National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-14
SENATE.

American commerce, favorlng the passage OF tho
brazilian mail steamship subsidy amendment
Laid on the table, that subject now being on the
calendar.
tho har of the District of Columbia against the pro-
posed license tax on lawyers. Referred.
Mr. ANTHONY submitted reSol luton to print
1900 extra copies Of the last annual report Of Cnp
tain c. z. Patterson. superintendent Of the Coast
Survey. Referred.
Mr.. BECK sent to the clerk and had read n letter
from the Commissioner Of Pensions in regard TO the
debate in the Senate OF Friday last wherein IL was
stated that the Commissioner announced that 20 per
cent Of the ncnsiOn cases were fraudulent. The
Commissioner states that he must have been mis-
understood, as he had not made such statement.
He thought the fraudulent cases would moi exceed
10 per cent, or TINT s3OO0OOO would cover them NIL
bills were introduced MS follows. aud referred
EBy Mr.. CAMERON, PAL: To promote the efficiency
Of the corps of naval constructors OF the United
States navy.
by Mr. KErtoGG To secure the completion ola
ut or near Fort Clark and thence tn q point NJ or
near III Paso upon the Rio Gmude to he known rs
tho Mexican and Pacific extension Of the Galveston
aud San Antonio Railway.
ny Mr. EATON: In relation TO The mnnhlc matter
printed by the rapyrographic process referred.
MI. WHITE called up senate bill giving the con
scnt OF Congress To an agreement or compact en-.
tered into between the States of Maryland and Nir.
gnio respecting the boundaries Of those states
Passed.
Mr. MORRILL, callcd.np Senate hill authorizing
the conversion al national gold hauk., which PRO
vidcs that any national gold bank organized under
the provisions of section SIS Of the Revised stat.
ulcs may, IN the manner prescribed hy section
bdi for the conversion of banks Incorporated I'm.
der the laws Of any state, become such an nssocia'
ton MS Is authoriZcdhy section 5lh9 for carrying on
the business Of banking. and shall have the same
powers and privileges aud shall he subject To the
came duties responsibilities and rules in all re.
srects as are prescribed for such associations
The bill was passed without discussion, but sub
scquently the vote by which II was passed was. on
motion of Mr. Conkling. reconsidered. on account
of MI error in the bill In regard to one of the Sec
tions of the Revised Statutes referred tol
Spuutp DrOppplpl
the calendar.
Senate bill In relation to The payment Of taxes
Of Columbia, was passed.
Senate bill for he relief Of the heirs of General
william Thompson. OF The Revolutionary army,
was indefinitely postponed.
Senate bill to levy tax on the sale Of spiritunus
and malt liquors In 6ar'rooms and all places where
inoxiconts are sold by the drink in the District Of
Columbia was under discussion when the time al.
lotted for the consideration OF the calendar cx.
Mr. ANTuoYY, from the Committee on Printing
reported lavorably on the resolution to print the
portrait of Professor Joseph Henry, TO accompany
the memorial volume heretofore ordered by Con-
gress. Agreed TO.
Mr. MATTHEWS called up the Joint resolution to
provide for the publication and distribution OF u
supplement to the Revised Statutes OF the United
States. Passed
Mr.. THURMAN. from the Committee on the Judi.
ciary reported tavorably on the bill relating 10 the
Cumberland road In the State of Ohio and 10 au
thorize the same TO become free road. Placed on
the calendar.
The Senate then resumed consideration Of the
unfinished business, being the House bill TO restrict
the immigration Of Chinese to the United States
Mr.. BAYARD said that he would not again antag-
onze the bill to restrict Chinese immigration by
that to amend the internal revenue laws. but he
asked unanimous consent to have the revenue bill
considered immediately after the disposal OF the
Chinese bill.
Mr. WINDoM objected.
Mr.. MoRnILL submitted a resolution providing
that on and after Monday next the Senate shalt
meet at eleven o'clock a m. Laid over.
Mr.. SARGENr then addressed the Senate Oh the
lie argued that II was within the constitutional
power OF Congress 10 legislate IN contravenon TO q
courts and the Executive Departments. The prin.
cpe was laid down by Hamilton that the power of
selEdelcnse resides in nation. and the nation
must exercise IT, even though 1t act selfishly. Other
nations under lust such eXgenGes have acted Just
thorltes had passed statutes evying tax on each
Chin0man landing In certain English. colonies.
