South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1879-03-07
Veto of the Bill Restricting Chit
nese Immigration.


sent in TO Congress on SATURDAY,. II 4 tom
perate, logical. weil-considered document.
such - viii attract the attention and COM
mand the respect of the country. The
President gives n full account of the bill
As IL passed the House and was amended
in the Senate, and couples this with his
tory of the so-cailed Burlingame treaty
and description of the articles In it TO
which the bill under consideration runs
counter. He contends that when this
supplementary treaty was negotiated, III
1868, our country hid already had con-
siderable experience in Chinese i,nmigra-
ton, and the advantages and inconye-
niences felt or feared therefrom had be-
come more or less manifest, but they die
tated no stipula tions on the subject to be
Incorporated III the treaty. On the con-
trary, the Burhngame treaty had but two
objects, one TO prevent the influx Of q
coolie, or involuntary immigration, the
other TO secure the protection Of Chinese
III America, Americans III China being
already protected 10y the treaty of 1853,
TO which Burlingame's treaty was supple
mentary. up to this time" the Presi-
dent says, "our uncovenanted hospitality
to immigration our fearless liberty of
citizenship our equal and comprehen-
Slve Justice TO all inhabitants, whether
they abiured their foreign nationality or
not; our civil freedom and our religious
liberation, had made all corners welcome,
and under these projections the Chinese
IN considerable numbers had made their
lodgment upon cur soil" The treaty
gave full protection TO Chinese on our
soil, and reciprccally renewed the same
degree Of liberty and privileges to our
merchants and missionaries in China. and
the President is Convinced that what
ever injury might in any quarter or by
any interest be supposed to require an in
slant suppression of further immigration
from China, no reasons can require the
immediate withdrawal Of our treaty pro-
lection from the Chinese already in this
country, and no circumstances can tole-
rate an exposure Of our citizens in China,
merchants and missionaries, 70 the con-
sequences of SO sudden an ahrogation Of
their treaty protection" There is no
precedent for the abrogaticn of treaty
on part Of treaty 10y act of Congress.
but the President saws that il is a prin
ciP!e ia international law'' that a denun-
cation OF part of a treaty, not made hy
tho terms of the treaty itself separate
from tho rest, IS a denunciation Of the
whole treaty. As thc other high con
t'actinG party has entered into no treaty
Obligations except such as include Il @
part denounced, the denunciation by one
party Of tie pant necessarily iiLcratcs the
other party from the whole treaty. In
other words, the effect Of an amendment
which was made to the Chinese exclusion
bill rs originally Introduced. requiring
the government 10 notify the Chinese
Emperor IL the abrogation Of articles }
and Of the Burlingamc treaty, would
DE such, II the bill were to become a law.
as to involve not only the abrogation OF
the whole BurlIngamc treaty. but a SO OF
the treaties Of 1883, to which il was sup
Elementary. aud from which all the pro
lection that Americans have in China is
derived. The President does not deny
that there i serious discomfort on the
Pacific coast, and grave cause for it in
the Chine5e immigration, and he saws
that thi5 j. and ought to be subject of
consideration and diplomacy. as it ia our
natural policy to secure ourselves against
larger aud more rapid Infusion of this
foreign race "thau our system Of industry
and society can take up and a3similato
with ease and safety" He saws that the
Chinesc government, "I7llinga polite and
sensitive people, distinguished 10y a high
sense Of national pride" may be trusted
TO u ect Us half way in these necessary
new arrangements. In the meantime
the people on the Pacific coast have no
cause for immediate apprehension pend
ing the negotiations now being made
There l. such a recession in the flow Of
emigration from China, shown. IA the
President says, by trustworthy statistics
that It is not likely that any ''new fea-
turc Of discomfort or disturbance among
the communities directly affected" will
be introduced. But, even if there were
danger Of such disturbances, it would not
be so inconvenient to "the wider and
more permanent interests Of the coun-
try the President thinks, "as the sum
mary disturbance Of our existing treaties
with China" The faith of the nation is
involved, as well "a its interest and poll
cy, and. the the message concludes, ''our
history gives little occasion for any re
preach in this regard, - and in asking the
renewed attention Of Congress TO this bill
the President feels persuaded that their
action will maintain the public duty and
the public honor"
II viii not b. denied that the President
could not DO anything else with this bill
except veto it. The objects aimed at in
the bill If legitimate, ought TO have been
sought in more legitimate ways Few
persons who calmly review the question
will be- inclined 90 doubt that in the fual
analysis those objects arc Legitimate and
desirable The California people who
have had % encounter the Chinese immi
grafton sought 81 be restricted, arc al
ought 90 be- the best Judges Of the mat
ter. The Aoekug Of the Chinese ~ ou
Pacific coast is not immigration I'M On,
sense m which our invitation t. all ua.
. J !. ! 4