by the gentleman from Illinois. not even to provide for national protection and support of the immigrants after they get here. but to pay the bills incurred by State officials. to meet expenditures in State or private institutions in the city of New York and in other similar places. I say in the first place that the State has the authority to do this. It comes under the police power which the States have never surrendered. The State may guard its borders against the incoming of the criminal. the pauper. the imbecile. and thus do all that the bill attempts to do in that respect. The State may prohibit the captain of the vessel from allowing an immigrant of this description to be landed within the State. It may oblige the captain to retain him upon shipboard until he can be returned to the country whence he came. There is nothing in this bill which is not within the reserved power of the State.
Keywords matched
immigrants immigrant