Grover Cleveland: “It is hardly possible that the bill now before me is intended to authorize an additional bridge between the two towns…”

I have not thought it compatible with the public interest that the correspondence referred to in the resolution should be communicated pending the public and exhaustive investigation about to be instituted.

A careful examination of this bill has convinced me that for the reasons given and others not specifically stated its provisions are unnecessarily harsh and oppressive.

In my opinion, it is infinitely more safe to admit a hundred thousand immigrants who, though unable to read and write, seek among us only a home and opportunity to work than to admit one of those unruly agitators and enemies of…

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.