Speech #620267136

Mr. Chairman. it has been said by one of Americas most distinguished sons. exPresident Theodore Roosevelt. that next to the conservation of our natural resources immigration was our most important national problem. In the iminds uf many immigration is even more important than conservation. because it goes a long way in settling the kind of people who will make up the populatioL of this country now and in the future. and the kind of people there :re in a country inevitably determines the kind of citizenship. the kind of government. and the kind of civilization the country los: and the kind of citizenship determines the liberty. the sort of happiness. and the imeasure of progress which prevail in it. The importance therefore of the subject of immigration can readily be appreciated by every thoughtful American. A little history of the legislation of this country on the subject of immigration may not be amiss. The immigration to the United States is naturally divided into two periods: F irst. The immigrants arriving before the year 1SQO. known as the old immigration. and Second. Immigrants after that time. known as the new immigration. From the first settlement of this country down to about 1835 immigrants came here as a matter of course. Practically up to that time tile only legislation enacted. and practically all that was proposed. was the law of 1810 regulating steerage passengers at sea and making provision for recording statistics relative to immigration. None were kept before this. From 1.835 to 1860 the subject of immigration to this country was much discussed. and there sprang up what was known as the "nativeAmerican " and " knownothing" movements. largely basing their opposition to immigrants to this country who embraced the Catholic faith. These movements soon assumned the form of a political organization known in history as the American Republican Party and later the " KnowNotihing Party." As a result of these organizations. in the main. afliliating with the new political movement. the United States Senate in 1836 passed a resolution directing the Secretary of State to collect information respecting the immigration of foreign paupers and criminals to the United States. The House of Representatives in 1838 agreed to a resolution instructing the Judiiary Committee of the House to consider the propriety of passing a law prohibiting the importation of vagabonds and paupers into this country as well as to considerilg the expediency of making our loose naturalization laws more stringent. This resolution was referred to a committee of seven Members. and their favorable report was the first congressional report ever made concerning any phase of the immigration question. A bill was introduced in Congress upon the recommendation of the majority report of the cominttee. which bill provided that any master of a vessel who took on board an alien paissenger who was an idiot. lunatic. maniac. or one afflicted with an incurable disease or one convicted of an infamous crinie. with the intention of transporting such person to tile United States. should. upon conviction. be fined $1.000 or be inprisoned from one to three years. This bill was not even considered by Congress. and for some 10 years following little attempt wis made to secure immigration legislation. but the great increase in immigration to this country from Europe from 1848 to 1850 put new life and fears in the breasts of those fighting immigration. and it is recorded that in 1855 both the governors and Legislatures of New Hampshire. Massachusetts. Rlhode Island.