The Nevada journal., 1852-05-01
GOVERNORS SPECIAL MESSAGE,

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Sacramento City, April %, 1852.
To the Senate and Assembly Of California:
| cannot permit the official relations
which have united us to be finally dis.
solved, without inviting your attention
to subject deeply interesting, as it ap.
pears to me, to the welfare of our State.
The various and important public in
terests which have been confided to us,
must be protected, and the spirit of in
dustry and enterprise which distin-
guishes our people, must be encouraged.
In this State, questions Of public con-
cern must often arise which are pecu-
liar in their nature, and which call for
prompt investigation and rapid and de-
cisive action. The State is young in
growth, hardly past the period ofinfancy;
but promises to become, speedily, one
Of the most pepulous and powerful sove-
reignties of the American Union.
The subject which I deem it my du-
ty to present for your consideration, be-
fore our final separation, is the present
Wholesale importation to this country. oi
immigrants from the Asiatic quarter oi
the globe, | am deeply impressed with
the conviction, that in order to enhance
the prosperity and to preserve the tran.
guilty of the State, measures must be
adopted to check this tide Of Asiatic i'm
migration, and 10 prevent the expectation
by them of the precious metals which
they dig up from our soil without charge,
and without assuming any of the obliga-
tons imposed upon citizens. | allude,
particularly, to class of Asiatics known
as Coolies" who are sent here, rs am
assured, and as is generally believed,
under contracts to work in our mines for
a term; and who, at The expiration Of
the term, return to their native country.
am sensible that proposition to re-
strict international intercourse, or to
check the immi grafton Of even Asiatics,
would appear to conflict with the long
cherished and benevolent policy Of our
government. That government has open.
ed its paternal arms to "the oppressed of
all nations" and it has offered them an
ASYLUM and shelter from the iron rigor
of despo,ism. The exile pilgrim, and
the weary immigrant, have been the re-
cipients of its noble hospitalities. In this
generous policy, so far as it affects Eu.
ropeans or others capable of becoming
citizens under our laws desire to see
no change nor do desire to see any
diminution of that spirit of libcrality
which pervades the naturalization laws
of the United States.
A question around which there has
been thrown some doubt, is whether Asi-
atics csuld with safety be admitted to
the enjoyment of all the rights Of citi-
Gems in our courts of justice. If they are
ignorant of the solemn character Of the
oath or affirmation in the form prescrib-
ed by the constitution and statutes, or il
they are Indifferent to the solemn obli-
cation which an oath imposes to speak
the truth, it would be unwise to receive
them rs jurors, or to permit them to tes-
tify in courts of law, especially in cases
affecting the rights of others than nAsiatics
Congress, possessing the exclusive pow
er 10 establish an uniform rule of natu-
ralization has enacted that "every alien,
being free white person, may become
a citizen of the United States" by COM
plying with certain conditions. OF the
construction Of this law, Chance ellor Kent
remarks, that "the act Of Congress con-
fines the description Of aliens capable
of naturalization to free white persons. :"
Il presume" continues the learned wri.
ter, that this incindes the inhabitants
of Africa and their descendants; and it
may become a question to what extent
persons of mixed blood are excluded,
and what shades aud degrees Of mix
ture of color disqualify an alien from ad-