The New York herald., 1879-02-28

OF the Pacific coast.
Senator Blaine in recent letter asserts that the
talk about trade is made only by those VIII, do not
understand the question. Last year. he says. our
exports TO an Cnina ports were put soszvo STATS
$A392. $685. in 1877 $5,d52 272; in 1878. s60lG.543.
Our specie exports in 1876 slo9ls967; i'll 1877,
SIT G0l 274 in 1875 $1l 6S2 32 The increase in
exports thus far this fiscal S627 9lS We
just entering upon new era with the Empire of
and restricted. After long waiting now gradu-
ally overcoming the prejudces of her people, acquir-
ms their commence ana making our way into their
domains Some of their rivers are opened to our
commerce. giving to us new and important markets
for our products China has for the first time ac-
credited resident minister at Washington, and now,
by our own mistake, shall we shut the door it has
taken so many years to open9 Mr.. President. hope
these resolutions will be passed unanimously.
Mr.. Elliot O. Cowdin offered resolution to pre-
sent memorial to the President tho subject. and
Mr. Isaac p Phillips proposed as an amendment that
y committee of three be appointed TO present them.
MR. CowDINs REMARKS.
Mr.. Cowdin's address follows:-
Mr.. PREsIDENT-The international relations of man.
kind are proper subject for systematic policy.
From this broad foundation spring treaties between
built the acceptance Of duties rather than the
assertion of rights. All treaties between nations
wSat no Ga the pot0 but but
extraordinary action Of our national legisla-
tors in regard to our hitherto much vaunted
treaties with the Chinese government? California
has to Congress with three special complaints
with regard to the Chinese, and these complaints
have proved sufficient to excite and might almost
say to frghten, nation OF well nigh fifty millions
of people into proceeding unprecedented in it's
history.
Fyrst-That the Chinese coming to this country
in overwhelming numbers, and by an unfair compe
ttion with white labor driving it from the field
.yecond-That this enormous immigration is not
voluntary, but that these Cinnamon are in reality
Tt,rd-That their vices make them demoralixing
and destructive element in a community.
Now, what are the facts? AS to the enormous i'm
migration. the official records of the Francisco
Custom House show that Of all the Chinese who had
arrived in California for the twenty years ended
July l. 1868, nearly three-eighths had returned to
China, and that the total number remaining at that
time the Pacific coast was less than sixty five
thousand. Since that time the reports of the United
States Bureau Of Statistics indicate that not more
than forty y-eight thousand, at liberal estimate
have been added to that number IL we allow the
same percentage as in previous years for their re-
turning. According to these figures it is
difficult to how there be. on the
whole Pacific slope. more than about one
through all the States and Territories OF that vast
region. As to the number in California ITSELF so
late authority as the Sacramento Union OF the 18th
OF the present month estimates it at not more than
sixty thousand. Are these numbers now increasing?
shed record of arrivals and departures for the last
six months IN 1878 show that during that period
4.646 Chinese sailed from California, while only 1855
arrived there. So much for the overwhelming
volume Of Chinese immigration AS to the allega-
tion that these Cinnamon creating unfair
petition especially detrimental to white labor, let
see what they have done.
WHAT CHINESE HAVE DONE.
The State records or Cal1fOrnla show that the
Chinese, 80 early as 1861, paid In taxes licenses.
water rates for mining the purchase Of native pro-
ducts and in other ways directly beneficial to the
country, upward of 900 in single year. An
excellent authority estimated that in 1867 this
had increased to being $45 to each one of
the white population of the State estimating that
population at 400 600. Can such sum pass into the
general business of State without greatly benefit
ing its industrial classes' What sane man.
who is annually relieved OF $45 of taxa
ton, accuse the people who have done
this OF burdening the communitvp (Applause.)
Chinese industry and frugality but it is great in
Justice to the tOng masses OF America to question
for moment their ability to cope successfully with
the people OF less favored nations. The recent uni
versul expositions have shown concusively that in
industrial pursuits we can compete with even the
most enlightened peoples OF the globe. But il
10000 miles of ocean navigation. ignorance Of
our language, and the advantages or the Christian
faith with s it's special capabilities for developing
strength in civilization do not furnish with suf-
cent protection against these ignorant heather
Asatlcs, for Heavens sake do not let put such .
hulniliating admission on our statute books. TAP
plause)
Let us now look at the question TO the volun-
Seward our present Minister to China, and more
than years Consul and Consul General in that
Empire. has written explicitly This immigration
has been entirely voluntary in its character
DIR. s. Wells Williams for more than twenty years
our Secretary OF Legation. and repeatedly acting
Minister to China. says:-"They come and go from
their shores just as freely as Americans do from
theirs
Further authority is certainly unnecessary, yet
this high testimony be confirmed by the report
Of almost every official who has investigated the sub
jet.
THE VICES OF THE CHINESE A PHANTOM
With regard to the charge that the vices of the
Chinese make them dangerous class, we have tho
testimony of the Cafornians themselves, given ut
time when politics had not entered into this qnes
ton. In 1862 joint select committee Of the Calfor
mia Legislature made report in which these pass
ages occur:-'Tt is charged that the Chinese de-
moralize the whites. We cannot iud any ground for
the allegation. We adopt none of their habits. form
no social relations with them, but keep them sepa-
rate and apart. distinct, inferior They work
for us they help build up State by contrbu-
ting largely to our taxes to our shipping, farming
and mechanical interests. without to any extent
tering these departments as competitors. They are
denied privileges equal with other foreigners; they
cannot VOTE testify in courts OF justice have
any voice in making our laws. nor mingle with us in
social life. Certainly wo have nothing to fear from
SO contemned and restricted" These facts
sir should be accepted as conclusive answer to this
charge.
Chinese women are brought here solely for immoral
purposes the report just quoted says that this prac
tice lis abhorrent to their respectable merchants
it is to U.S." And in a memorial addressed to the
President in 1876 by the Six Chinese Companies of
San Francisco these merchants state the fol-
lows'.A few years ago our Chinese merchants tried
to send these prostitutes back to China and succeeded
in getting large number on board the outgoing
steamer; but certain lawyer OF your honorable
nation (said to be the author and bearer OF these
resolutions against our people,. in the employ of un
princpled Chinamen. procured q writ Of habeas
shore again; and the court decided that they
had right to stay in this country II
they so desired. The extent OF this cvi abhorrent
it is is greatly overcstimated. According the
annual report of the Bureau of Statistics the whole
number OF Chinese women who came to this country
during the fiscal year of 1877 only seyenty-sx.
These, Mr.. President, some of the grounds on
which Congress has hastily decided to reverse the
established policy OF the government and abruptly
break the faith of the nation solcmnly pledged in
the Burlingame Treaty of 1868. In this emergency
and such subject We should not take counsel of
our fears, but look steadily ut facts. The evils which
it is predicted will how from Chinese immigrant III
are not only located in the far off future, but
they exisa chiefly in the domain of the Imagination.
There Is no basis for the superstructure of alarm
which many persons arc aboring to erect. There
is not the slightest symptom of that Asatc inunda
ton upon continent which these people foretel.
The genuine American element of the country is not
disturbed by these forebodings. The outcry against
the Chinese springs chiefly from small class not
natives to our soil. The original stock which
carried the thirteen colonies through the
Revolution and organized the government
der the constitution and has ii grow
from hree millions to nearly fifty millions OF people
and has welcomed 10 shores and to equal par.
tieipation in civil and religious privileges such