The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-06-09
cHIURsE IHH1aRATfoH AND CHI.
HEsE SUFFRAGE.
REMARKS OF HON. THOS. FITCH,
OF NEVADA,
In THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Nav q, 1870,

On the bill Oh. R. No. 1888 to enforce the rigt
of citizens of the United Statos to vote in tn
several States Of this Union, and for other pun
Fl poses.
Mr.. FITCH. With SO much of the speed
J the gentleman from California Mr.. John
sonl as expresses unfriendlinesst to the encour
agement Of Chinese immigration earnestl,
concur. do not believe in the cheap labo
which supplants contented and we'll paid toll
nor in that social theory which would fore,
the Caucasian to rival the domestic economy
of the Asiatic. l do not believe in the policy
of introducing extensively in this county q
race who have distinct civilization, religion
habits, and language oftheir own /; a race who
are alike incapable and unworthy Of assimi.
| lation with ours; a race with wnom poly
gamy is practice and female chastity is moi
| a virtue a race who are thrifty in habit yet
slothful in thought, apt yet retrogressive, edu-
Gated yet without newspapers, courageous yet
without selfrespect, honest in monetary af-
fairs yet without moral principle, faithful to
obligations yet utterly destitute fany regard
for the truth a race which rears NO families
and acquires no landed property among US,
possesses no past and hopes for no future in
common with our civilization and whose
members are oftheir own will perpetual stran-
gers in this land, where they never design to
remain, and from which they contract to have
even their dead bodies exported.
hope at proper time and upon an appro-
pirate bill to awaken the attention if no: the
apprehension of the House to the pending
problem of the next decade, and to appeal to
gentlemen to enact some measure which shall
legally and effectively stay the further influx
of Chinese immigration.
Only here can that tide be stayed. The
States of the Pacific are poweIless to legiti-
mately resist it. 1t is no actcf statesmanship
to burn a steamer or mob Chinese factory.
The Chinese who are here under existing laws
and treaties are entitled to be protected in
their persons and property, and the Pacific
coast cannot resist the power of the Federal
We cannot offer isolated, inef-
fectual opposition to the incoming Of these
Asiatics. We must appeal to the wisdom and
justice Of Congress to save the fair slopes of
the Pacific from being overrun and devastat-
ed BY these Asian locusts; and if we appeal |
as one people, without seeking to make it a |
partisan question, we may not appeal in vain |
The difficulty is that our Democratic friends |
in California and Nevada and Oregon and Ida
ho and Washington are more anxious to fast
IN upon the Repui Iican party of this nation
he charge Of being favorable TO Chinese i'm
and Chinese suffrage than thew are
70 prevent either. II my friend from Califor-
MA Mr.. johnson would give as much effort
% the honest solution of problem for which
10 party is responsible as he bes,ows in en-
to manufacture some partisan adj
7antase out of that problem it would be better
'or the cause of the laborers of the PACING.
Sir, were l disposed TO make political eapi-
al out ofthis great and troublesome question,
might say that the Democracy obtained
'ower in California last fall upon the dis,inc,
proposition that If elected their legislators
would enact laws which should etfectually
prohibit Chinese from becoming voters, If
lot cause their deportation from the country
That party obtained an almos. unanimous
representation in the California Legislature
hey already had possession of the executive
department., and accident gave them control
Il majority Of the supreme court. Congress
nd not inhioit them /; the road was clear for I
hem to enact such laws and construe such
avs as to them might seem best about the
,hinese. Public opinion was ready to in
orse them N any measure, however extreme,
nd the Democratic masses anxiously await
the fulfllment of the pledges upon which
heir leaders obtained power. Sir, what have ]
hey done: Oh, ignoble conclusion After
everal months session this Democratic
legislature recently adjourned without en- G
citing any law at all upon the subject of
hinese suffrage, or any effective law upon
ne subject of Chinese immigration. So far
ON expressing their dislike Of the China =
zen they passed law to encourage that peo-
lie to remain here by levying a tax upon the
summation and expectation of their dead
Ddies.
It is idle TO say that the fifteenth amend
ent interposed between them and legislation
hich would have prevented Chinese suffrage. NJ
he fifteenth amendment prohibits distiIc-
ons on account of'race, color, or previous
'nditioH OF servitude," but it leaves the Sta
$ free to make distinctions on account of C
,tivity, sex, age, religion, or education. II t
as within the power of the California Legis-
.ure last winter, it will be within the power
the Nevada Legislature this winter, to en- K
1 law excluding from the ballot-box all al
.rsons born within those degrees of latitude as
ID longitude which incloses the empires of in
1ina and Japan. or all persons who are
Igans. OF all persons who do not speak the "
nglish language. l say j: is within the Nj
'wer Of the Nevada Legislature to enact such dc
law without acting in hostility TO she fif:- 81
nth amendment, and suppose l violate no p
nfdence now in stating that the original -
aft ofthat amendment, as reported by Gov II
nor Boutwell,, OF Massachusetts, to the Re dc
Instruction COMMITTEE of the Fortie,h Con- c.
ess, contained the words nativity and OF
ligious belief" e
l CHANGED to be present in Washington, al u
ough not then a member of this House, and e
presented to Mr.. Boutwell, that with the z.
,rds nativity and relsious belief in we :
uld not exclude the Chinese from the bal ge
ii we should desire, and Nevada would not >ic
my opinion ratify the fifteenth amendment
il should be so framed as to proAibi, the IL
clusion Of the Chinese from tie right of 10
frage. The language of the fifteenth or
lendment was subsequently, modified and
words snatiyitY aud religious belief"