TO THE UNITED STATES.

gration to the United States, than

the facts themselves will warrant.

43

even that which Yet what a tale

does it reveal, what a lamentable disclosure does it bring before us-the disappointment and wretchedness entailed on thousands who seeking emigration as a panacea for the many probable and perplexing difficulties of their situation in the world, have with an earnest confidence of success

"Set their all upon the cast,"

and embarked their fortunes in the chance attainment of a mere and precarious subsistence.

From the last report of the Secretary of State made to Congress in 1837, it will appear that the number of passengers who arrived in the United States from foreign countries during the preceding year amounted to 80,952.

The foregoing may be taken as a fair average of other years, from which we deduce that of the whole number of European emigrants from the United States, Great Britain sends out about 45,000 annually, or very nearly two-thirds of the entire. Supposing, then, instead of seven in every twelve of Scotch, and four in every twelve of Irish, who constitute at least four-fifths of the whole number of British Emigrants, that half of the entire who emigrate actually succeed, we have the lamentable fact presented to us, of twenty thousand luckless and disappointed beings annually expatriated from their early homes, and thrown helpless upon the surface of American society, to eke out a wretched and miserable life, and to contend in their humble efforts, as we have often known them to do, against the most malignant prejudices, the most unreasonable hostility of the great mass of the American people.

To such an extent has this ignoble and ungenerous feeling against the European stranger been of late carried, that associations have been organized in

NATIVE AMERICAN" PARTY.

45

many parts of the republic to give it increased energy and direction, under the name or title of the “ Native American" or republican party, and whose acknowledged purpose is, to check emigration, by enforcing a change in the general and municipal laws of the country, as affects strangers, withholding from them many of the political privileges they now exercise, at the same time, controlling, by an almost prohibitory enactment, their arrival in the country.

This party, which dates its existence as a separate political body from the year 1836 only, is daily acquiring new strength from its increased numbers, and more perfect organization, and is commended to the popular feeling by the jealous apprehension in the minds of most Americans, of an undue rivalry of European emigrants upon their own soil, as from other causes, equally as unreasonable and selfish. It has already extended its ramifications throughout various intersections of the country, especially within the eastern, or Atlantic States, where a dearth of population, or paucity of labour seldom exists, to point out the frequent impolicy, or inexpediency of its proceedings; and within the last and present year, has been able to control many of the municipal elections, especially in the empire city of New York, at all times remarkable in its antipathies, and ill-concealed dislike to the emigrant stranger.

Whatever of doubt may have existed as to the purpose of the early formation or designs of this party, they have taken care to dissipate all appre

L

hension on this account from the public mind, in the published manifesto, in which they very clearly set forth the objects of their institution to be as follows:

1st, "The entire repeal of the present naturalization laws, and the prescribing twenty-one years residence as the future limit to which any Foreigner shall be admitted to the rights of citizenship."

2ndly, "The withholding from all Foreigners at all times, and under all and every circumstances, the right to be appointed to office-to legislateadminister or execute the laws of the country."

3rdly, "The repeal of the present common school law, and the re-enactment of the public school law in its stead; thereby enforcing the introduction of the Bible, without note or comment,' as an universal school-book throughout the various public schools of the country."

This latter, though directed against the Roman Catholic population generally, is especially intended to operate against the Irish emigrants and their descendants, and to debar them from the advantages of gratuitous, or public instruction. We cannot forget, that this has been one of the ingredients included in the catalogue of ills of which the Irish Catholic has had to complain in his own country, which heretofore occasioned so much of sectarian and embittered animosity, and which has produced so many dire and lasting consequences in its train, that it is somewhat startling to find the principle attempted to be introduced as a component in

MESSAGE OF THE MAYOR.

47

American legislation, especially at this period of progressive advancement and civilization, and at the very time that the councils of the British Government have yielded to the necessity of a more enlarged and liberal observance, in its efforts to dispense universal instruction amidst this portion of her population.

The public declarations of the avowed leaders of this party breathe the same spirit of malevolence and dislike to the foreign emigrant, and which we even find embodied in many of the public records of the country. We may instance, amongst others of a minor note, the official message of the late Mayor of New York (Aaron Clark) to the Common Council of that city, recommending to their adoption some more effectual municipal means of abating foreign emigration to this port; and though we do not recognize in this public declaration a deliberative act of any representative, or public officer of the Federal Administration, to which any other, or foreign Government, may offer exceptions; we are, nevertheless, constrained to attach very considerable importance to its promulgation, not only as emanating from the chief magistrate of the most important commercial, and politically influential city of the republic; and re-echoing, as it certainly does, the voice of a large majority of the people of these States, but also from the equally important delineation it affords, of the privation and suffering, to which so very many of our confiding fellow countrymen have been exposed, in their zealous and simple