The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-10-27
The Chinese as American Citizens
rtrom the London and China Express, seyt 70 |


TIE Right Rev. Dr. Smith, Bishop OF y;ioria, Hong
Eong has ~orlhy closed visit % San Fraucsoo by ad
drtsrrg letter 10 Jdfre Nc tss,er subject calcu-
lated 70 enlist The sympahes, not only 81 the phanthro
phst the Chr an pastor but aso of the merchant
be difficult &c Ind more niipg soqaeut es ponent,
bu, well assured At In giving expression 70 the
opinions and soain"nts Of the latter the journalist dis
changing duty peculiarly within his province In dis
oussiLg this subj ct therefore, leave the higher
ground q Christianity 10 the able advocacy OF Dr. Smith,
advcrtg ony for feg moments Us mercantile
In California a Chinese 10 under no circumstances
admit a as witness IN n court Of Law rhe
qnsnce, OF this arc, nterm luable confusion and
a stare OF jrstce in toe civil ealscs shilo la
criminal Jurisprudence the effect even worso. Let us
suppose a order 70 the impaey aud mons
tn "a II usilcc Of this enactment Marderous assault 10
committed 10 broad day light In the streets Of san Frau
,hs, s o Ve rS.s% Uu oIs 1. ,ae a., case a..os
by score Of Chinese but II happens that
Laropcan or one American witness q ihe fray What
"a the result Why, that justice 10 defeated Tie
testimony Of the twenty Chinese 10 cf avsl-there In
70 evidence, and conviction "a impossible ~ much for
this question II accCis the ostensiblo aim OF every
cole u hvs--the due admin istrstion OF nstee.
There Is, however, another, and, in commercial point
riihte CT citizenship. We believe the Chinese rec.
cents IN California 10 not number fewer than 80 co.,
e,ssbshed laws. when he cper.iIoo ., ,ha.e
laws adverse 10 their wishes their interests, the
PIE. Of tseir foreign esAc,on proves no bar TO their
oitizt nship-they properly ameuabe 70 the laws
But Why. We ssh "a reservation made when their rights
AMI privileges are see,edf b righ, IN the eyes Of
murder, his bcrt. Cor theft though be 30 Chinese,
WAY arc the came s-s not TO be applied fo bic proies
prove Ia, the operation Of all Laws must De unequal
where whole classes ar. hern whatever oause, iaadds
sibe IL manifest that under such circum.
stances me weight Of eydcn6c must Always be against
them We contend therefore, that 70 incspaoits,c the
e.1 ~ p,n ss,mne n, 1, !, ,.ss, - Ses..
Inc purl.so for which all laws are made Aoi unjast be-
cause u DERIVES ihcse who are boaad ~ certain obss
tons ~ CIT .zens OF the lights o. citizenship
The reason which the Amcrcsps urge against the re-
real q ,hs osnoxoas act sas 70. BY any neaes the
the truth Ike the archc,ype ~ lice they have been
srs from the beginning This assertion scsms indeed
70 have had ~cighf vita the 3shop OF Hong kone.
ana has Induced him c narrow tho issue With saxrcs.
tcn IN which cannot altogether concur. ~. smith
srins-Aa nue.. 80, Amerioan lary mls.a d'aeicss
weigh for Themselves tbe real vaue 70 be saacbei 81 The
statements q individual Chinese Witnesses Thus Ear
the Bshops adyocsry admirable bit the plea be- next
advances r. to thinking Of too sectarian character
al all events, he aids. AN exception night sod
and ought 70 be male favor Of those Chinese
Who rroiCFs lhc Chrstsn religion I, better that
the exclusion OF Chinese from the boz Ia your
oonr q law should be based on objecioasio ihe asfcc
character o. pswAs morality. ny,dous dis
ur ctous calculated 70 Gerross the Chinese ~ race"
New, seemsto rs ,cry eo1vsnent aoc'riae lor Ncsi
the sbrntsnt vii be the crop o. lea yoa will gather
and certainly, q We could sccept this trusn, the
Americans wUud be cnt,tlri 70 cast The hrst stone
NJ, are they y their vcraety always unnpeachapeq
We moro vouch for tsan can for that o. the
Chnceo We know something % The trckcry AMI false
hoods sbch Are wpforirnassly rife In The veslgn
hemisphere they are n The mr. Fact. and say
~
the country e. dery The rights u ctzensh'p, but
the al rlnsratoIs " the av-the infgs ang The Jury
n foru their o~r estimate The voscsy o. ssoc isd.
ysdusl witness
tbs par, crlary desirable r,e'nx that Chinese lass
ctns important element In The labor markets Of
the world. Toe Caircse arc sprtsd 0v@ California Aus
trails, Bril- a Columbia, pcrn, snd The IVES, fudes.
will be seen by list 10 another ccnmn thsf two
thousand Isssei 81 Heiena during jane Ani July,
their way IRON Cbna 70 " We, ini~ The following
IL the LETTER Of Bshp sn th 10 Jafre acAgst.r dated
san Frsrclscc, July 5ol Which suppcrtea In atlng
Miicle In The ssn Francisco nsiiS 7;rs,-
MY nuAn SK-Intll my arrival IN The cay bod aevu
become cogninnt Of the tact thai by The legislative
ton Of Ibis STATE, eye~y individual amcng The fosty eve
thousand Chinese immigrants In CslHonIa = ncapaol.
lated from giving evidence IN yvur courts o. Az, ani
that under Circumstances q cruci opprSn iuustics
or violence the possibility Of rsiross opc, 10 Chinese
In this state unless he be - lortsnste 70 have
pean ere witae<s 70 boar ietn0ny q Tho hcss Of bis
wrmr.
Clineee ncrchsnss N sh,s cNY u ne highest resrcc.
liability, VITO evcd thcir cducatin sudor ny ROOD al
Hong Kong bavo caled my attention " ,hs exceptional
ksisiaicr and hare fecsirz'v detailed Be- csse q
Amcet unparalleled harcssip 10 which thesr fellow
country cxpoeoS, ss ioag - thA cnAcsmcat
tans il place statute book q yow local Ieisa.
turc Tey pliagcd, pundeved, assaulted, and eva
murdered b EnruJosr ard American mscrcss In yosr
gold Helis, and In the nbscnce Of Eurvpcsn witnesses,
there rcnaos 10 those poor Cantsc Alternative but
tlAt or lcplessl and bopciessy sb nieG to the 90
precision cspssd by this unequal aw a hnudrc1 Chi.
moss may have xtne sed the dced OF VIOLENCE their
united testimroy 10 deemed vorthcss AID isadmssibe