The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-30
The Democrats do "A Foolish Thing.

tdb III 0OukItSHs anu III lit tdIlt lllllt Out
Of the most bitter and unscrupulous Of par
tisans, said, after thorough study OF the
Chinese question: 4 cardinal principle Of
our Government proclaimed in the Declare
ton of Independence in the Articles OF
Confederation. and recognized in our Con-
sttution. is that our country is open TO
immigrants from all parts OF the world;
that II was TO be the asylum Of the op-
pressed and unfortunate" On this prin-
oiple the late Senator MORTON declared that
10 exclude the Chinese from our shores by
legislation would be to stultfy the consti-
tutional amendments and enactments estab-
fishing the equal rights of all men, without
regard TO race or color, and would be "a
long step in the denial of the brotherhood
Of man, and the broad, humanitarian policy
naugurated by our fathers"
At the time when Senator MORTON wrote
this opinion, the anti-Chinese movement in
California had made such progress under
the leadership OF demagogucs like DTN1s
kEARNEY and EFFIGY SARGENT, that IL was
obvious to any clearsighted politician that
sooner or later the question must divide
the two great parties in the State. Which
party would become the champion Of equal
ilkHAo W III NNlhNiNf anu NAlANh HhA -
would sell itself for the votes of a mob, was
still uncertain. Both the Democratic and
the Republican National Conventions OF 1876
had timidly bid in their platforms for the
antl-Chincse vote in that close and doubtful
State, and the question had not yet become
party issue Senator MoRToN's words,
not published until after his death, came as
a solemn warning TO the Republican party
not to commit itself TO a shortsighted, UNI
sound, and abominable policy for the sake
Of a momentary advantage.
The Democratic majority in the House of
Representatives, day before yesterday,
committed its party to this shortsighted,
unsound. and abomnablc policy. With the
aid Of some Republicans it passed, by
vote OF l5j to ~, bill prohibiting any mas
ter OF an American vessel from taking on
board at foreign port more than fifteen
Cinnamon, with intent to bring them to the
United States, and fixing a penalty Of 500
for every Chinaman In excess Of fifteen.
Perhaps no measure that ever before
passed party caucus and one branch of
Congress was open to so many objections as
this one. In their indecent haste to secure
the hoodlum vote, the Democrats OF the
that might have exposed the ridiculous, un-
just, fraudulent, and foolish character Of the
bill. We will exhibit some of its features
1t is ineffective to meet the purpose de-
signed. The prohibition and the penalty
are laid not upon the act OF disembarking
Chinese passengers upon our shores, but
upon the act OF taking them on board at a
foreign port. The misdemeanor can only
be committed on the deck Of the ship as she
lies in Chinese harbor. The power Of Con-
gress to legislate concerning ships lying in
foreign ports extends only TO American
ships. Neither Mr.. LUTTRELL, nor Mr..
WILLIS OF Kentucky. nor Mr.. SUNSET Cox
can say that the Captain Of a British ship
lying nj Hong Kong shall not take on board
sixteen, or sixty, or six hundred Chinese
passengers, and weigh anchor with intent to
land them at san Francisco Nor can they
prevent the Captain OF the British ship,
though he be an American citizen and all
his crew Americans, from landing his six
teen, or sixty, or six hundred Chinese pas
scngers on the wharf at san Francisco. II
there Is to be a tremendous tide Of Mongo-
Ian immigration, and if the population of
the Celestial Empire are bont upon removing
themselves and their pagan vices to this
country, ships with foreign registers Will
enjoy an enormous traffic and this bill will
have no moro effect than illumination
against the moons phases.
1t is ridiculous In its operation. As the
bill passed the House, it does not oven OK
cept diplomatic embassies from the rcstric-
ton as to numbers. When CHEN Ian PIN
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plcnl-
potentary of the Chinese Emperor, recently
arrived at our shores, he was accompanied
by more than forty persons. Under this
bill the Captain Of the Pacific Mail steamer
which brought CHEN Ian PIN across the
Pacific would have been Obliged to REFUSE
him passage unless he curtaiod his suite
If the Emperor OF China should decide tc
send a commission Of thirty noble and
scholarly mandarins to report upon the
superior civilization Of the United States
the commission would have to cross the
ocean in detachmcnts Of fifteen If the En-
peror himself should please to pay Us the
honor Of visit in person, he would be
warned off the dock Of an American
steamer, provided his suite numbered NOR,
than fifteen souls.
The bill is unconstitutional Not one
member who voted Tor it would claim fo'
an instant that Congress has right t
restrict the immigration from Queenstown
from Havre, from Bremen, or from Liver
pool. What right has it to say that s,
many passengers and no more shall TAXI
passage for America at the port Of Honl
Kong And in discussing this question i
must be remembered that, as Mr.. MoBTo>
pointed out we have to deal directly with {
power nearer, stronger, and perhaps more
jealous OF it's international rights, than
China. All our Chinese immigration comes
from Hong Kong, British province. Any
Legislation Of ours that intcrferes with th'
ombarkation OF any class Of people from {
British port is an Interference with the trade
and commerce Of that port, for which W.
Shall have TO answer 70 Great Britain.
Finally, the bill abrogates solemn treaty
mtered into with rs and at our solicitation
by the Chinese Government. AIr. WILLIS O
kentucky, in advocating the passage o
this unrghteous and dishonest measure, il
reported to have said that, under the Con
etftutinp "a traatv vac mot mora lipJfr,