Helena weekly herald., 1877-12-20

THE SIX CHINESE COMPANIES.


ing communication was delivered to the State
Department yesterday by ]. c. K. Kennedy,
representative in this city Of the Six Chinese
Companies of California:
CHINESE MERCHANTS EXCHANGE,
SAN FRANCISCO, November 80 1917.
Hon. Wm. N. Erarts, Secretary Of State:
S1R:-The letter of Senator Sargent, bear
ing date of yesterday, demands reply from
us that we may briefly call your attention to
facts undeniable why after long years OF
persecution and suffering we finally appealed
to the government of the United States tor
that protection accorded US by existing trea-
ties. and nothing more.
We first desire to call your attention to the
fact that the government of the United States
has since the adoption of the treaty with the
Imperial government of China, demanded
and received nearly $S00,0oO indemnity for
outrages committed upon American citizens
residing in China and their property. In no
instance of outrage has that government
failed to pay For long series OF years our
people have submitted to robberies, murders,
arsons, and assaults, and in one case in fifty
have the perpetrators been brought to punish
ment. With no one until quite recently to
plead for US, we have suffered these insults
in silence. Hundreds of our countrymen
have been murdered, and can Senator Sargent
deny that ninety five per cent. OF the perpe-
traitors did not escape punishment. Inc
recent massacre of four of our cOuntrymen
at Chico met with prompt action, because the
good citizens of this country came forward
with money and influence and demanded that
Justice should be done in vindication OF their
good names This is an exception to our
long list of oppression, the least OF which are
the unjust and discriminating laws passed
against us, denying US that protection which
we are taxed for Senator Sargent says the
law officers of the counties of this State have
sought diligently to punish outrages against
our people. and have succeeded to great
extent We reply by asking what has been
done to punish this class in the vicinity OF
his home, fire outrages, so recent that they
must be fresh in his memory. Our people
were driven from Antioch and their property
destroyed in open day. Who was ever pun
ished, or even arrested? Again, the July
riots in this fair city, when upwards of thirty
Chinese laundries and dwellings were raided,
some burned, one of our countrymen killed
and his body thrown into the flames, and not
all arrest made by the authorities, State or
municipal. We appealed to the Governor OF
this Common " ealth and to the Mayor of this
CITY to stop these outrages, and we have re-
peatedly asked their protection. We do not
question that the courts are honest, but we
know that the officers who surround the
judiciary are pledged to persecute US before
they can fill their various posts.
It is sad commentary to the United States
when U. S. Senator volunteers the assur-
ance that the municipality of San Francisco
is liable to us for damage to our property
when he is so fully aware of our surroundings.
In conclusion we desire to reiterate what we
said to the chairman of the Congressional
Chinese Commission, the late Senator Morton,
in A communication addressed to him-~that If
restricting the immigration of our people to
this free country would have tendency to
allay the fears of the timid and protect our
people in their just rights, we would give our
aid and countenance to any measure to that
end. We still adhere to that determination.
The foregoing are few of our grievances,
wherefore we have finally appealed to this
great and free government for aid, and we
only ask of it what the Imperial government
of China was required to assent to on &C.
count of Americans.
Very respectfully. Signed by the six OIL
GERS of the Chinese Companies of California.
Meeting Of Creditors.
| PROVIDENCE, December 12.-The creditors
of d. & A. Sprague, representing 50, 600
e :.do,>%odcooo mot to dav IN take action to