Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-22
EEECHER.
He Is as Indignant that tbe Chinese
Should be Restricted to immigration
BY Fifteens as Most People
are that Ne Should
still Continue
to Preach.

here tonight, spoke his mind clearly
and forcibly on the Chinese question,
leading up to it by a general review of
the history of immigration to this
country. He said he knew what the
prejudice was against the Mongolians.
he knew that the Chinaman was de-
spised and hated, but he was not so
despised nor hated as the jew was five
hundred years ago. He did not plead
the Chinamen's cause from any per-.
sonal liking for them, but they were
men who had come to our shores, and
had just as much right to immunity
under our laws and government as
they had to breathe the air of this
continent. Applause. They had
rights which white men were bound
to respect in this land. In America
liberty could not be destroyed in any
one class and maintained in another.
Violence would be done to the whole.
Applause. The Chinese were in
genious, ineffably industrious. frugal.
full of forethought aud care,
and a better industrial popu-
lation never swarmed upon the
shores of California. Applause.
And yet what was it attempted to do ?
The watchword of politics in Califor-
MIA was, Then Cinnamon must 90 p
Laughter. Who set this in motion?
The very men who could least afford
to do 1.-THE workingmen. Ignorant,
blind, passionate, they had set in mo-
ton a ours of policy which to-day
fell upon the Cinnamon, but, to-mor-
row, or in another generation, might
come back upon them with a ruinous
rush that would destroy them. 1t
was the doctrine of the right of the
common people, of the laboring men,
to all the opportunities and immunities
of this land that was being violated in
the Monaghan, and nothing would
prevent, by and by, a corner being
formed against the French, or Irish,
or German, or any other class of our
people. 1t was a violation of equity.
a violation of custom, a violation of
every principle that had made our land
what it was. They had right to come,
and they had a right to stay. Loud
applause. 1t was saidtheir civilization
was cheaper. Did civilization. then,
help men, or hinder them? What
kind of civilization was it that made a
man a master and less industrious?
The civilization of the grog-shop and
corners, of sand lots, and of men that
wanted to work six hours, and fool
away ten, and sleep the rest, could not
stand in competition. Applause.
If men would get up earlier, and work
more, and drink less, and smoke less,
they would have money enough.
Applause. 1t was said that the
Chinaman was an idolator. A man
who could withstand the influences of
Christianity as he had done must not
be allowed to associate with Chris.
tians. We had stoned him, and
dubbed him. and prosecuted him. and
tried religion on him in every shane
almost, and he would not embrace it.
Oh, delicious We were sending.
nevertheless, hundreds of thousands
Of dollars to support missionaries in
China. Laughter and applause.
Mr.. Beecher maintained that there
was plenty of room in this country
for the Cinnamon, mentioning
the fact that only one-thirtieth
part of the tillable lands of
the United States were occupied, and
that there was abundant opportunity
for the application of their patient.
careful labor. Considering next the
relations between the two countries.
the lecturer said. Having by her
own hand led China out of her seclu-
sion and into the ranks of nations.
and made a solemn treaty with her.
what did the United States propose to
do? Reconsider hat treaty and abol-
ish it? No it meant, in the most
dastardly and cowardly manner, to
pretend to keep the treaty, but at the
same time to render it invalid. For
this great and sovereign nation to
palter with its treaty with that far
Oriental nation, and abrogate a treaty
by so despicable a device as that, to
mark itself down as a treaty breaking
nation, to mark on its brow the word
'Bully-fOr it would not dare to
break a treaty with Great Britain, nor
with France, nor with Germany, in
any such mode as that-was mean and
short-sighted beyond expression and
a man who advocated such a policy
as that, who undertook while that
policy was in vogue to break it,
he would never lift a hand to vote
for, and would stigmatize as a betrayer
of his country. Loud applause. 1t
was not an outrage against China. 1t
was an outrage against the United
States OF America. 1t was not a wrong
20 the MOngolian, II was a wrong
done TO every American. | plead for
the Chinaman,' said Mr.. Beecher, in
closing, because / plead for my coun,
try and for its constitution, lis honor
and its integrity. For myself and for
my children, and for future genera
tons chat shall come up in the DAYS
that are before US, | plead that the
escutcheon Of this nation may not be
spotted or talntod, and that dema.
gogues may not, for base temporary
use, place you and me and our posteri-
" IN tho position Of treaty-breakors
Of bullying strong men, assailling tho
rights Of the weak and trcading them
under foot Applause.
Opera In Germany.
Revue des Dcux Mondes,I