The union Democrat., 1869-08-21
NUMBER III.
Chinesc suGraxc Explicitly Premisesi BY
the Radical Leaders ia tho Cn,tcd statcs
IFrsm the stockton Gazette. ]

February, the fifteenth Amendment being
under consideration. Mr.. Corbett tRndical)
introduced the following as an additional
clause to the first section:
But Chinamen not born in the United
States and Indians not taxed shall not be
deemed or made citizens"
In support of this excluding clause, Mr..
Corhett said:
Mr.. President--This question Of suffrage
ia one on which | believe have never before
expressed my views in the Senate. Ii isa
question that has sgifated the people for
great many years. and it now comes up in
| such form that il the prorused amendment
be adopted, giving the right to Congress tn
control the question. Chinese suffrage will
| virtually be adopted upon the plci6c Coast by
authority of the United States, or, Mt least
after this amendment shall have been at'opt-
| ed, the Naturalization Laws can be so altered
by Congress "a to admit Of Chinese suh'rIce
on the Pacific Coast
On the 9th of February, while this subject
was still before the Senate, Mr.. Corbett said:
"Thisis plain and simple provision. ann
satisfied from the persistence Of our friend from
Massachusetts (Mr. Sumner) that he will
persevere until he has stricken the word
white from the Naturalization Laws; and
whenever the Natura lization Laws are SO
amended. they will let in the Chinese This
proposition of mine is intended to prevent
the Chinese from being naturalized. If Sem
atorS will not now, in the inception of this
question. make a provision to prevent the
naturalization Of these people, you certainly
cannot prevent il. when the time arrives,
when mere majority will sweep the word
white from the Naturalization Laws l am
satisfied from the determination and persist
enre of the Serator from Massachusetts, that
it ia merely a question of time. year or two
perhaps, when that word white will be
stricken from the Natural zation Laws. As
he has stated, he has hill before the Judi
ciarv Committee tn affect this purpose Now
the question is whether we will nip this thing
in the bud whether We will prevent the
naturalization Of Cinnamon. For my part,
| should not feel that had done the duty
devolved upon me. as the representative of
the State which have the honor, in part,
to represent here, unless had made some
effort (" obtain the action Of the Senate upon
this subject"
Mr.. Sumner frankly admitted that Mr..
Corhett wss perfectly correct as to the scope
and operation of the Amendment, and in op-
POSITION To Corbett's excluding clause. said:
Il content myself for the present with cay
ing that the word white should be struck
from the statute book. That is necessary TO
bring our laws and institutions in harmony
with the Declaration of Independence.
Mr.. Doolitfle (Democrat) said he was of
the opinion that Mr.. Sumner would succeed
in striking the word white from the Natur-
alzation Laws, despite the remonstrances of
the Senator from Oregon. and that the Chi
nese of the Pacific States would under the
Amendment, become citizens and voters. In
replv to Mr.. Dnoliitle, Mr.. Yates (Radical),
of Illinois, said:
II wish to inform the Senator that il seems
to me on this very dav, by vote of twenty
four to nineteen, we have declared that there
shall be no restriction upon suffrage On ac-
count of race, color, intelligence. education
or property. So the Senator from Wisconsin
is right in saving that the party is committed
to universal suffrage. pure and simple"
Senator Morton (Radical). of Indiana, op-
posing Corhett's excluding clause, said:
AS the Naturalization Laws row stand.
Chinamen cannot be naturalizcd hut be.
lieve the word white will he stricken from
the Naturalization Laws. | believe that It will
he consistent, and it will be harmonious with
the condition of things in this country after
the adoption of this amendment for impartial
suffrage. that the word white shall be strick-
en- from our Naturalization Laws"
Senator Cameron (Radical), of Pennsylva-
MA said:
II am in favor of the proposition of the
Senator from Massachusetts,, because il in
vites into our country everybody the ,eyro.
lrishman, Scotchmau, Englshman and Chi.
naman.
We might just as we'll say that the Irish
man who come into PennsvlVania and New
York and Indiana and Illinois and Iowa. and
make the canals and railroads which have
enriched those States. should be rreyented
from becoming citizens"
Senator Trumhull tRadical1, Of Illinnis.
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the
Senate. said:
IL hope that the amendment offered bv
the Senator from Oregon Mr. Corbett) will
not be adnpted. When we are striving to-
amend the Constitution of The United States
npon the great principle of securing equal
rights to all, II seems To me to he very incon.
sstent with that action to insert a clause
that the people of The most popnlors portion
of the gloha are so he excluded from this rro-
vision. When we are declaring that the Hot.
tentnis and cannibals from Africa shall have
tie right to vote and hold Office, it seems TO
me para.laxical 10 insert a clause that the
etizens of the oldest empire of the earth,
citizens from that country which. in many
respects. excels any other country on the
face of the globe in the arts and sciences.
among whose population are 10 be found the
most learned and eminent scholars in the
world, shall be excluded. When we are
seeking TO carry out the great principles of
human rights. the proposition seems to ma "a
he so remarkable. that I cannot think il can
obtain any considerable support in this body.u
At the close 0i Mr.. Trnmhuil's arcument
a vote was taken on Mr.. Curbctt's amend
ment. and it was reiected-every Radical
Senator, save Mr.. Corbe,t. voting against
the adoption of the clause excluding China
men men from the operation of the fifteenth
A Amendment.
Can any rational nan-will any honest
man--in the face Of the overwhelming and
aosolutelyirrefragabe proof. assert that Mon
gollans are not to become citizens aud voters
under the operation of the Suffrage Amend
ment, If it be ratified?
In order to be successful politician m
.dontsna, it is said that man must either
have the poorsst memory Of any man living,