Grover Cleveland: “It seems to me it would establish a very bad precedent to allow a pension upon the facts developed in this case.”

A radical departure from our national policy relating to immigration is here presented.

The time is quite within recent memory when the same thing was said of immigrants who, with their descendants, are now numbered among our best citizens.

This requirement proceeds upon the assumption that the foreign relatives coming here are in every case, by reason of poverty, liable to become a public charge unless the immigrant is capable of their support.

I transmit herewith, in reply to the resolution of the Senate of January 23, 1897, a report from the Secretary of State, accompanied by copies of the correspondence therein requested, relating to the Nicaraguan Canal or the Maritime Canal…