1886-11-15-Millennial Star-The Mormon Immigrants

The Mormon Immigrants

Millennial Star, v48 n46, 15 November 1886, p. 735-736.

THE UNITED STATES CONSUL AT LIVERPOOL ASKS FOR INSTRUCTIONS AND THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT DEFINES ITS POSITION—"NO WARRANT OF LAW" FOR DETAINING MORMONS.

The following communication relative to the landing of Mormon immigrants was received by President Garrett, of the Board of Public Charities, to-day:

"Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, Washington, D. C., October 27, 1886. – Mr. Philip G. Garrett, President of the Board of Public Charities, Philadelphia, Pa. — Sir:-I transmit herewith a copy of despatch No. 85 from the U. S. Consul at Liverpool to the Department of State in relation to the contemplated migration of Mormons from England to the United States via your port. No special action in regard to this matter appears to be called for, the same being placed before you merely for your general information. In this connection your attention is called to this Department's letter of August 12, 1886, to the President of the Board of Emigration at New York, as indicating its views in regard to the jurisdiction of Boards of Emigration over Mormon immigrants. Respectfully yours.

C. S. FAIRCHILD, Acting Secretary.

THE CONSUL AT LIVERPOOL WANTS TO KNOW.

The despatch referred to in this letter is as follows:

United States Consulate, Liverpool, Oct. 8, 1886.-Hon. James D. Porter, Assistant Secretary of State.—Sir:- For more than twenty years all Mormons emigrating to the United States from England and from the Continent of Europe, have sailed from this port, via steamer, for New York. Suddenly this system, so long continued, has been changed, and Philadelphia is now to become the port of debarkation. Passage has been taken for 220 of these emigrants per American Line steamer British King, sailing hence for that port, on the 13th inst. All this has been done, I am informed, through orders from the Mormon leaders; the reason, privately given, being that fewer obstacles will be encountered by the emigrants at Philadelphia than of late have been met with on landing at New York. In view of the recent restrictions put on these people in the United States, I have deemed it proper to inform the Department of this new movement.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

HAROLD M. SEWALL, Vice-Consul.

NO WARRANT OF LAW FOR DETAINING MORMONS.

In the letter from the Treasury Department to the President of the Board of Emigration, at New York, Acting Secretary Fairchild, the writer, says:—

“A member of the Board protests against the acceptance of any bond given by the friends of immigrants for their support after they have landed, and requests this Department to withdraw its approval of the bond recently adopted. Such bond, when taken, is to secure the authorities against being burdened with support of the indigent immigrants, in whose behalf it may be given for a period of one year from the date of his landing.

There are two classes of indigent immigrants recognized by the Immigrant law: First, those unable to take care of themselves without becoming a public charge; these are what may be called the pauper class, and by the terms of the law are prohibited from landing. Secondly, those who from a variety of causes, perhaps beyond their control, have fallen into distress, but who in their mental, moral, or physical endowments, or perhaps, in all these combined, give an earnest of their ability to earn a livelihood under the more favorable auspices presented by their new home.

• * * With reference to the point argued that our immigration laws should be invoked for the purpose of excluding Mormon immigrants from our shores, it is sufficient to say that there is no warrant of law for any such course of procedure. If it be found that any Mormon immigrants are of the classes proscribed by the Immigrant law, they will be dealt with accordingly as being of such classes, without regard to the fact that they are Mormons.”—Philadelphia Evening Telegraph, Oct. 28, 1886.