Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-31

THE Nashville Press and Times
takes ground against the importation
of " coolies" and quotes the law on
the subject. What does all this
amount to, when nobody proposes to
violate the law, or introduce any but
voluntary laborers. The Memphis
Convention did not propose to do it
directly or Indirectly, but stands
pledged to keep the law in all respects.
The agent, KOOPMANsCHAAP, pro-
poses no violation. The Chinese govern
ment has removed all restrictions on
the migration of its subjects to
America, and has a treaty with the
United States, assuring them prOtec-
ton, under our own laws, such as that
due to own citizens. Now, sup
pose KOoPMANsCHAAP should make
such representation to the Chinese
as shall induce them to come
here as voluntary immigrants and
seek an honest living and help Us to
open up u great country. Is it pro-
posed to harrass them as violaters of
a law of which they never knew, and
which they have not the remOtest in
tention of violating? When the great
desideratum is labor and laborers-
not land-when we have a hundred
times as much land as we a use and
- lie ~. ,,y,b Ia Ho,. a. NO naa1
and when our fruitful land is about to
be enriched and made a garden by
voluntary immigration of willing
workers, is it proposed to get up a par
tisan opposition and commence an il
legal persecution such as that in San
Francisco, where the aid of the au-
thorities has been properly invoked
to prevent it?
We confess We are somewhat at q
loss to explain the easOn of such
measures in this quarter, or to excuse
them on any ground of public utility
or integrity to the South especially.
Can YOU convince an owner of land
who can make it his interest to cult
vate it and cannot find labOrers, that
it would be impOlitic for the country
and Injurious to him that he should
employ such labor as he can find?
Will your argument prevent his
caring for his pocket? When the
teeming hOrdes of Chinese are starry
ing or eating rats in their own c0un-
try, can you convince them of the
great evil of migrating to a land
flowing with milk and honey, where
their honest, persistent labor will be
richly rewarded? When the door is
opened wide, and the wall between
continents is broken down, can you
squelch the enterprise of industry, and
stop the passage of willing millions of
the human race, seeking adventure
and to better a pitiable condition?
Can you stay the whirlwind and bid
the ocean waves be still? If you can, |
then we deny the right and the wis
dom of this un-American impolicy.
We cannot shut out the Chinese, if we
would, and we would not if we could.
They are far superior to our own
negro race, which is becoming
extinct-not by inches-and better
than some of our own people.
The sum Of all the representations
of them, which the now aroused press
of the country contains, is that they
are much like other people, some bad
and some good, but on the whole a
manageable, d0eile, industrious and
patient race. Can any sane man be-
lieve a project to bring in semi-slayes
would be eountenanced in a land
where all the laws of all the States, as
well as the law of Congress, forbid it?
They will come as volunteers, and no
man can help it. Opposition may
open its big eyes and stare and crOak.
But the Chinese viii come, Americans
will profit by their labor, and the
event will confOund the crOakers. ID