The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-07-31
The aovernmen, on the coolie Question.

I
| Bee, the San Francisco Alta. Bulletin, Times,
and the radical press of California generally.
l have been dealt n stunning. If not fatal
I blow by the Secretary of the Treasury of the
/ United States. The decision Of that official
| will end for the present, at least, the specu-
lation which has been in progress for some
! time. and which, stimulated by the Memphis
/ Convention, was about to assume tremendous
\ proportions. We commend the following TO
the careful consideration of our readers:
WASHINGTON, July 25.-The Secretary of
the Treasury is in receipt of IA letter from the
Collector of the Customs at New Orleans,
| covering a communication from McCreery,
relative to importing coolies into this country,
and asking instructions. He replies that
McCreery mistakes IN stating that the Act of
1862 prohibiting American citizens from en-
gaging in the coolie trade has been abrogated.
On the 10th of January, 1867, resolutions
were passed unanimously by both Houses of
Congress, expressing the adherence of the
people of the United States for the coOlie
trade. In conformity with this resolution,
Secretary McCulloch addressed the Collector
OF New Orleans n letter on the 10th of August,
1907. of which 4 copy is enclosed. Additional
article No. . to the treaty between the United
States and the Chinese Empire, which now
awaits the action of the Emperor, reprobates
any other than voluntary emigration. and
agrees to make Il penal otfense Ia take
Chinese subjects from China without their
lEtt Gf4lSSAN ne DtlhAAN4ltll OF state. Nv
a circular dated the 18th Of January. 1867.
addressed To the Ministers and Consuls of the
United States directs the Consulate of every
port where coolies may embark to be required
TO certify, after full examination. that such
emharkatiun has not been procured 10y fraud
but voluntarily. 1t requires such Ministers
and COHsuls to use all the authority, power
and influence at their command toward pre-
venting and discuuraging the carrying on of
the traffic referred TO in any way. Such being
the facts III the cuse, the Collector is author
led and directed TO use all vigilance for the
suppression of this, rs the Secretary says,
new modification % the slave trade.
The above curious specimen of law and
logic we find in the columns Of the Sacra-
mento Reporter, Democratic newspaper,
which processes open hostility to Chinese
emigration 10 this country, whether as cool
les or free emigrants. II, then, as the Re
porter asserts, the Government has hit the
advocates of Chinese emigration "A stunning
blow, we may reasonably hope to see all
further Influx of that kind Of Chinese cmisra-
ton speedily arrested, and that, too, by IL
Republican administration. Not only that
Int. according to the Reporter, the country
is indebted to a Republican Congress for the
enactment of law which, when properly en-
forced will effectuaIly put stop to the in
coming column of Asiatics, and hence we
don; see why that journal should not at once
come to the rescue of nm administration and q
! party which has done, and is now doing, so
much to advance Democratic principles.
| But il may seem a little strange and bcwil-
| dcriug To men of common understanding
| that We have had n law on the statute books
since 1862, enacted to prevent the importa-
ton of Chinese and yet, up to the present
time, no effort has been made looking to its
enforcement The real truth is, however,
there is no such Inv, and the Reporter well
knows it, and the declaration of the Secretary
of the Treasury that coolie importation will
be arrested by the Government agents in the
South is not of the slightest importance ~
affecting the subject. II the laws of Congress
will exclude Chinese from the south WHY not
from California: Is the soil of the South
more sacred and its blnck laborers to be more
tenderly cared for by the Government than
the soil of California and its white laborers
that Chinese can be excluded by virtue of Il
law of Congress- from the one and not from
the other?
The law nlludcd to was enacted sever
years ago, and yet we have had no abatement
in the number of Chinese arriving from veal
TO year, while at present their numbers ar,
largely on the increase, and yet we have now
tn learn, for the first time that there is a law
of Congress which, when enforced nv the
agents of the Government will effectuall,
put stop TO all further emiqation of coolies
How is it that Mr.. Boutwell, has not instructed
his subordinates at San Francisco. rs well n,
ut New Orleans, to take active measures tc
prevent Chinese emigration other than tina
which is voluntary. The reason is simpl,
because everybody on this const would laugh
at so stupid an exhibition Of official obtusc
ness. In the first place everybody know,
that, to all outward appearances, Chimes,
emigration is voluntary under and by virtu,
of contracts made in China; and second
whether they were so or not, it is well know
that the fact could not be made 10 appear b,
Chinese evidence in the presence of the pow
crful importing companies who virtually owl
those whom they import, both body and soul
Instead of Boutwell's pronunciamcnt,
checking the movement made by the Mem
phis convention for the importation of coolies
in the South, il will not affect in the slightcs
dogree that movement, MS it only refers {,