The union Democrat., 1869-08-21
From the Daily Examiner, July -.
q ID ID II 1s - g.
To THE PEOPLE OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
AND OF THE
UNITED STATES.
From the Daily Examiner, July %.

the State Of California. assembled at the City
of Sacramento on the 18th day OF June, 1869,
having adopted resolutions in opposition 10
the importation of Chinese laborers into the
country, and feeling tho Importance OF dis
seminating among all classes OF the conmu-
nlty correct information relative TO these
people, their labor, and character, before its
adjournment appointed a committee TO pre-
pare and publish an address upon these sub
jects.
The result of the labors Of that committee
is embodied, and now submitted III the fol-
lowing:
The importation Of Chinese into California
is not new thing. From within short
time after the discovery Of gold in the beds
of our rivers, they have been arriving in our
ports, though until recently, III numbers so
small az to give rise to no very serious appre-
tensions of detriment to our laborlng
classes Though regarded with an untrIendiy
eye by the mass of our people, 1t was not
thought worth while to endeavor to exclude
them it being taken for granted that when-
ever great evils should result from their
presence in our midst, ample means of re-
dress would be found in the police powers OF
the State, and i'll the good will OF the Federal
government.
But circumstances have changed. The in
creased facilities of intercourse between their
country and our own, will enable them 10
come in largely increased numbers. Capitalists
are fast becoming interested III their labor,
aud are beginning to employ them to the ex-
cluslon of our own people. A great and now
dominant political party has taken them
under its patronage, as 1T did the negroes,
and the proposed Fifteenth Amendment to
the Constitution If ratified, will open the
door 10 make them citizens, whenever that
party shall deem their votes necessary to Its
success.
N yhnl
entered into treaty with the Emperor OF
China, which guarantees to them the right 10
emgrdte to our country, which provides for
their admission into all our public schools
aud educational establishments, and which
places them in all respects upon an equal
footing with the citizens or subjects of the
most favored nations of Europe.
The continental railway, recently COM
pleted, affords the means OF Transporting
them in unlimited numbers to all the States
OF tho Union and already we are told OF
proposals made to introduce their labor into
the factories of the Eastern. and upon the
plantations of tho Southern States.
When in addition to the foregoing facts.
We take into consideration the many induce
ments which exist TO tempt Chinese laborers
to America, we are certainly justified i'll the
prediction that unless steps are taken to pre-
vent it, their numbers here i'll few years
will be very greatly multiplied, aud that We
may then count them by millions, where we
now count them by thousands. There are
also. besides China. Japan and Hlndostan,
countries overlooking with people who may
be induced to flock to our coast, by the same
motives which influence the people OF China.
CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE
The Chinese Empire, as is well known. is
the most populous country on the globe
Its population is variously estimated by
those who have had opportunities of becom-
ing acquainted with the subject at from
four hundred to five hundred millions of
souls or more than one-third of the whole
human race More than nine-tenths of this
vast number are confined to China proper, a
country of but little greater extent than the
original thirteen States OF this Union. 1t is
evident that the people are more crowded on
their native soil than the people of any other
country Belgium and Holland not even ex-
cepted-and Notwithstanding the admirable
system of agriculture, said to be practlced
hy them, it il clear that wages must be low,
and that great destitution necessarily pre-
walls among all their lower classes. Upon
this point however, We have positive and
indisputable evidence.
Mr.. Martin, who spent many years in
China, and who, owing to his official posi-
ton, had ample means of observation IN
forms us "that their most expert manufac-
with which they are content They work
from daylight to sunset, and are allowed but
single holiday, ut the new year. Their
food he continues, consists of rice, SALT
and few vegetables, and sometimes fish,
OF course, ordinary and unskllled laborers
receive even less wages, and fare still harder.
1t il obvious that the lower classes land
very few others come here, of a. people so
situated and existing in such vast numbers,
have every inducement TO leave their own
country in search of better fortunes. 1t is
equally obvious that China can spare for I'M
portstion numbers exceeding the present
population of Great Britain, or the United
States without feeling it, otherwise than as
great present relief and ultimate benefit to
herself.
The migratory tendency of the lower classes
of the Chinese has long been exhibited. Al
ready they fill the cities and towns of South
ern Asia, and the Indian Archipelago. Many
of them have gone to Australis, but our own
country is the great field toward which their
attention is now directed aud which must
ere long be overrun by their hordeS unless
their aims are frustrated.
As their living costs comparatively nothing,
il is manifest, that If they do but receive for
their labor one-half, or even one-third of
what is now usually paid white laborers, their
wages will still be greatly in excess Of what
they get in their own country, and that the
price of labor must fall to point 80 low that
IL will be utterly impossible for white man
to earn a subsistence before the induce
ments for their importation cease.
THEIR CIVILIZATION.
The Chinese have n civilization, if it can
I've 50 called older ii is sSid than that OF any
other nation, except perhaps, some OF their
kindred Asiatic races. Alta Very early period
in the history OF the human family they Ger
tainly achieved considerable moral and ma
terial progress. They made themselves
the arts and sciences. They are said to have
iusugursted more than one of the great IN
ventions which the genius of modern Europe
has brought TO state OF perfection. They
even claim to have constructed systems or
physics and philosophy. At this point CEN
turIes ago they stopped, and at tins point
they have ever remsined-s KIND OF moral
and social petrifsction. This fact OF itself
proves their incapacity for the highest de-
velopment and strikingly illustrates the dis
tincton between them and the European
races, the normal characteristic of which is
their capacity Tor indefinite improvement.
Nevertheless, this worn out civilization,
with its many curious and peculiar features,
Its idolatrous rsligion, and its low scale of
morals clinSs 10 the people with extraordin-
AIRY tenacity. Ii has become, as it were, inn
beaded IN their nature and constitutes part
of their national and individual character.
Hence it is, that in whatever country their
lot may be cast, they form separate and
distinct people. To all lintents and purposes
they remain Chinese, and no efforts to in
duce them 10 sssimilate with the surround
ing population have hitherto proved success
full. 1t is notorious that missionaries have
hitherto generally failed in attempts at
their conversion, either in their own coun-
try or in California Even when settled
among the kindred races of the East they
refuse 70 mingle with them, further than Is
required by the exigencies of their callings,
but remain fenced of from their surround
ings, BY an iron wall Of ancient customs and
preiudices, which have come down to them
through descent of many centuries.
This partial civilization, which is used by
many as an argument in favor of their in
trosuc,ion into our country, affords to our
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