The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-03-13
THE ANTI.CHINESE BILL VETOED.


tho Chinese Imuaigralion Bill-His
Objections to the Measure.
The following is the full text of the
Presidents Veto Message delivered to
the National House of Representatives,
on the evening of the LIST:
To the Honse Of Representatives: After very
tied AN act to restrict the immigration Of Chi
nese to the United States" I herewith return It
to the House Of Representatives, in which body it
The bill, as it was sent to the Senate from the
House Of Representatives, was confined in its
PROVISIONS to the object named in ie title which
OF Chinese to the United Statcs.'' The only
means adopted to secure the proposed object
was the limitation in the number of Chinese
b. w ans on might Be % en to n
as this number was not fixed in any proportion to
the size or tonnage of the vessel or by any consd-
passengers, the simple purpose and effect of the
enactment were to repress this immigration to an
extent falling but little short of its absolute exci
sion.
The bill, as amended in the Senate, and now pre.
eented to me, includes an Independent and addi-
tional provision, which aims at and in terms re-
snd o fSs as
called the Burlingame Treaty, through the action
Of the Executive, enjoined by this provision Of
the ACT.
lions were exchanged at fekin, Nov. 2s, istj,
recites as the occasion and motive Of its
negotiation by the two Governments that
United States Of America and the Ia Using
Empire (Chinal Of the 18th June, 1853, circuni.
stances have arisen showing the necessity Of ad-
agreement as to said additional articles. These
q f6e additional article. July Is. 1858, had for
4 HsASn NH Lit
and obligations toward the Government Of
China by the incorporation of these new articles
thenceforth parts the principal treaty to which
rules Of Interpretation applicable to such supple
treaty and Of these Traditional articles thereto"
constitute one treaty, from the conclusion Of the
rent force and obligation between the two Govern
ments. and, to all intents and purposes as if en-
braced in one instrument.
cites that 1.-THE United States of America
and the Tia Using Empire, desiring to
have resolved to renew in manner clear and
positive. by means of treaty or general cOnven-
tioa OF peace, amity and commerce, the rules of
intercourse of their respective countries and
proceeds in its thirty articles to lay out careful
and comprehensive system for the commercial re-
latiOns Of our people with China. The main sub
stance Of all the provisions Of this treaty to de-
fine and secure the rights of people in respect
OF access to- residence and protection in, and trade
with China The actual provisions in our favor
IN these respects were framed to be, and have
been found to be, adequate and appropriate to
the interests of our commerce, and by the
concluding article we receive the important
guarantee that should at any time the Ia Using
Empire grant to any Nation. the merchants citi-
zens Of any Nation, any right. privilege or favor
connected either with navigation, commerce,
political Or other intercourse which is not confer
red by this treaty, such right, privilege and favor
shall at once freely inure to the benefit of the
United States, its public officers, merchants and
citizens" Against this body of stipulatOns in
our favor, and this permanent engagement of equal
ity in respect of all future concessions to foreign
Nations the general promise of permanent peace
and good Offices on our part seems to be the only
equivalent For this the first article undertakes
as follows:
There shall be, as there have always been,
America and the Ia Using Empire, and between
their people respectively. They shall not insult
or Cypress each other for any trifiing cause,
to produce an arrangement between them, and II
any other Nation should act unjustly or oppressive
ly, the United States will exert their good offices,
on being informed of the case, to bring about an
amicab!e arrangement Of the question, thus show
ing their friendly feelings"
At the date of the negotiation of this treaty,
our Pacific possessions had attracted cOnsd
cradle Chinese emigration, and the advantages
and the Inconvenience felt feared therefrOm
had become more or less manifest, but they
porated in the treaty. The year 1868 was marked
by the striking event of a spontaneous Embassy
from the Chinese Empire, headed by an Americas
citizen. Arson Burlingame, who had relinuuished
his diplomatic representation of his own country
in China to assume that of the Chinese Empire to
fthe United States and the European Nations.
BY this time the facts Of Chinese immigration
and its nature. influence, present and pros
pective, had become more noticeable and
were more observed by the population i'm
mctliately affected, and by this Government. Tine
principal feature of the Burlingame Treaty was its
attention to and its treatment of the Chinese i'm
migration, and the Chinese forming, as they
should form, part of our population Up to this
ton, our fearless liberty of citizenship, equal
and comprehensive Justice to all inhabitants,
whether they abjured their foreign nationality or
had made all corners welcome, and under these
projections the Chinese in considerable num-
bers had made their Judgment upon our
deal with this situation and its fifth and sixth arti-
clcs embrace its most important provisions in this
regard, and the main stpuatiOns in which the
Chinese Government has secured an obligatory
protection Of its subjects within our territory.
They read as follows:
ART. S. The United States Of America and the
Emperor Of China cordially recognize the inhe-
rent and inalienable right of man to change his
home and allegiance. and also the mutual advant-
age of the free migration and emigration of their
citizens and subjects respectively from the one
of trade, or as permanent residents. The high
parties, therefore. join in repro
batting any other than an entirely voluntary
agree to pass laws making it penal ofense for
citizen Of the United States or Chinese subjects to
take Chinese subjects either to the United States
Ss efen e d for G a s
citizens of the United States to China, or
to any other foreign country, without their free and
voluntary consent, respectively.
or residing In China shall enjoy the same priv
ileges, immunities, or exemptions in respect to
travel or residence as may there be enjoyed by the
tion; and, reciprocally, Chinese subjects visiting
or residing in the United States shall enjoy the
same privileges, immunities and exemptions In re.
to travel or sS there be en-
vored Nation. But nothing herein contained
shall be held to confer naturalization upon citi.
zens of the United States in China nor upon the
subjects of China in the United States"
An examination of these two articles in the light
Of the experience then influential in suggesting
their necessity. will show that the fth article was
The Introduction 81 Chinese laborers by
methods which should have the character
voluntary emigration Of freemen ' seeking our
shores upon motives and in manner consistent
with the system of our institutions and approved
by the experience Of the Nation. Unquestiona-
bly, the adherence of the Government of China
to these liberal principles of freedom in emigra-
tion with which we were so familiar, and with
which We are 80 well satisfied, was great advance
toward opening that Empire to our civilization
and religion, and gave promise In the future Of
greater and greater practical results In the diff
fusion throughout that great population of our
arts and industries, our manufactures, our
material improvements, and the sentiments of
and religion, which seems to us so
important to the welfare Of mankind. The first
clause of this article secures this acceptance by
China of the American doctrines OF free mi.
grafton to and fro among the peoples and
races Of the earth. The second clause, however,
in its reprobation of any other than an entire
ly voluntary emigration" by both the high con-
tracing parties, and In the reciprocal
OBLIGATIONS whereby accnred the solemn and
engagement on the part OF the Gov.
eminent of China to pass laws making 1t penal
offense for citizen of the United States or Chi
nese subjects to take Chinese subjects either to
the United States or to any other foreign country
without their free and voluntary consent consti-
ttes the great force and value of this article Its
importance both in principle and In its practical
service toward our protection against scrvile
importation in the guise of immigra-
ton cannot be Overestimated. 1t COM
mits the Chinese Government to active
and efficient measures to suppress this Ubiquitous
system where those measures are most necessary
and can be most effectual. Itgfves to the Govern
ment footing of treaty right to such measures
and means, and opportunity Of insisting upon
their adoption and Of complaint and resentment
at their neglect.
The ffth article, therefore, If it fall short of
what the pressure of later experience Of our
Pacific States NAV urge uDOn the attention of this