XVIII 
LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATION* 
The first legislation by the National Government 
regarding immigration was enacted in 1882. Pre 
vious to this time the matter of regulation and in 
spection of immigrants arriving at our ports rested 
entirely with the individual States. 
The history of legislation relative to immigration 
by both State and National Governments may be di 
vided into four periods: (1) from colonial times until 
1835; (2) the “Native American” and “Know- 
Nothing” period, lasting from 1835 to i860; (3) 
end of State control, 1861-1882; (4) the period of 
National control, 1882 down to the present time. 
During the first of the above-mentioned periods, the 
States alone interested themselves with the question 
of immigration. The only legislation enacted, and 
practically all that was proposed, by the Federal Gov 
ernment was the law of 1819 which aimed to secure 
some degree of comfort and convenience for steerage 
passengers en route to this country. This law, also, 
for the first time provided that statistics and records 
regarding immigration to the United States should be 
kept. 
••n*i This chapter in large part is based upon the monograph entitled, 
TjVff'c'Immigration Legislation,” . which was .prepared for the former 
("i te £ States Immigration Commission by Special Agent Frank L. Shaw 
v&ee Reports of The Immigration Commission, Volume 39). Mr. Shaw s 
treatment of the subject up to the year 1910 is elaborate and accurate 
the abstract of his report, which appears in Volume 2 of the Reports of 
the Immigration Commission is so satisfactory that the authors of the 
present hook felt tharnithing better could be written for their purposes, 
hud, as a consequence have transcribed a considerable part of this digest, 
s °r” e of which has been edited or set forth in a different order from that in 
w lc h it originally appears. 
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