Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-02-20

BAD FAITH,-The treaty known
and named after BurIingame, made By
the United States with China ia 1858,
sontalns the following clause:
The United States Of America aaAthe
Emperor OF China cordially recognize
the Inherent and Inalienabls tight Of
man 70 change bis home and slIegisnce,
and also the mutual advantage Of the
tree migration and emigration Of their
Citizens and subjects respectively, from
one country TO the other, for purposes Of
curiosity. Of trade, or a. permanent res
idents."
The 2nd section ofthe act, passed by
our House Of Representatives on the
2slh Of January last. and amended and
adopted by the senate on The 18th In
slant, and now only awaiting the sig
nature OF the President to be promulga-
ted As law, reads as follows:
"SEc. 2. That whenever the mastered
other person in charge Of any such ves-
sci tIkes on board the same, at any fo.-
eign port or place. any greater number
Of Chinese passengers than isPrescribed
in the first section Of this act, with in
4ent to bring such passengers TO the
United States, and leave such port or
place and bring such passengers to any
number exceeding fifteen on one voyage
within The Jurisdiction Of the United
States, he shall be deemed guilty OF
misdemeanor. and shall, for each pas
senger so taken on board and brought
within the jurisdiction Of the United
States exceeding the number Of fifteen,
be fined $l0e, and may also be inn
rrisoned Tor not exceeding six months"
The act, Of which we give the 2nd
section above, was passed without pre-
viods notice 10 China Of any wish or
intention on the part Of the United
States to sbrogate treaty which was
made at our instance and almost under
our coercion. And not only this, the
proposition Of Senator Conkling to give
the proper and usual notice was dis
tinctly voted down. It 10 melancholy
10 note in the Senate debates on the
abrogation of this treaty that not even a
plausible reason was assigned for break
ing up without notice our treaty rela-
tons with China. That Chinese immi
grafton Is an evil or that the Burlin-
game treaty ought never TO have been
adopted may be true. Surely, howev-
er, China was entitled 10 notice and IL
10 certain, il either France or England
had sustained the same relations to US
that she does that the notice would
have been given. The plain truth is.
the abrogation Of the treaty with
out notice on our part - an act
Of bad faith, and we submit that
the reason the Senate debates on
the subject show no just cause for the
course pursued is because none could
be shown. The motive for this dis
graceful act is unhappily but too trans
parent. Chinese immigration is unpop.
ular in California. California is sup
posed tobe the pivotal State upon which
The next presidency hinges. To con-
climate California and preserve our
treaty faith with China were found to
be incompatible. Hence the quick haste
made by both democrats and republic
can aspirants for the presidency in the
Senate to sacrifice The honor OF the
country to the exigencies Of disgrace
full party policies. lis to be hoped for
the credit Of the American name that
President Hayes will interpose his veto
against the measure and save the eoun-
try from the reproach and shame which
viii be entailed upon il by the dishon-
orable conduct OF our national legisla-
ture in It's late dealings with friendly
bat deienceless State.