What are among the municipal powers of a State of this Union? One is to judge of the people that shall come into it. and unless there is some great and pervading national view of the question that excludes a people from coming here. you cannot prevent. them from going to any particular State of this Union. nor can you prevent the States of this Union from inviting them into their midst. The State of Alabama. if she has the money. can vote lawfully and properly $100 per capita to every immigrant that shall come to her horders from the State of New York. she has a perfect right to induce them to come there. That right you are going to take away from her in this bill. I propose now that this law shall not apply tq an agent of the State. authorized by law. acting under the law of the State. who shall make contracts for the importation of labor. and in connection with those contracts shall offer inducements such. for instance. as to say. " If you come to the State of Alabama we will see that your family is supported for a year after the time that you get there in order that you may get a chance to live. get acquainted with the people. and get used to the laws of the country and to its climate." I propose that we shall not interfere with a State -when she is honestly engaged in getting a migration of people into her borders in that way. and I propose also that where societies or individuals desire to import people for permanent settlement in the country. they may connect with their propositions to this effect the reward to be held out to the immigrant. saying to him. or to her. or to the family. "Come to my colony." as Cullman has said to the colonists who settled in that county in Alabama. "Come to my colony that I have prepared for you. and you shall have your land for good. and you shall have your expenses advanced to you or paid to you. you shall have provisions for a certain length of time. you shall have animals to plow with and tools for the cultivation of the soil." Is there any reason why we should cut off -these privilegesor these benefits? My amendment provides that where the immigrant is coming in good faith for permanent settlement this law shall not apply to him. Without saying more. I ask the Senate to vote on it.
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immigrant