The Placer herald., 1869-12-25
THE CHINESE QUESTION.

wv Poo"o" oo'o" q Po'Hon VI No'o'oo'
Haighl's message, referring to this question !:
The people Of the State have so often and
80 emphaticay y expressed their hostility 10
| the importation Of Chinese laborers that
| their representatives. will doubtless leave no
legitimate means untried to execute the pop
ular will in this respect. 1t is Of vital i'm
| portance, also, that the Infamous business OF
importing Chinese females by the hundred,
for the viles. purposes, should be arrested nj
once by stringent measures.
The Legislature has power, without
doubt, 10 make such provisions as will .se-
cure the people Of the State against the
stream Of filth and prostitution that has been
pouring in from Asia for the past twelve
months, and at the same time secure the
working people of the State against the i'm
portatiou OF class whose servile competi-
ton tends directly 10 cheaper and degrade
labor.
While, however, the people Of this State
are with much uusnimity opposed TO the i'm
portation OF Chinese, both male and female,
they are not disposed to countsnancs any i'll.
usage Of the Chinese or any other class with
in our borders. The exclusion Of Mougoau
testimony has been occasionsd by the noto-
rious fac, that their testimony is so utterly
unreliable As In many cases hardly 10 afford
= basis for copj lecture. Statements in direct
conflict upon simple facts are constantly
made BY equal plumbers upon opposite sides,
in criminal prosecutions against Chinese de-
PENDANTS (whsrs their testimony is admlted)
With no psrcepbs choice on their part be-
tween truth and fslsshood. Notwithstand-
ing, bewsver, the endorsement which ju-
riss nust often feel 10 distinguish truth from
faIsshood 10 The testimony this class ofper-
sons, The whole policy Of our lsgisletion is TO
admi. all testimony which might constitute
an element 10 arriving al the truth, leaving
the jury TO judge Of the weight 10 which il is
entitled. In pursuance to this, criminals have
been allow cd to testify in their own behalf,
and experience has satisfied jures Of The wis
dom Of this innovation. ln addition 10 this
reason for admitting Chinese to testify, i. is
true that crimss not only against them, but
against white persons, sometimes 60 unpun>
ishsd for lack Of testimony, which, fortified
BY corrobora,ing oircumstsnses, would suf-
fee TO insure conviction and punishment
Ny deliberate judgmsn. 10 strongly in fa-
vor Of the removal OF ali ba, risrs 10 the tes-
timony Of any GLASS or race, as measure
not simply sf justice, bu. Of sound policy.
We dissent from that portion OF the above
extract faveriug Chinese testimony, for the
very reasons given by the Governor and 9th
srs, some of which We will here name. II
10 impossible 10 administer an oath to
Chinamsu that be will regard I" binding.
He has no regard for a christian oath, and
no fears Of the pains and penalties Of per-
jury. lie regards it q crime not to swear
anything that will aid tie side be is on or
favors. He 10 not freeman and therefore
dare not il be would swear the truth, unless
il answers the purpose Of bis owner better
than lie. In niue.y-nins courts out Of
hundred in the State, the interpreter states
the evidence A. bes. suits him aud the side
be favors, whether tha. is what the witness
has sworn (Chiuamen don't swear, va have
20 oath that We can administer 10 tbem,) or
not When the door TO Chinese testimony
" oPoo0u ~ wiz 'o""SuoNo e1 stetu Vi tTal-
fc in oaths and Witnesses, that will be ruin,
ousIy demoraiizsng to the whole system
ofjustios and judicial proosedings, which will
necessarily breed dis!rust and coutemp,
everywhere. Lie, liberty and property, in
great degree, depend upon the purity OF
our courts, and the spotless character of the
testimony admitted, and great care should
be taken not to degrade them in public e,-
tima.ion'. We have no fears that the Stat
utss, in this regard, will be changed and
therefore will pursue the subject no fur.l
at this time. The Governors suggestions
on the question OF Chinese labor and importa.
tion are emineutly, sound and sta,ssmau, like
and will most assuredy be carried out by
legislation.
Gov. BLAIsDEL Of Nevada, should look
after the dignity Of bis State, and the rights