San Andreas independent., 1857-11-07
The Chinese.

HiU hfisC alCeu) oohSiCSatcu, anu are
increasing yearly by thousands in Califor-
MIA? This is matter which is begin
ming to agitate the minds of the public to
no inconsidesable extent in the mines
and one which, from the very necessity
of the case, must continue to increase
rather than abate When the gold fields
were first discovered, and peoplebegan to
flock In from all portions of the world to
search for the precious metal, with the
rest of mankind came the Chinese, to set
tie up the new FL Dorado. But the dis
tanee of their country from our coast, to-
gether with their semi civilized state,
the little knowledge they possessed of
other nations, and their disinclination to
hold intercourse with the rest of man
kind, caused the immigration from that
quarter of the world to be small at first,
and also tended to lull any suspicion that
might have risen in the minds of Ameri-
!
cans, in regard to their ever coming here
in any great numbers. At that time gold
being abundant and easily obtained, and
every one busily engaged in search of it,
no one thought of interfering with the
Chinese. Besides, the odd appearance
of this race, the mystery which hung
around them as a nation, served to excite
the curiosity Of other people, and caused
every one to treat them with respect, ex-
tend to them favors, and grant free and
unrestricted privileges.
They were allowed to enter the coun-
try, settle in the mines, take up claims
and work them without interruption.
For long time persons in the mines paid
little attention to what was going on out
side of their immediate neighborhood,
and did not discover that the Celestials
were coming here in numbers that were
likely to Interfere with the future pros
perity Of the miners and people generally
of this State. When they did awake
and discover the fact, they naturally
looked for the Legislature to apply some
remedy to check the growing evil But
that august body of wiseacres had discov-
cred another fact, which was all-impor
tant to them that the Chinese could be
made to furnish a considerable revenue
to help carry on the machinery of Gov
ernment, besides providing profitable en-
ployment to hundreds of hungry politi-
clans, who were thus supplied with Off
cial positions, in the way of collecting
Foreign Miners Tax Thus the evil
was suffered to grow and increase, or
rather fostered in its growth by being le-
galized, till it has fastened itself upon the
body polite; and now, like a canker or
fostering sore, it is eating up the very
vitality of our prosperity. The evil is
monthly increasing, and that, too, at an
alarming rate The arrivals at the port
of San Francisco during the last quarter,
show that the immigration of Chinese
was about equal to that of all other per-
sons; while the departures of the latter
nearly equal the arrivals. During the
same period the departures of the Chi
nese were only about twenty-five per cent.
of their immigration; showing, clearly,
that, of all the desirable white popula-
ton, we are actually gaining nothing by
sea, and that the Hongkongs and Shang-
hais are leaving in the country seventy
five per cent. of their long tailed brethren.
Unless something is done to put check
upon their coming here, at no very dis
tant day the State will be completely
overrun with opium smokers from the
Celestial Empire, reeking in the fumes
of their narcotic drug, wallowing in filth,
and by their presence disseminating their
many vices and contaminating the rising
generation in California We should
think that every person raising family
here, whatever may be his occupation,
would desire to see stop put to the in
fux of this race of people who present
no enduring benefits to the country, while
the Inconvenience and injuries are innu-
merable-a race whose habits are repul-
sive to every feeling of decency. That
something must be done, sooner or later,
in regard to this matter, is becoming more
evident every day; and the sooner the
better, as the crisis is inevitable. The
people will not, and it cannot be expected
of them, that they will always continue
to bear and suffer the Inconvenience
which the presence of this people are en-
failing upon them. What policy should
be pursued in relation to it, and what
would be most effectual in the case, will
be difficult to decide. The people must