Speech #470088421

This obligation of a nation toward its dependent classes cannot be transferred to another nation without that others coisent. It is an offense against the. law and the comity of nations for any gvernminent. national or municipal..to. throw the burden of supporting its dependent classes upoa a foreign country. A nation becomes bound to support a foreignborn pauper only through his naturalization. He then: becomes a citizen. of his adopted country. Commercial nations always snake provision through their consuls for distressed seamen in foreign ports. This is a recognition of the general obligation of nations to care for their poor wherever they are. There is abundant evidence to show that large unnbers of professional paupers and diseharged criminals have been sent to this country either by government aid or by the assistance ofmnnicipal bodies. or by the aid of friends. Hence it is that the mass of the immigrants has in it an undue proportion of the dependent and criminal classes. The attention of the country was long ago invited to this matter. in March. 18600 Mr. Sumner offered a joint resolution in the Senate protesting against pardons by foreign governments Of 1ersons convicted of infamous offenses on condition of emigrating to the United States. The preamble to that resolution states thatIt appears from official correspomndence that the authorities of Easel. a canton of Switzerland. have recently undertaken to pardon a person convicted of murder on condition that he would emigrate to Americameaning the United Statesand that there is reason to believe that similar pardons of personseonvicted of infamous offenses have been granted in other countries. This resolution was passed by Congress. and the facts stated in the preamble are presumed to be true. In the discussion of this resolution Mr. Sumner said: The preamble sets forth certain facts. to wit. that there is an official corrospondence showing that the authorities of Basel. in Switzerland. have recently undertaken to pardon a person convicted of murder. en the condition that he would emigrate to the United States. That official correspondence has been printed and is now on your tables. There is also a further correspondence. which I have in my hand. which has been communicated to me by the Department of State since this resolution was reported from the committee. showing.