of the material and social condition of our State, and to diffuse correct information of the advantages of this State to immigrants.

SEC. 5. That to this effect he shall from time to time prepare or cause to be prepared, published, and translated into one or two of the principal languages of Europe, pamphlets (with maps of the State), essays and articles, treating on and describing in a true light the developed and undeveloped agricultural and mineral resources of the State of Texas, the nature of her climate, soil, geographical features and advantages; her manufacturing capacities; her public improvements, and every other local information of interest and utility to the immigrant; such pamphlets to be distributed in such localities wherever, in his opinion, they may be useful and beneficial for the promotion of immigration into our State.

SEC. 6. That furthermore, it shall be the duty of the superintendent to forward to the governor, to be by him laid before the legislature, at each session, a full report of his transactions, stating all the means and channels employed by him in the accomplishment of his mission, the results attained or expected to be attained through his efforts, the statistics of immigration, and other kindred information calculated to suggest further legislation on the subject.

SEC. 7. That said superintendent shall have power to appoint, with the consent of the governor, an agent or agents for the United States and for Europe-not more than two agents, one for the Northern and one for the Southern States of the United States, and two for Europe; of the latter, one for Great Britain, and one for the continent; for the purpose of aiding or advising immigration. And such agent or agents shall act under the instruction of the superintendent of immigration, who shall also fix and allow their compensation for their services, to be paid out of the fund created as hereafter provided, said salary not to exceed thirty-five hundred dollars per annum. And that the governor have power to authorize or accredit persons as agents or lecturers, other than the commissioners herein named, so as to represent abroad the claims of Texas as a field for immigrants, for each separate State, country or sovereignty: Provided, That such agents are not to receive compensation from the State for such services.

SEC. 8. That the sum of thirty thousand dollars, or so much of it as may be necessary, be appropriated from any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended for the purposes of the bureau of immigration.

SEC. 9. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved, May 23, 1871.

RESOLUTION OF 1876.

[Laws of Texas, 1876, p. 317.]

Whereas the constitution inhibits this State from expending money in the interest of immigration, and whereas an impression prevails that the people of this State are indifferent or opposed to immigration from the older States of the Union and from foreign nations, and whereas the Texas Land and Immigration Company of St.

Louis, a corporation organized under the general statutes of the State of Missouri, composed of men of known integrity of character, business reputation, possessing ample means, have undertaken to carry on a free communication with the other States of the Union and with foreign countries, furnishing information of the great resources of the State of Texas, her climate, soil, minerals, and advantages presented for the investment of capital in manufactures and other advantages to the immigrant; therefore, be it,

SECTION 1. Resolved by the legislature of the State of Texas, That the people of Texas extend a cordial invitation to the good and industrious immigrant to come and make his home among us, and that we will extend to him a hearty welcome, and that the state officers are authorized and requested to furnish the agents and officers of said company such official documents at their disposal as will aid the said company in the work of securing immigration to this State; Provided, The same be done without any cost to the State. Takes effect ninety days after adjournment.

Approved, August 28, 1876.

VIRGINIA.

DIGEST OF IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

Act of 1866 (an act to encourage immigration and to protect immi- . grant labor). The recent radical change in the labor system of the South has rendered the introduction of a new class of laborers necessary, and therefore to encourage and protect the importation of persons for this purpose these provisions are enacted into law. Contracts for a period of labor not exceeding two years shall be respected and enforced in Virginia. Contracts by a male minor of 16 years and female minor of 18 years with the assent of father, mother, or guardian is valid and binding. Contract by a married woman with her husband's assent is valid and binding. Contracts shall be made in duplicate one in English, the other in the vernacular of the immigrant and recorded in the office of the county court within forty days after the term of service begins. Immigrants may require personal security for the payment of wages, and may recover wages, with damages, if discharged without sufficient cause. Any contract immigrant failing to enter upon his service or leaving his employer's service without sufficient cause shall be liable for double the amount of his wages for the unexpired term of service.

Any person inducing a contract immigrant to violate his contract is liable to a penalty of fine and imprisonment. Any immigrant leaving the service of his employer before repaying cost of passage or other funds advanced is liable to a fine and imprisonment. Similar laws enacted in other States shall be given full faith, credit, and effect in Virginia if reciprocal in their operation.

Act of 1866 (an act to promote and encourage immigration into the State of Virginia).—A State board of immigration was created in 1866, with three members and corporate power to promote and encourage immigration into the State. It shall be the duty of the board to adopt a practical plan to introduce sober and industrious emigrants from Europe; to correspond with European emigration agencies and steamship companies; to publish information showing the State's natural resources, demand for labor, and inducements for home seekers; to supply accurate data to emigrants desiring to remove to this country; to assist emigrants in removing to Virginia; to arrange to receive and to transport them to their destination; and to adopt such general measures as will tend to secure or facilitate the introduction of foreign labor into the State. The board shall not permit the introduction of any person likely to become a public charge. The board shall appoint a commissioner of immigration " and prescribe his duties. The board shall report annually to the legislature. It shall be paid by the employer a bonus of $5 for each laborer over 16 years placed in his service. The employer shall not charge the bonus against the employee under penalty of fine. Any expenses incurred for the benefit of immigrants shall be

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refunded to the board out of the first wages received. An action lies against the employer for the amount. The board may receive donations or loans of money to conduct its work. All expenses shall be defrayed by donations, loans, and fees received.

