The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-03-08
Veto of the Antf-Chfnese Bill.

The presidents message vetoing the
Chinese bill was read in the house of rep
resentatives about midnight on the LIST 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 % nays-much less
than the necessary two-thrds. The presi-
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 Mongolians
to be brought to our shores in any one ship,
but the bill as 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 a considerable
Chinese emigration, and the advants ges and
Inconvenience felt or feared therefrom had
become more or less manifest, but tt ey 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 mgra-
ton and emigration of citizens and sub jects !;
1T also contains an agreement to pass laws
making it penal otfense for citizens of the
United States or Chinese subjects to insti-
tute measures for involuntary migration or
immigration. Article six extends privileges,
lmmunlties 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 nsturaliza.
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 advantages which, once relinquished,
cannot be easily recovered. 1t commits the
Chinese government } 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 tor
a 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 net
lodged by the constitution in congress, but
in the president, by and with the consent of
the senate. denunciation of a treaty by
any government is justihable 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 q part of treaty
is denunciation of & e whole, and
while he is convinced that whatever ur.
geney might require the suppression of
further immigration from China, no reason