Graham. addressed to Hon. JotiN SitaamAN then Seerotary of the Treasury. dated March 2. 1850. and embodied in the reports osade uon this bill on behalf of the respective Committees ott Commerce of the Fortysixth and the present Congress: At present there is no effective law of the United States to regulate the carriags of enigrant passengers in steamships. the only vessels that bring such passengers. The ovoreowding of vessels. and the lack of proper accommodations and provisioso for the maintenance and comfort of emigrant passengers while on shipboard. have recently been a subjfeet of newspaper articles. severely and unjustly criticising the neglect of the United States olicoals to prosecute alleged violations of the passenger laws. * * * In view of the expected great increase of immigration duriig te yeas. more especially from Gesmany. and after a careful exam.nation of the ltevisd Statutes and of the British laws regulatin tie carriage of passengers by sea-(" the passenger acts 1855 and 1863 ")-and flinding it somewhat siltticult to suggest asmend iests to the sections of the Rtevised Statutes. I have prepared a new bill. which embraces all the essential provisions of the Ievised Statutes and such provisions of tle British laws as seem to be necessary to enaile prosecutions for a violation of certain of those laws to be had in the United States. Is regard to the determination of the carrying capacity of steamships. and the restriction of the tumber of passengers according to the dictates of the first principles of decency. dite regard for public health. and protection to human life.
Keywords matched
immigration emigrant