The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-05
The Chinese.

Some of our mischicvous brethren Of the
rrcss continue to throw out intimations that
We arc too much interested in the Chinese
question, and one of them hints that we
shall for once at least find ourselves IN q
minority. We think that we arc not too
deeply concerned, and arc not likely to DC
found in minority, on this new question,
though this latter consideration ls one that
ought not to be weighed in the discussion of
such q sub ect. So far % the State OF Virginia
is concerned, we feel perfectly certain TINT
we speak for the majority of her people.
The negroes are oil opposed to the importa-
ton of coolies. So are oil white laboring
men. The white mechanics are ali OPP
posed to the importation of Chinese me-
chanics. Now, these three classes oil them
selves constitute two-thirds of the voters OF
Virginia: and, unfortunately, aspirants for
public Office are too apt to inquire not as TO
what is right, but as to what is popular
and therefore it may be safely assumed
that no man who is DESTROYS of being elected
10 CONGRESS. or to the State Legislature, or
to the Govcrnorship, or to any other high
position, will be found running counter to
the popular current. These men arc our
public speakers, and will denounce the
Chinese importation scheme. They VIII
carry Il large number of persons by such
means. In addition to all these, 1t is not
unreasonable We think, to assume that at
least one-half of the men in the State who
feel no direct personal interest in the sub
icct are from principle and from polltico-
economical considerations ranged on the
same side.
This view Of the matter has been sug-
cestcd to us by an editorial in the last No.
of the New York Uerold, journal which
ever keeps an eye windward. The Herald
had been hitherto an out-andout advocate
of the new scheme for building up the
South, if VIC arc not in error. Now 1t
writes in the following style. Its language
might be mistaken for our own view of the
subject:
SO long as the supply continues TO pou
in rs nO1c from Europe we have nothing to
fear from the threatened influx Of Chinese.
These last, within the ten years preceding
December 1868, contributed only slXty-tlve
thousand to our population, and Of these
not n few returned to their own country.
In the same period the number of emf
grants from Europe to our shores Is calcu-
lated Mt two millions five hundred thousand.
1t is to this influx Of Europeans that we
owe much Of our power and prosperity,
and by it we have grown, within the last
eighty wears, from nation of three mil
lions to one OF over forty millions. The
moral is eyident-if we wish TO develop the
immense resources Of this country let as
continue to encourage European emigration.
On lie Caucasian element only can ire hope
to build up SlCh IN empire rs the rortd has
mcrer seen. Chinese may be all Gerry good,
bit EurOpeQns are at least ten times bCtter."
The Hcydld closes its article by referring
to the thousands of men now seeking work
in New York city, who, it thinks, would, If
furnished with the necessary means, be
glad to 90 to the country and labor on farms.
Il says:
"Wc commend the suggestion to the dele
gates who constituted the Chinese Labor
Convention at Memphis, and who were SO
eloquent in crediting John Chinqman with
every virtue under heaven They know
but very little about him, or they are
anxious to get cheap labor mean while, no
matter what the future consequences may
be to the country"
This last is the consideration upon which
we have laid most stress. We do not desire
to have our population ruined forever in an
attempt to increase our material prosperity
at present.
Let any man propose the importation OF
Africans to work our cotton and tobacco
fields and he will be put down by the
frownS Of united world. Yet there is
certainly no difference in principle between
that proposition and the one we are discuss
ing. It is more feasible. The negroes are,
we think, the best laborers to be found
amongst the non-Caucasian races. They
can be brought hither sooner and more
economically. Why not bring them? The
popular sentiment of Christcndom will not
allow it to be done. Yet there is not one
objection which can be urged against the
importation of Africans which cannot be
urged with equal truth and force against
the importation of Chinese.