Quite an excitement has arisen in America about pauper emi-
grants from Ireland. It is stated that two or three ships have re- cently landed emigrants from Irish poor-houses who are too feeble to work, who have no money, and who will be a burden upon the- American ratepayers. The Emigration Commissioners of New York have accordingly ordered these persons to betaken back. Mr. Trevelyan, when questioned on the subject, replied that he knew of only five such families, all of whom were offered homes by their relatives, and landed with travelling-money in their pockets. The amounts given them are, however, exceedingly small, generally about a pound, and it is probable 'that, unknown to the Govern- ment, the Unions have shipped a few totally destitute persons. The practice must, of course, be stopped; but the fuss made about it is exaggerated, the Irish-Americans thinking the ques- tion will serve to put the two Governments at loggerheads. A moment's thought would show anybody that aged paupers or- pauper children do not belong to the dangerous classes, and that the Government could have no interest in lightening the rates of one or two Irish unions by a few pounds. Its object is to. reducethe congestion in the West of Ireland, which can only be done by helping poor tenants to emigrate, the paupers not being settled on the land.
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