Chinese into their colonies The French colony Of
SagnOn had imposed special taxes on the Chinese
coming therein, The Chinese government had not
objected to the taxation OF its subjects by other gov
crnments. That government was not In favor of
the emigration of her peoples therefore the passage
of this bill, he did not believe, would make any
changes IN our commercial relations with china.
Al the proper time he (Nir SARGENT would pro-
pose amendments 70 the bill providing that 1t
should not affect embassies shipwIecked persons.
He would not turn away any man, however hum
bic, rescued upon the seas and brought TO our
shores II had been asked why our Pacific States
should not be open to immigration, the same as
our Atlantic States to the people of all nations The
Chimes We're unlike the people Who came to the
wanted this legislation, because the burden was I'M.
bearable. There were nowi in California more China
men than there were voters, and they were In
oTeosing enormously year by year and month by
month. There had been hope that Congress
would act upon this subject and the people OF the
Pacific coast had been persuaded TO patience. Up
TO this time there had been no violence except in
sporadic cases.
He argued that II was the duty of Congress when
there was amy discomfort among the people TO in
yestigate the causes and endcavor to remove them.
There was in san Francisco u city within city,
site cut out of Pekin. Mr.. Sargent here pictured
The Chinese quarter in San Francisco, the filth and
vices Of the Chinese, and said the Chinese did not
bring their families to this country with them.
What were the morals of 10000 men without fam
lilies? He could not discuss that subject in this
presence. He then referred to the labor question
aud asked how, could the American laborer com.
pete with the, Chinamen.? The American wanted
TO educate his children, TO live comfortable he
wanted the little conyeniences of life he wanted
American civilizaion-the Chinaman did not.
He lived IN squalid ,6arbarism. He (Mr. Sargent
had 40 sympathy with agraTl0nsm. He had no
sympathy, With Kearneyism, but some means must
bedevised to remedy this Chinese eyil.
Long years ago In 1862, he made In the House OF
Representatives the same speech he was now max.
ing, With the coolie by the side Of the white
laborer the white laboTer must slarve and he had
10 compete with the Chinaman In every avocation
of life except Journalism aud law. They had not
yet been invaded by the Chinese. An American
could not compete with a man who could sleep In
twenty cubic feet space and live on Il dead rat and
few handsful OF rice day. There were not Il
thousand men IN California VINO dld not believe as
he (Air SargcnD did on this matter. There were
many ranches held by men who attempted to cul.
uvate 10000 10000 acres OF land They said, LET
us have cheap labor. We cannot farm without H."
He (Mr. SnrgenU thought such farming should be
broken up.
The Chinese problem was being discussed in
England, In France, In Germany, and elsewhere.
AT the recent Berlin congress where the peace OF
Europe was patched up, the Russian Ambassador
called attention to the Chinese problem, and said II
threatened civilization and that unless arms be
kept out of their hands they would crush out civil
lzalion. Mr. Sargent then read from Sir Walter
Medhurst an English writer friendly 10 the Chi
nese, but who took the ground that they should be
treated as u subject people. Continuing his re-
marks Mr. Sargent sud this was not the sort of i'm.
migration our tuthers invited II was not strange
that the people OF California and the Pacific coast
asked for relief in this matter. The people of Cali
fornia and her sister States had pelioned Congress
year after year for relief.
In the East this Chinese question was being un.
dorstood by the most enlightened men. Mr. sar-
gent read Il letter nom President Andrew White OF
Cornell University, TO the effect that the Chinese
question demanded large and statesmanlike treat.
of Princeton College, to the effect that the people
of the East especially should understand this sub.
jcCt, much ignorance in regard TO II now pre-
vailed In that section. In conclusion Mr.. Sargent
said he was not well enough to speak but he
thought II duty he owed TO his people who had
honored him 50 long to lay before the Senate THEN
wants.
MIR, GROVER reviewed at length the treaties
with China and argued that IN no one the artl'
Cles OF the Burlngame treaty Of 1868 was there to
be found any privilege Of substantial value to any