Grover Cleveland: “Safety lies in noninterference by Congress with matters which should be left to judicial cognizance;”

Though it seems to be clear that the consul-general should have professional aid in such investigation, that matter, together with the selection of the particular persons to act with him, properly devolves upon my successor in office.

It is not claimed, I believe, that the time has come for the further restriction of immigration on the ground that an excess of population overcrowds our land.

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.

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.