The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-02-27
The Great Debate .

Oue OF the most notable lucluentS q
/ Thursdays debate in the Senate on the
Chinese question was Sargent's remark.
able assertion that the Chinese Embassy
have discouraged or rejected all pro-
pOsals for a modification Of the Bur-
/ lingame treaty. This was Immediately
confirmed by the tacit acquiescence oi
Stanley Matthews, a member Of the
committee on foreign relations, who
took the floor in opposition TO the bill,
yet was unable TO deny this damaging
statement. In consideration of the fact
/ that the President was instructed to ne
gOtiate modification Of the treaty fully
a year ago, and that the time that has
since elapsed has been wholly consumed
in aseeFtaiBing that China prefers not
To be addressed on the subject, the ne
cessity Of Congressional action is appar-
ent. This necessity is rendered more
absolute by the further fact that the en-
Dassy at Washington possesses no power
whatever To act, but is a mere medium
Of communication with the home gov
ernment.
Months and years might be purposely
consumed in tedious correspondence and
formalities without the slightest practf-
cal good being accomplished, and in the
meantime the Pacific States would be
entirely Overrun with Asiatic hordes.
The propriety of Congressional action
and the utmost importance of it is thus
cOnclusively shown, and could have
been demonstrated at no time more pro-
pitiOus. The eOnstitutiOuality Of such
action needs no advocacy, for the abro-
cation of a disastrous treaty is an act Of
self-preservation aud a prerogative of
independent nationality.
Promptly on time yesterday afternoon
the debate reOpened, Blaine having the
Hoor. His effort was powerful and brill
liant, the galleries breaking into applause
for the second time since the war. He
branded the Burlingame treaty as the
exclusive creation of Chinese diplomacy,
designed for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of
China, and comforting no privileges on
this country that previous treaty had
not already secured. He claimed that
China persistently violated the most
important provision i'm the instrument
that which plainly prohibits the
coolie traffic-and that, unlike ordinary
treaties, this provided for no method of
being terminated, and, in consequence,
international law fully Justified its ab-
rogation without recourse to diplomacy.
y leading point in his speech was tell
ing reference to the former action Of the
Senate in refusing, by a vote of 81 to g.
to admit Chinese to citizenship, and a
declaration that a race that are unfit to
become citizens are totally UNQUALIFIED
to be mingled, in overwhelming num-
bers, with our recognized population,
thus degrading our free citizens to the
level of serfs. With the facilities at
hand for ocean transportation, the Chi
nese, he declared, were nearer the Pa
cilic Coast than the citizens If the Mis-
sissippi Valley are. His arguments
/ throughout were earnest and uuanswer-
able, and were delivered with character
istic force.
/ Mitchell, Of Oregon, followed with a
written speech, embodying familiar but
I potent arguments, on the conclusion of
which Matthews submitted a substitute,
/ providing for the abrogation of the
treaty after July /. 1850, unless China
shall consent to the negotiation Of a
more satisfactory one within a year.
This mere artitice to postpone action
was temporarily laid on the table, upou
which Thurman briefly spoke in strong
advocacy of the bill, sustaining its equal
ity and citing the abrogation of the
French treaty, in l79S, by act Of Con-
gress. He also called attention to the
act that if all our treaties with China
/ were duuulltQf tuolle llllU grafton
would still be at liberty to continue un-
til restricted by national legislation.
Several necessary amendments, cal
culated to strengthen the bill, having
been adopted, Jones of Nevada took the
I floor and delivered an elaborate but i'll
/ timed speech, at the conclusion of which
| Conkliug spoke strongly in favor of an
amendment he introduced intended TO
defeat the bill. Bruce, the eolored Sen
atOr from Mississippi, also opposed the
/ bill; HOar of Massachusetts presented
| the sentimental view of the question,
and finally, worn out with the pro-
I tracted discussion, and in spite Of the
efforts Of the Pacific Coast members to
I hold the body together until a favorable
vote could be reached, the Senate ad-
jOnrned. To-day a vote will certainly be
taken, and it is regarded as beyond ques-
tion that the bill will pass by a meager
majority.
This may be pronounced one Of the
most remarkable debates that has taken
place in the Senate for years, and is par
alleled only by that concerning the
electoral count. The ability and fame
OF the leading speakers, the momentous
interests at stake aud the uncertainty of
the result have created the prOfoundest
interest in the matter a. che national
Capital.-.S T. Chronicle, February Is