Speech #620267063

Mr. Chairman. if I thought immigration was detrimental to our country or to any class of people in this country. I would not raise my voice against the passage of this bill. but I firmly believe that all those who have come to these shores as immigrants. from 1620 down to the present time. have aided in the development of our country. The same hue and cry that we hear today against immigration and the immigrant was raised nearly a century ago. I have here a book containing reports of commissions investigating the subject of immigration as early as 1819. nearly 100 years ago. I am not going to take up your time by reading all of the reports of the various commissions. wherein at that early period it was asserted that it was high time our doors were closed to the undesirable immigrants. but I wish to call my colleagues attention to the statement therein appearing. taken from the Second Annual Report of the Managers of the Society for the Prevention of Pauperism in New York City. 1819. and which is. in part. as follows: First. as to the emigrants from foreign countries. the managers are compelled to speak of them in the language of astonishment and apprehension. Through this inlet pauperism threatens us with the most overwhelming consequences * * This country is the resort of vast numbers of those needy and wretched beings. Thousands are continually resting their hopes on the refuge which she offers. filled with delusive visions of plenty and luxury.