Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-19
Outrageous Work at Washington.

The anti-Chinese bill is high-handed
iniquily. There is no Righteousness in it.
1t is at war with tho nineteenth century.
1t is a denial of the declaration Of indie
pendence. It .tramfles under foot the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
if enacted and approved it will come back
to plague the men and the parties whose
votes frame mischief bya law" And
like all unholy Legislation 1t will be repeal
ed-if not in the sober second thought Of
men, then in the whirlwind of Heavens
disapprobation.
Our hore is that the Senate and the
House will so differ upon some amend
ments proposed by the Senate that the bill
will never get to The White House. And
further We hope President Hayes will dare
to veto the sin-born measure.
1t is a shame to our country that con-
gress should entertain the thought Of
, breaking its treaty with China without
due and formal notice and with no en-
deayor first to secure any desirable changes
in the solemn and once landed compact.
The bill iegislate5 against the natural
rights of man. No part of this world is
or can be the exclusive possession of any
nation. The world belongs to mankind.
Every man has II right to travel on all
public ways-to toll WHEREVER lie can find
work to do-and to live wherever he
chooses.
Any nation might exclude travellers and
traders and immigrants from every other
nation and it would violate common hui
man rights no more than does this propos-
ed law against the Chinese Ifthe United
States may 50 far exclude the Chinese then
we might forbid even one more China
man to get foot on our Shores, and then
equally in point of principle we might
send home every Chinaman now here.
And by the same right Cor ,orong) China
may limit and wholly forbid the coming
of Americans to her shores. Yea, if this
proposed law is Just China might justly
order every merchant and missionary out
of her territory. The world must and
will condemn any such legislation The
booming of English and American cannon
in the ports of eastern Asia is still heard.
1t is too late in this great century to hold
it n crime for any man to stand or toll OF
seek home anywhere. And Of all ma
tons our own ID the last to leCislate
against the " nalienable rights " of man.
A senator may talk about choosing be-
tween the civilization of Confucius and
the civilization of Christ but if he never
knew it or has forgotten, he needs to be
told thlt doing unto others as we would
have them do to u.s." is Tie supreme uW
of =" the civilization of Christ." As no
nation of Christians would welcome Il law
excluding them from other nations so we
may not by law forbid other people com
ing 10 us. If this law is good and right
then may nations, if they sec fit, exclude
the Christian missionary notwithstanding
he is commissioned to "go into all the
world and preach the gospel to every
creature"
Admit that the Chinese are heahon and
therefore ignotant and vile in many ways.
Yet this is not the burden of complaint
against them. Their great crime 90 is
this-lhey work cheaper than many Amer
icans are willing to and they can work
cheaper because they live cheaper and
more simply. Ifthis justifes their exclu,
sion why not legislate against machinery
which enables one man to Go the work OF
ten or thousand?
If the Chinese are industrious and frugal
and reliable i'll their work, US all admit.
then welcome them. The work-markei
of America does not belong to Dennis any
more than to John,
In scanning the votes for and agains
this measure we find both parties divided.
The democrats furnish the larger proper
ton of votes for the bill, but leading re-
publiclns also in both Houses spoke and
voted for it And so it is not exclusively
Il party measure. Yet we reckon that its
anmus is decidedly partisan. The Pacific
coast vote is likely to be much needed by
both plrties in 1880, and it looks n.
though purity leaders were bid Hing for that
vote.
Poor policy, gentlemen, to sacrifice IL
principle. 1t is impossible to outbiL the
devil, but it is easily possible to out d q
him in righteousness. The party that
resorts to any compromise OF principle
may count its days numbered and regard
its glory rs departing. The Statesman
does not wait on the whims and preiudices
OF day on Il locality in his speeches or
votes. Majoritics and minorities ale of
little account when complrel with princi-
pies
The great questions in Amcric IN politics
for many years have involved fundamental
principles. The intensity of our political
zeal from time to time is due to this fact
With very much corruption there is also
very much conscience in American cleo
tons. And the victory, late or early, be
it after Il war of words or swords, is on the
side Of ris hi.
Slavery had TO die, honest money did
win, and so long rs
\ mans man Tor ~ that"
law cannot be put upon the American
statute book and remain compelling the
Chinese or any other people to g or for.
bidding them to come. Il.
An eighteen foot tlv-wheel in the Biz