The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-02-15
A Vote on the Measure
2Expected To-Day.
A CoIored Man Presides Over
.s3 the Senate, sT3
.NO6I aaac ca y
Summary of News.
.N1ixLv. CONGRESS.
CONGRESSIONAL pRocERD1nos.


. j tS<-<> n . - y"
Blaine ON the Chinese Question.
Washington, Feb. 14.-In the senate
at 1:30 to-day, the Chinese bill came up
again as undnished business, and Blaine
proceeded to advocate its passage. He
first denied Matthews statement that
the United States had solicited the
Burlingame treaty with China, and
showed that 1t was procured by Burlin-
game's able management, for the bene-
fit of China, our commercial interests
being already cared for by the Reed
treaty. He said the subject before the
senate was divisable into two parts,
one Of form and one Of great substance.
First, may We rightfully adopt this
mode Of modifying the treaty, and Sec
ond, is it desirable to exclude Chinese
immigration. He claimed that China
has continuously disregarded and vio-
lated the articles of the Burlingame
treaty which provided that both gov
ernments should make laws to prevent
involuntary immigration, and he also
claimed that there has never yet been
any free emigration from China, like
that from Europe. He claimed that
this treaty, unlike any and all others
entered into by the United States, con-
tained no provision for its own termi-
nation, or any means of terminating it.
He showed by the international laws
we would be entirely justified, under
these circumstances, in abrogating the
treaty without resorting to diplomatic
negotiations, and in view Of the fact
that executive attention was called to
this matter year ago and nothing had
been accomplished, there should be no
hesitation in taking legislative means
to protect our interests. He next re-
ferred to the action Of congress, espe-
cially the vote of 81 against 0 in the
senate, by which it was decided that
the Chinese should not be admitted to
citizenship, and he argued that it is in
the highest degree unwise and danger
Gus to permit any large immigration of
a class of people whom we consider un-
worthy to admit to naturalization. He
showed that the vast hordes of China
are nearer to the Pacific coast in point
Of cost Of transportation than are the
white people of the Mississippi valley,
and that we should not underrate the
danger which is already foreshadowed
by the action of the Chinese themselves
in establishing steamship lines to facil-
itate further Importation of Mongol-
ians to our shores. He insisted that
the question was not one merely of
cheap labor and Of ordinary competi-
tion, but Of the disastrous effects of a
servile class, which, as in the days Of
slavery, degrades and keeps out free
labor from the state where it is found.
He insisted that the question is whether
the Pacific coast shall be given up to
Asiatic occupation or kept for Ameri-.
can citizens. He closed with an elo-
quent peroration, which was applauded
by the galleries. His remarks were
from time to time interrupted by ques-
tions and comments by Hamlin, Mat
thews and others. all of which were
answered in his usual happy style.
He was followed by Mitchell, who at
2:45 is delivering a brief speech from
manuscript.
At the conclusion of Mitchell's
speech, Matthews submitted as a sub
stitute for the pending bill, PROPOSE
tion requesting the president to give
notice to the emperor of China that the
existing treaty stipulations and prac-
tice of immigration which has resulted
therefrom are not satisfactory to this
government, and providing that unless
China shall consent to satisfactory
notifications by the negotiation of
new treaty, to be submitted to the sem
ate on or before the first day of next
January. The president shall then be
authorized and requested to give notice
that this government abrogates the ex-
isting treaty from and after the first of
July thereafter. This amendment was
left on the table for the present.
Thurman was the next speaker He
cited as precedent for this bill, the
abrogation by act Of congress of the
French treaty In 1898. He criticised
Matthew'S proposition as involving use
less and dangerous delay, and also
pointed out that II all the existing
treaties were abrogated, the Chinese
could and would come to this country
as freely as now, until congress legis-
iates on the subject. He further argues
that the house Of representatives should