The Shasta courier., 1860-04-07
SHASTA COURIER.
Speech OF the Hon. John White on the
Chinese Question.

In the Assembly, on the 9th March hltimo,
the substitute for Assembly Bills Nos. 96 and
Ill being the special order of the day, viz
" An act in relation TO Chinese or Mongolians
working in the mines of this State-Hon. John
White, Assemblyman from Shasta, delivered the
remarks to be found on our first page The
reader will observe, that the arguments in favor
of extirpating Chinese serfdom from the soil OF
California, submitted by Mr.. White are unan-
swerable. He makes no effort at display. He
simply states certain naked Bndeniable facts
points to certain notorious and indsputable evils
resulting from the presence Of Chinese in our
mines, and then points TO the yet greater evils
which must inevitably befall the people of this
State If this gigantic evil is not crushed out
now, when it is within our control. He utters
arguments that we deem incontrovertible, and
then asks members to lofk at the picture which
their logical conclusion POINTS to. But argu-
ment could not win agaifs the tremendous in
fluence brought to bear Ay those persons who
experience present benefit from this curse to
the State at large.
Assemblyman Lawrence followed on the same
side with Mr.. White. We regret that his remaks
were not reported.
But Notwithstanding the bill was defeated we
are gratifed to state that the committee on
mines and mining interests have introduced an
other bill that may, lift becomes law, encour-
agethe Chneseto leave and dissuade others from
coming to our shores Without increasing the
existing monthly license, it empowers the Col
lector to enforce its collection. He may arrest
any delinquent Chinaman, take him before a
Magistrate, and, upon his being found guilty,
raay sell, after one hours notice, suficiency
ofany of delinquents property to pay the license
together with costs The Magistrate may also,
for the crime of working the mines of this State
without first procuring the monthly license
established by law" commit the criminal to the
county jail there to remain 'fat the rate of two
dollars per day." or until the amount due shall
have been paid in cash-or place him in the
custody of Road Overseer, whose duty it is
made to- keep him "at work upon the public
highways, at the rate of two dollars per day,
until such fne together with costs, shall have
been fully satisfied"
We trust the clause empowering the magis-
tfate to commit criminals under this Act to the
county jail, may be stricken from the bill. The
company whose property these serfs are, we
fear, will find it too frequently a convenient
way of paying off such dues, provided they can
find magistrate with Chinese sympathies. If
this bill becomes a law, we think at least one
half of the Chinese miners may be forced to pay
this monthly license. Under the existing law,
while there are least $4,000 Chinese in the
mines, less than 1000 of them ever pay the IL
eense, as is proven by the State Treasurer's re-
ceipts. If 10000 of them paid this monthly IL
cense, the State would receive revenue from
this source of over Sl5O,eee, whereas we be-
Eevebut little if any over $4,000 is received
per year.