Believing that immigration was the "great replenishing stream," Lincoln believed that anyone risking the journey to America deserved the opportunity to better themselves.
To accomplish this, Lincoln persevered over nativism, xenophobia, and intense political opposition to see his law passed.
Although he didn't live to see the industrial revolution of the late nineteenth century and the millions of immigrants who fled to the shores of America seeking a better life, Lincoln's economic philosophy, his compassion, and his Act to Encourage Immigration paved the way for the future.