Speech #630378320

Mr. President. the Senator In charge of the bill states that the reason why the provision of the House bill which provided for reserving the right to our immigrant authorities to place upon board vessels carrying immigrants inspectors who would accompany the immigrants and ascertain whether they were proper to be admitted into this country. and. further. to ascertain whether they were being humanely treated. had been stricken out was because "we." to quote his language. " do not own the vessels. and because foreign Governments have protested." In this summary way the chairman of the committee disposes of the interrogatory I propounded. Mr. President. he pays but a poor compliment to the House of Representatives and to Its committee when he takes the position that this bill is so absurdly contrived that section 11 was bottomed upon the idea that this Government owned the vessels carrying immigrants to this country. No such absurdity is involved in section 11 as passed by the House. This Government has the right beyond all question. if it sees fit so to do. to deny the right of any vessel to land any immigrant upon our shores. and if it has that right. It has the corresponding right to name the terms and conditions upon which that immigrant shall. come. It can require him to be Inspected in a foreign country. and yet that does not imply that we own the foreign country. It can require him to come bearing the certificate of an American surgeon granted to him. showing an examination in a foregin country. and prohibit him from landing unless he bears that certificate. and yet that does not imply that we are either the proprietors of the foreign country or that we have invaded its soil. It can require him to be examined aboard the vessel before the vessel enters a harbor of the United States. or It can provide. if that examination is not made. that the immigrant shall not land. It already Inspects these individuals while they are aboard a vessel. and the Inspection of that vessel in a harbor of the United States no more implies a proprietary interest in it and is no more bottomed upon the principle of ownership than is an inspection 3.000 miles away in the port of a foreign country. All our rights of every kind and character are bottomed on our primary and sovereign rights to say that no man shall land here unless he comes under certain conditions.