water travel in this country, at high prices, which, when presented here, are found to be either quite worthless, or to carry the holders only to some point in the interior far short of their destination, where they are left destitute.
Other tickets are genuine, but are found to have been paid for at prices very far above the actual cost at the offices here.
It appears to us that the claims of humanity and justice and the comity of nations require and authorize our Government to invoke the aid of other Governments in protecting their own subjects during their pilgrimage from an overcrowded home to a region where vacant acres invite and reward the hand of industry.
To show the manner in which the business of the emigrant landing-place at Castle Garden, New York, under the exclusive control of this Commission, and established in pursuance of a special enactment of our Legislature, has been conducted, I enclose copies of a presentment[1] by a recent grand jury of this county. It will probably speak for us better than we can for ourselves on one of the most important points of our administration of the trust confided to us by the State of New York.
am, with much respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. G. C. Verplanck, President Board of Commissioners of Emigration:
Sir: I have received your communication of the 23d inst., with its enclosures, calling the attention of this department to the impositions practised upon emigrants to the United States in the countries from which they depart, and suggesting that the aid of those Governments should be invoked to protect their subjects from the arts of designing and unprincipled individuals.
The motives which led to the establishment of the Board of Commissioners by the State of New York are in the highest degree philanthropic and praise worthy, and, accordingly, to further the objects which you have in view, I have addressed a circular letter, of which a copy is herewith enclosed, to the diplomatic and consular agents of the United States in those countries of Europe from which emigrants chiefly proceed, and instructed them to bring the subject of your communication to the notice of the Governments to which they are respectively accredited, or of the authorities of the places where they reside, and to ask for the adoption of such measures on their part as may be required by the claims of humanity and the comity of nations.
I have likewise had the pleasure of conferring with Mr. Murray, the agent of the Board, and have furnished him with facilities for the accomplishment of the purposes of the Commissioners in his proposed visit to Europe.
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
- ↑ For presentment, see page 196.
