Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-03-06
Veto Of the Anti.Chtneso R,,,

The presidents message vetoing the
Chinese bill was read in the house of rep.
resentatives about midnight on the 1st inst.
There was profound silence during the
reading, and afterward when the speaker
put the constitutional question, "Shall the
bill pass, the veto of the president to the
contrary Notwithstanding" the bill was re.
jected, by 100 yeas to 95 nays-much less
than the necessary two-thirds. The pEesi-
dent begins by stating that the bill, as it
was sent to the senate from the house, was
confined to the adoption of means to restrict
the immigration of Chinese to the United
States by limiting the number OF Mongoliaps
to be brought to our shores in any one ship,
but the bill Us amended in the senate and
presented to him includes an independent
provision, which aims at and in terms re-.
quire the abrogation of articles five and six
OF the Burlingame treaty. At the date
of the negotiation of this treaty our Pacific
possessions had attracted considerable
Chinese emigration, and the advantages and
inconvenience feltor feared therefrom had
become more or less manifest, but tkey die.
tated no stipulations on the subject to be
incorporated in the treaty. Article five of
said treaty recognizes the inalienable right
OF man to change his home and allegiance,
and also the mutual advantage of free migra.
ton and emigration Of citizens and subj ects;
it also contains an agreement to pass laws
making it penal offense for citizens of the
United States or Chinese subjects to inst.
tute measures for involuntary migration or
immigration. Article six extends privileges.
lmmunltles or exemptions in respect to
travel in both countries AS may be enjoyed by
the citizens or subjects of the most favored
nation, but does not provide for naturaliza
ton of citizens or subjects in either coun-
try. The fifth article, if it falls short of
what the pressure of later experience in
our Pacific states may demand, seems to be
in the right direction, and to contain i'm
portant dvantsges which ,once relinquished,
cannot be easily recovered. It commits the
Chinese government to measures to suppress
the Ubiquitous system of involuntary immi-
grafton. The object which prompted the
sixth article of the Burlingame treaty was
the protection under solemn and definite
guarantees Of Chinese subjects already in
our country and those who should seek our
shores. The treaty of 1858, to which articles
five and six are supplemental, provides for
q great amount of privilege and protection
both of person and property of American
citizens in China. The power to make new
treaties or modify existing ones is not
lodged by the constitution in congress, but
in the president, by and with the consent of
the senate. A denunciation OF treaty by
any government is justifable only upon
reasons of the highest justice and
necessity. The president continues
that while the bill before him does
not abrogate the entire Burlingame
treaty, denunciation of part of q treaty
is denunciation of the whole, and
while he is convinced that whatever mr.
gency might require the suppression of
further immigration from China, no reason
can require the immediate Withdrawal of
our present treaty protection from Chinese
subjects in our country, and no circumstance
cal. tolerate an exposure of our citizens in
China, merchants or missionaries by so sud.
den an abrogation of their treaty protection.