New-York daily tribune., 1858-06-30

to borrow German expression for which in plain
straight forward, downright old English there is NJ
syropime-we nigh! indeed say, for tha; matter,
the ali. l.sjednefs of The N. T. Times, We shouli be
q little surprised at the emphasis with which that
Journal comes to the support of tie recent statute
Of California prohibiting Chinese emigrants from
coming 10 sell their labor ard seek their fortunes il
that State.
Upon the topic Of the absolute right Of Europeans
and Americans to penetrate for business purposes
aDy part of China to visit the harbors of the Celes
tal Empire, to ascend the Chinese rivers, and to
travel or reside in any part of the CLnese territory
to which they might wish to go, The N. y Times
hss been very urgent. 1t has even represented the
policy of the Chinese in thie respect and their an
tipatby to having strangers annng them, As gross
piece of barbarism, an invasion Of the rights OF
humanity. a GOOD around of war. Such are the
ideas of The N. y. Times as to the rights OF
Europeans and Americans, and tie exclu.iveness
of the Cbintse; but no sooner does that journal
Cross the Pacific and take up for consideration the
Isws ard policy of California, than We God it ad-
vocatiDe with 60 less positiveness tie diametcsiy
opposite side Of the question. 1t justiiies the ex
clusicn Of the Chinese from California, on the plea
that to admit them would endanger our character
stic nationality and our Cbrietian civilzaton-pre-
cistjy The very sort Of consideration upon which
the exclusive policy Of the Chinese is based.
fadly as we ttiIk of their morals, they think ours
uo less detestable and it must be confessed that
the history Of European intercourse with China,
especially the war waged upon that country by the
English on behalf of the infamous ard demoralizing
opium trade gives too much color to that idea OF
US expIessively indicated in their phrase, foreign
" devils"
The N. Y. Times, however, may be dispoSed 10
get up distinction between the chara,ter of
American visitation to China and Of Chinese vista
tion TO California, as if the one were merely tempo:
rsry End the other permanent. Thus it seeks to
Justify the California prohibition as absolutely
Mt cessary to prevent Cslfyrnia, Oregon and Wash
ipcton from being transformed, within twenty
= carr. into Chinese COLONY. The question is rep
resented to be whether our people wes! of the
Rocky Mountains are willing to be overwhelmed
and swallowed up by countless millions ready 10
pour in from Chiua This, however, is entirely TO
and misrepresent the character OF
Cbtese emisratidn, whether to California or else
where. The Chinese never leave home with the
intent to abandon their native country and to settle
permanently abroad Their Object-precisrIy the
same with that Of the Americans who visit China
is to make what they consider fortune aud to
return home to enjoy it, Hence the custom of the
Chinese not to take their families with them-a
custom SO generally adhered to that it has been
.upposed that the laws of China forbid the emigra-
ton of women. This, however, is not tie fact.
The women and children are left behind because
no Chinese Intends to txpatrate himself or con-
templates any permanent settlement abroad. Thus
of the forty thousand Chinese or thereabouts, now
in California, there ara only about two thousand
women, ard Of thess the greater part, instead oi
being wives ard mothers Of families belong to that
ccultesun clu.s the number Of which is one OF the
chief topics Cs,ttd uptn to prove the low standard
Of Cliaese morality. This plea, then, OF the danger
OF the conversion Of our Pacific territory into
Chi1ese colony would seem quite chimerical, nor
do We discover ory other basis on which the Cali
foInia law Ietts except that sentiment OF national
antp.thy which, after all, seems to be just about
as stI,ns in California SIS in Chits. with this addi
tional poiIt of similarity, that in both countries it
is stroree,t with the most ignorant and dlssolute
part of the inhabitants.
With respect to the Chinese in California, We
baye .one ipteresting information in pamphlet
published two years since by the Rev. Wa. spier,
editor Of ihc OritntA newspaper published in
san Fiauci.co partly, we believe, 10 Chinese char
acters The Chinese immigrants have often been
represented as little better than slaves, bound to
labor for the benz fit Of certain rich contractors, or
CON upane, Who had paid their passage. This, ac-
cordpg TO Mr.. Spier, il total mi.tAke, arising
from mi, under standing of Chinese arraRgem.n:.
1t is their custom, whenever they visit foreiga
countries in considerable numbers, to establish
con mCn rendezvous, or clubhouse, - which they
can resort, and where food and lodging is provided
'or the in6ieent among them. Thete associations
are wholly voluntary. They are supported BY vol
uutary contributions aud rules are agreed upon for
the government Of the club or company, which aIe
altered at pleasure in the most democratic manner.
Agents or superntendents are elected, who regis
ter the members and manage the concerns OF the
CLUB house. Servants are employed to take care
of the building, cook tho food and attend the sick.
Provision s made for the interment of the dead,
repairs oi tombs-though the dead bodies of all
the ChiIese who have property enough to pay the
expense, are sent homo TO be buried in China
and the semi annual worship of the spirits of the
Departed, which constitutes 80 marked feature OF
the Chinese religion There are in California five
CT these associations: aid Of the whole Chinese
population there is SUPPOSED to be less than thou