Act of 1866.-The Virginia Immigration Society was chartered in 1866 for the purpose of bringing immigrants to Virginia. It was empowered to capitalize at not exceeding $300,000, to hold not over 5,000 acres of land, and to sell, lease, rent, or mortgage such lands and erect buildings thereon for sale, lease, or rent.

Act of 1866.-The Virginia Immigration and Land Company was incorporated in 1866 for the purpose of inducing immigrants to engage in the various occupations of labor in Virginia. It was granted power to capitalize at not more than $100,000; to hold real estate not exceeding 15.000 acres; to establish and maintain lines of vessels; to deal in foreign exchange; to grant policies of insurance; and to perform other corporate functions requisite and proper for the promotion of its general purposes.

Act of 1866.-The Virginia Land and Aid Immigration Company was created a body politic and corporate in 1866 for a period of twenty years. The purposes of its creation were defined to be: First, to induce and encourage immigration into Virginia of laborers for hire and to provide for their employment from the time of their arrival until prepared to provide for themselves; second, to induce and encourage immigration from abroad of persons desiring to lease or purchase lands in Virginia and to provide lands for them; third, to purchase or lease lands in Virginia to be resold or relet to immigrants, provided the company shall not hold at any one time more than 100,000 acres, and provided that after January 1, 1881, it shall not be lawful for the company to hold more than 10,000 acres of land at any one time; fourth, to act as agents for the sale or leasing of lands in Virginia to immigrants; and, fifth, to aid immigrants from abroad to come to Virginia by providing for their accommodation vessels to be owned or chartered by the company for that purpose.

Act of 1866.-The Virginia Land, Trust, and Immigration Company was incorporated in 1866 with power to buy and sell land; to acquire, hold, and dispose of all forms of property; to loan money on securities or other property; to discount negotiable paper; to conduct a banking business; to operate steamships; to build docks and wharves; to erect warehouses; to transport goods, wares, and merchandise; to issue policies of insurance; to contract abroad for labor, African excepted, for periods of service not exceeding three years; and to exercise other necessary and incidental corporate powers.

Act of 1866.-The Virginia and North Carolina Land, Emigration, and Colonization Society was incorporated in 1866 with the power to establish agencies in Europe or elsewhere for the purpose of encouraging, assisting, and transporting immigrants to the United States; to establish lines of vessels between ports of this country and Europe; to acquire, hold, and transfer land; to issue insurance upon property of immigrants; to receive money on deposit and to do a limited banking business; to transport property under the powers granted to express companies; and to perform the functions of the general business corporation.

Act of 1866.-The American Immigration and Land Company was incorporated in 1866, limited to twenty years, for the purpose of encouraging men and women from any one or more of the kingdoms and States of Europe to immigrate into the Southern States, supplying white men and women immigrants with land and furnishing labor and skill for the cultivation and improvement of the lands in the South. The company was empowered to purchase and hold not exceeding 25,000 acres of land in Virginia, to sell, transfer, and convey lands, and to exercise the ordinary corporate powers.

Joint resolution of 1867 (in reference to immigration to the State of Virginia).—A resolution adopted by the general assembly in 1866-67 extends an invitation to men of all countries to settle the surplus lands and engage in all great industrial pursuits in Virginia. It recommends that each county appoint an immigration agent and take practical action to achieve that end.

Act of 1870 (an act to amend and reenact an act to encourage immigration and protect immigrants, passed March 2, 1866).-The act recites that it is essential to the material prosperity of the Commonwealth that labor be protected by law and proper inducements held out for the immigration of industrious foreigners. It makes no material changes in the original act upon which it is based.

Act of 1873 (an act for the encouragement of immigration).— In the preamble to the statute it is made manifest that in order to restore and improve agriculture, develop the numerous mineral resources, introduce and support manufacturing industries, and establish a population commensurate with the capacity of a vast, sparsely populated territory it is eminently expedient to invite the migratory people of European and American States to fix their homes and invest their capital in Virginia. The statute provides that a political and geographical summary of government and characteristics of Virginia shall be prepared and published for distribution. For this purpose $5,000 is appropriated. A board of immigration shall be constituted of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of the Commonwealth, adjutant general, and treasurer. The president of the board shall be the governor and the secretary shall be the secretary of state. A report shall be made every year to the legislature.

Act of 1874 (an act to amend and reenact section 5 of an act for the encouragement of immigration, approved March 29, 1873).-This act provides that the publications of the board of immigration shall be supplied, to persons desiring them, at the actual cost of production.

Act of 1875 (an act to promote the formation of immigration societies throughout the Commonwealth).-This act authorizes the circuit courts of the Commonwealth to incorporate immigration societies. They shall be invested with the ordinary rights and privileges enjoyed by commercial corporations of similar character. It shall be the business of each society to bring together buyers and sellers of land and to furnish correct information. Each society shall have the privilege of selling lands on commission under the same rules and restrictions as other land agents.

Act of 1875 (an act for the encouragement of land purchasers and actual settlers in Virginia, and to repeal an act approved March