The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-24
Senator Casseriy and tho Chinese.

That gentleman has given postscript,
which contains the cream of his opinions.
At Sacramento, on the 18th ultimo, he made
speech on the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments in which he introduced the
Chinese and the subject Of their "import-
alton" lie corrected reports of his former
speech in several particulars, but especially
in regard to the remark imputed to him that
"the Chinese are the most frugal, indus
trious, and ingenious people on the face OF
the earth" He says:
81 uttered no such fulsome eulogy of the
Chinaman-no such absurd libel on the
workingmcn of America and Europe. I
smoke of the Chinese as competitors not to
he dcspiscd even by our skilled mechan-
les, for the reason that, az race, they were
industrious and frugal, and ingenious in
many handicrafts.
Upon the question of Chinese importa-
ton MIR. Casserly says:
"1n discussing the subject of Chinese To-
Dor in California it is we'll enough first to
understand what it means. 1t is not a cues
ton of few Cinnamon here and there, or
of many Cinnamon here and there, in
branches of labor which ere comparatively
unimportant, or which, for any cause, are
not sought by white men. But the question
which troubles US, which we have to consi-
der, which we must meet in this election
and after it, is the question of systema-
TIED, if not concerted, movement for the
purpose of bringing ere the laborers of
China in such numbers as practically to
supplant the white labor of the whole coun-
try, beginning first in this city and State,
and supplanting it here as absolutely as it
is possible for one form of labor to supplant
another. That is the question we have to
face--a great question great in its pro-
portions, great in its consequences in
short, in my judgment, the greatest ques-
ton, the most momentous problem, Of the
time. In the first place, the mode of intro
ducing these laborers is extremely objec-
tionable. 1t is not an immigration, but an
importation. These people do not come
here of their own free will, prompted either
by spirit of adventure, or, if that were
conceivable, by any interest in or attach
mcnt to our instit utions. That of course is
entirely out of the question. The Chinese
know as much about our institutions as the
great bulk of our people know of the Chi
nese language, and that is just as near tc
nothing Us it is possible. When IN immi-
grant from Ireland, from England, from
France, or from Germany, turns his face te
the West, and, following the sun, finds him
self on the shores of the great Republic, he
is prompted by a purpose and an intelli-
gence which Of themselves form some
pledge to US here of his fitness to
become O citizen of the United States
They prove his interest in the country
They prove also his disposition to ally him
self with ito acquaint himself with its
policy and with the principles of its insti-
tutions. You cannot say that of beings
imported in the mass like herd of cattle,
as it is alleged that these Chinese people
have been, and it is understood they are to be
hereafter on q gigantic scale. | say nothing
at present of the charge, doubtless not
wholly unfounded, that many of them are
brought here not only without knowledge OF
where they are going, but even against THEN
will and in some sort Of servitude. Under
the enormous stimulus of q great system OF
importation we shall have results very fan
grafton. We shall see the Chinese brought
among us in very short time by hun
dreds of thousands, and after no long
period by millions, through the coun-
try at large. We are struck by the ease
and frequency with which great numbers
are mentioned, and men talk Of laying
down these people in masses ust as if il
were laying down so many bushels OF
wheat-of laying down. 5000 Chinamen
here, laying down 10000 there, and
so 900 Mt another place, and 100, 900 at an
other place. And there is no impossibility
about it. Our opponents, while clamoring
for Chinese labor, tell US that there is nc
possibility of bringing q very large number
here because of the difficulty of finding the
great amount of shipping required. IL
this way they would quiet your apprehen'
sions. They seem to forget the history of the
movements of similar labor elsewhere. Fol
years there has been an organized system
not of importation, but of immigration mere
", from Hindostan Of a race analogous t
the coolies of China, to the Mauritus, t.
British Guiana, and to Trinidad-on the
South American coast--a voyage, as yor
will perceive, taking the three points to-
more so, than the voyage from China tt
these shores. Yet discover that in 1859
the latest figures | could find-that emigra
ton had grown in few years to over l02,
900 men, 33, 900 women total, l35, 900 emf
grant coolies transported in one year to those
three points from Hindostan. Now, those
three districts and the field they offer arr
quite uncomfortable compared to California
and the Pacific coast, and very insignificant
compared to the United States. Let the i'm
portation once be started, with a sufficient
! demand to sustain it, the American energy
effort, and means which will be freely used
will easily move the Chinese laborers to this
coast--taking as standard the Hindot
emigration in lS59-at the rate of ESQ, DOC
| to half q million year. Then, my
friends, what becomes of your State Of Cali
fornia Your whole population is 500, 00(
| men, women, and children, and in one yeal
YOU would be buried under an Asiatic ava
lanche. In one year, with an importation
| of 500, 600 added to the Chinese population
already here of 10000 to $4,000, the
| novelty will be, in some parts Of youl
State, to see white face. From her vas
swarms of $50 to 400, 600, 900, China could
without feeling the loss, throw upon oul
shores ten millions of able-bodied men
two millions more than all the able-bodiet
males in the United States. What wonder
that people here are agitated and dis
turbed j."
This is just and orthodox. The Labor
Convention at Philadelphia expressed TIT
opinion of this nation. The subject is no
exaggerated in Importance by Mr.. Cas-
serly. 1t will occupy prominent place
in politics in this country.