Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-06-07

cent, that selfprotection as n first law of nature
must and shall be enforced. Would it not be
well Tor your city government to take some action
on the subject, for you will certainly have flood
of them from above aud below you soon! There
is but one opinion among the miners in regard to
the proposed monopolies and importation Of Chi
nese into the mines and nearly all of the eiehty
or ninety thousand American miners are fully
determined to submit no longer to have the pub
lie lands robbed of their only treasure. Yours in
haste, as | accompany the expedition down the
river.
Some eminent citizens of San Francisco have
petltloned the Legislature not to pass any mea-
hastily in reference to the Chinese irnmigra-
ton.
The message of Gov. Bigler to the Legislature,
calling attention to the influx of the Chinese, and
recommending the adoption of measures to protect
the American miners from their competition.
taken up in committee of the WHOLE in the
House of Assembly, on the 29th April:
Mr.. Speaker Hammond offered the following
joint resolution, which was adopted:
Be it Resolved by the Senate and Assembly of
the State of California, That the Governor be au-
thorized and directed to ISSUE under the seal of
this State, and by the authority of the People
thereof his Proclamation, setting forth to all
whom itmay concern, that the laws of California
will not hereafter permit inhabitants of the Chi
nese Empire to work upon the mineral lands of
this State unless they shall first renounce their
allegiance as Chinese subjects
Mr.. Speaker Hammond believed that if the re-
solutions were sent to China, and properly IN
derstood, the Chinese would not come here. The
inhabitants of that country were expressly prohi-
bited from immigration without permission. The
Emperor could prohibit it, and he would, if these
resolutions reached there. This he believed to
be the only effectual method to Chez, it. He was
absent at the time the Cody bill was passed. but
II he had been here, he would have opposed it,
not because twas unpopular, for he trusted he
was above any such consideration, but because it
injured his constituents. Representing an ag-
ricultural county, he could not favor it, 1t was a
direct taxation on farmers and mechanics, but it
protected the miners. If it were properly ex-
planned to the miners, they would be strongly in
favour of it, it was their interest to be. 1t would
not reduce their wages, but it wonld furnish them
supplies much cheaper than they now get them.
Another speaker, Mr. Dameron remarked
| am in favor of prohibiting the Asiatcs from en-
tering borders at all, reservng our mines ex-
clusvely for American citizens; of such Europeans
as have signified their intention of becoming So
Without the mines California would comparative
y be worthless. Were they exhausted and we
driven to agriculture and manufacturing pursuits,
we would have no market
Every State has sovereign rights to prevent the
immigration of persons who would injure her,
1t is due to ourselves aud the allegiance of our
government, to act for ourselves, and not wait for
the action Of the general government. We are
remote the distance is great-the length of time
it takes from here to there, the necessity of i'm
mediate action, together with the uncertainty that
Congress would act, will not admit of delay
Taxation will not stop their immigration. Were
they to pay taxes the State would be bound to pro-
tect them, and this in all probability would pro-
duce civil war.
| deny, Mr.. Chairman, that it is unconstitu-
tional for us to prohibit them from coming here
The Constitution expressly provides fort free white
foreigners. No one will pretend to say the Chi
nese are free or white. They cannot become
citizens, because they not white, and do not
come under that class of beings called persons in
the constitution Our State is under no obga-
ton to the Constitution of the United States
to admit other than such persons as the Atlantic
States would admit If we have not the right to
exclude them the Emperor of China can and
probably will convert this State into colony, by
sending hordes Of his subjects to this State, and
probably bring about bloody war.
PANAMA NEWS