The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-19 00:00:00

MR. MILL ON THE CHINESE QUESTION.
A couple of letters from Mr. Mill on the Chinese ques-
tion are published it the American papers. In the first
he says :—" The subject on which you have asked my
opinion involves two of the most difficult and embarrassing
questions of political morality--the extent and limits of
the right of those who have first taken possession of an
unoccupied portion of the earth's surface to exclude the
remainder of mankind from inhabiting it, and the means
which can be legitimately used by the more improved
branches of the human species to protect themselves from
being hurtfully encroached upon by those of a lower
grade in civilisation. All obligations binding the Chinese
to the service of particular persons are a form of compul-
sory labour, that is, of slavery ; and though I know that
the legal invalidity of such contract's does not prevent
them from being made, I cannot but think' that if pains
were taken to make it known- to the immigrants that such
engagements are not legally binding, and especially if it
were made a penal offence to enter into them; that mode,
at least of immigration would- receive a considerable
check ; and it does not seem probable that any other mode
among so poor a popitlation as the Chinese can attain such
dimensions as to compete very injuriously with American
labour. Short of that point, the opportunity given to
numerous Chinese of becoming familiar with the better
and more civilised habits of life, is one of the best chances
that can beopened up for the improvement of the Chinese
in their own country, and one which it does not seem
to me that it would be right to withhold from them."
This letter was published, and Mr. Mill wrote a second
It said :—" I presume I am indebted to you for sending
me the number of the Chicago Tribune which commented
on my supposed opinions respecting Chinese immigra-
tion. Nothing could be clearer or fairer than the edito-
rial statement of the reasons which, in my opinion, might
justify the exclusion of immigrant labourers of a lower
grade of civilisation than the existing inhabitants. But
I never said that in America, and in the present circum-
stances of the case, it ought to be done. My letter on
the subject of a California citizen, who had asked my opi-
nion, has been so much misunderstood that I cannot
but think the copy of my letter which I understand
appeared in the newspapers, must have been a mutilated
one. I distinctly declared that in my opinion the right
course to be adopted is to endeavour by education to bring
the rising generation of Chinese up to the level of Ameri-
cans. If there is little or no rising generation (the
Chinese not being permanent settlers), I said that in that
case their coming could be no such evil to the labouring
classes as to justify its prohibition, while the opportunity
it.gives of conveying the ideas of a more civilised country
into the heart of China is an advantage to the people of
China of which (I said) I do not think it would be right
to deprive them. The only mode of immigration which
I said that I thought should be prohibited is the bringing
over Chinese as coolies under engagements to work for
particular persons, which is a form of Compulsory labour,
or, in other words, of slavery."