The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-04
WASHINGTON,
The Presidents Veto Of the Chinese bill

WASHINGTON, March 3.-The following
is the presidents message to the house Of
representatives, vetoing the bill to restrict
Chinese immigration:
To the House of Representatives.: After
very careful consideration Of house bill
2433, l herewith return it to the house
with my objections to its passage. The
bill, as it was sent to the senate from the
house OF representatives, was conhned 10
its provisions to the object named 10 Its
title, An Act to restrict the Immigration OF
Chinese to the United States. The only
means adopted to secure the proposed OBJ"
ieet was limitation in the number OF Chi
nese passengers which might be brought to
this country by any one vessel to fifteen, and
as this number was not fixed in any pro-
portion to the size or tonnage OF the vessel,
or by any consideration Of safety or accom-
mediation of these passengers. the simple
purpose and effect of the enactment we're
to repress this immigration to an extent
falling but little short OF its absolute eX-
clusiOn. The bill, as amended in the SEN
ate, and now presented to me, includes an
independent and additional provision which
aims at and in terms requires the abroga-
ton by this government OF articles i've and
six of the treaty with China, commonly
called the Burlingame treaty, through the
action of the executive eDjoined by this
provision OF the act. The president here
discusses the Burlingeme treaty, and con-
cludes that it is substantially corporate
part of the original principal treaty, of
equal and concurrent force with it. This
original treaty, ratified August Is, 1859,
recltes that the United States Of America
and the Using Empire, desiring to maintain
firm LASTING nd oipoara friaudahip have
resolved to renew in a manner clear and
positive, by means of treaty or general
convention of peace, amity aud commerce,
the rules of which shall in future be nu-
tualy observed in the intercourse of their
respective countries, and proceeds IN its
30 articles to lay out a careful and compre-
hensive system for the commercial rela-
tons Of our people with China. The sub
stance of all provisions of this treaty is to
define and secure the rights of our people
in respect Of access to, residence and pro-
lection 10, aud trade with China. The
actual provisions in our favor in these res
Iecss we're framed to be and have been found
to be adequate and appropriate to the in
terest Of our commerce, and by concluding
the article we receive the important
guaranty that should at any time the Ia
Using empire grant to any nation, mer-
chants or citizens of any nation any right,
privilege or favor connected either with
navigation, commerce, political or other
Intercourse, which is not conferred by this
treaty, such right, privilege aud favor shall
at once freely insure to the benefit of the
United States, its public officers, merchants,
and citizens. Against this body of the
stipulations in our favor, and this perma-
nent engagement Of equality in respect of
all future concessions to foreign nations,
the general promise of permanent peace
and good Offices on our part seems to be the
only equivalent for this. The first article
undertakes as follows:
There shallI be, as there has always
been, peace and friendship between the
United States of America and the TIA
Using empire, and between their people
respectively they shall not insult or op-
press each other for any trifing cause &c
as 70 produce enlargement between them,
aud If any other nation should act unjust.
ly or oppressively TIE United States viii
exert their good offices on being informed
OF the case to bring about an amicablc
arrangement OF the question, thus showing
their friendly feeling
At the date of the negotiation of this
treaty our Pacific possessions had attract
cd considerable Chinese emigration, and
the advantage and inconvenience felt OF
feared thorefrom had become more or less
manifest, but they dictated no stipulation
on the subject to be incorporated 10 thC
greatly. The year 1868 was marked By
the striking event ola spontaneous EN-
oassy from the Chinese empire, headed
by an American citizen, Arson Burlin
game, who had relinquished his diploma
tic representation OF his own country il
China to assume that OF the Chinese EN-
plre to the United States and European
nations. BY this time the facts CT ChDes
immigration and its Dature and influence
present and prospective, had become NOR
noticeable and were more observed by tht
population Immediately affected and By
this government. The principal featur
Of the Burlingame treaty was it's atten
ton and its treatment of Chinese immi
grafton as forming q part of our population
Up to this time our unconvenanted hos
pltal to Immigration, our fearless liberty
Of citizenship, our equal and comprehen
aige justice 10 all inhabitants, wbethe
they abiured foreign nationality or not
our civil religious federation, had made al
corners welcome, and under these proiec
lions the Chinese IN considerable mum ber
had made their Judgment upon our soil
The Bur!lugame treaty undertakes t
deal with this situation, and it's fifth anC
sixth articles embrace it's most importan
provisions in this regard, and the matt
stipulation in which the Chinese Govern
meut has secured an obligatory protection
OF its subjects within our territory They
read as follows
:, AETicLn 5. The United States of America ant
the Emperor OF China cordially recognize the in
herent ara inalienhble right of man to change hi
home and allegiance, and also the mutual advan.
tagc OF Tree immigration and emigration OF thci
CITIZENS ana subjects respectively from one coun-
try to the other for PURPOSES Of curiosity trade o.
GS armament residence. The high csutractinl
parties therefore Join in reprobatng any other thai
entirely voluntary emigration. For these purpCs
they consequently agree 10 pass laws making it a
penal cdcnse for citizen Of the United States OF
Chinese subjects TO take Chinese subjects either d
the United States or to any other foreign country
or for Chinese subjects or citizens of the limited
states 10 take citizens OF the United States "a
emma, or 10 any other foreign country, without
melr Tree and voluntary consent respectively
sRTIcLE g. Citizens of the United States visit
1ng or residing in China shall enjoy the same
privileges, immuntiee or exemptions i'm respcct "a
travel or residence as there may be enjoyed BY ci
2ens or subjects of the most favo ed nation, aud re
cprOcally Chinese subjects visiting or residing ia
the United States shall enjoy the same privileges
lmmunities and exemptions in respect to residence
or travels that there be euioyed nv citfzpns ~,
sabiccts Of the most favored nation but nothing
herein contained shall he held 20 infer naturaliza
lion upon citizen OF the United States In China
OF subjects OF China in the United States.
Examination of these two articles in the
light OF the experience then influential In
suggesting their necessity, will show that
the 18th article was framed ia hostility To
what seemed the principal mischief TO be
guarded against, to wit. The introduction
OF Chinese abOrpra no YnatbodS nh, II