The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-17

The negro must, of necessity, disappear IN the
conflict Cheap labor must and will drive out
dear labor. The law is as memorable as any otner
of Nature laws. This is the probable fate which
the Puritan has prepared for his friend the negro,
on the American continent Our system OF slavery
might have saved his race from destruction-notn'
ing else can Semmes Memoirs Of Service AFoat'
p. 7l2-7l4
From the statements given in this extract, 1t
will be seen that the vast emigration about to pour
into this country from China, will have an impor'
tant bearing upon the United States
l. In regard to the question of labor The
price of days labor in China is ten cents; it is
ten times that much in this country. Can any
man doubt that with the facilities now enjoyed for
transportation, and especially that the current
is already started, labor in immense force will
rapidly leave China for California and very soon
for the regions far this side of it? China can
darken the whole Western slope Of this continent
with her surplus population, and be all the better
for sparing it.
, But this matter has bearing also upon the
politics of the country Is John Chiuaman" to
be voter? Why not? The Chicago Convention
which nominated General Grant, declared in their
gress ought to allow all men to vote and hold office,
but in the loyal States that question belonged to
the States themselves Admirable Now, lit
tie later this progressive party have declared,
in the proposed 18th amendment, that IN all the
States no person shall be excluded from voting on
account of race, color, or religion. They wanted
to declare them all equally entitled to office also,
b,kE lilo fba Sar,hac ond DhoriSaao &c oil
feared the people," and so, with prudent fore
thought, shut the door and denied their own faith
But as it is, they are not little troubled Where
will this right to vote land them? If it could be
confined to the negro in the South, nothing would
be more charming Not honey comb to a hungry
SOUL or nectar to the gods would be more delight
full. But just here our Chnaman with his long
quieu comes in to torment our loving brethren with
visions more disturbing than the idea of sitting
down with him to relish of bird,nest soup, or a
dish of stewed rats How can Cufee be admitted
to vote under the 18th amendment, and Johu of
China at the same time be shut out? This is be
ginning to give our dear brethren pause and well
1t may True, the matter is passed through Con-
gress, but the Western slope of the Pacific and
the States just East of the Rocky mountains begin
to get new highland before long will get more
Very manifest tokens appear that some people in
this country begin to have very lively conscious.
ness of a new and momentous problem impending
in connection with their great dogma about "man-
hood suffrage" This is at the bottom of no little
of the perplexity recently besettiug both houses
of Congress as to the wording of the 18th Amend
ment California and the Western members
showed an extreme reluctance to engraft upon the
Constitution a provision which must, by all logic
and common sense, commit the cou@ry to policy
which will let in the vast hordes of Asia now find
ing their way over the American continent to pc.
litical power Even the Neoo York. Observer is
beginning to be visited with new perceptions
Referring to the ship-loads of abandoned Chinese
women lately landed in California, that paper feels
it already safe to speak something of its mind on
a new key, and will doubtless find out in due time
that it is safe to speak still more plainly 1t says
Give to women the right to vote, and then
forbid any State to abridge the right of any man
to vote, and how long will it be ere the power of
California will be in the hands of the ignorant,
abandoned and prohigate.
This suffrage question is one that politicians
ought not to be allowed TO make party football
Of 1t underies our social and civil fabric. Unless
the intelligent thoughtful, serious people of the
United States wake up to the danger impending,
the wild demon of the mob will have its hands on
the throat of law and order and the end of another
republic will come quickly"
In referring to this political aspect of Chinese
emigration, we do not purpose to rush into party
politics. from which our readers know the Central
Presbyterian has kept aloOf We note it as one of
the signs of the times. Doubtless our Northern
brethren will soon fix it all in accordance with
1.-The eternal fitness of things" but our impress
sion is that when brother Jonathan becomes salts
fed that too many of the gentlemen of Chinese
descent are coming upon his part Of Uncle Sam
premises, he will come to the conclusion that the
said eternal fitness" requires that this IMAM and
brother should be shut out from manhood sui.
frage, even if the gentleman of African de,
scent" has to be shut out along with him.
The religious or Missionary aspects of this sub
ect must be reserved for a separate consideration