The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-22
Thc Chinese Must Go.
[ From the WashiDg,on Pos,.l
~. t.xpnt-.Y p.pr.,x,

AN UNEQUAL BARGAIN.
That the existing treaty with China Is
uniavorable to American interests and un.
satisfactory to the majority of the Ameri.
can people are facts that will scarcely be
questioned. In that compact we give a
great deal more than we receive. For in.
stance, we throw our doors wide open for
the admission of immigrants from coun-
try whose population Is so vast that mil
| lions would make no perceptole diminu-
| tion. We offer them the same advantages
that belong to our own people-such facii-
ties for making life success as can lie
found In no other country.
We take them into the American family
and they become Joint heirs with US in the
grandest inheritance on the globe. For the
sun shines on no other land, and since time
began has never illuminated any region,
where iife-the privilege OF living-bas been
or is worth half what IL is TO each inhabitant
OF this continent, and especially that por-
tion OF the continent which constitutes the
United States.
The conditions OF existence, the blessing
of individual liberty, the chances we enjoy
for obtaining wealth, social distinction, and
political preferment, our exemption from
the oppression Of despotism and the cruelty
of caste, the measureless resources OF our
country in all the great elements OF material
pro9ress-these are some of the reasons
why it is a vast privilege for the people Of
any other land to be adopted into the Ame-
rican family.
This may seen1fike boastiul strain, but
1t is The most sober matter OF fact. Ii is the
simple truth, unembeilished by rhetorical
varnish. 1t will be admitted by every in.
Itelligent citizen who has travelled in the
Old World, in Mexico, or South America,
and has kept his eyes and ears open as be
has gone among the people OF other lands.
Not even the most favored country of Eu-
rope can offer TO the poor man 1.-THE OF
what he finds here waiting for him 10 lake
aud enjoy il.
But as compared with Asia, and espe-
cially with the Chinese Empire, this land
Of ours is as palace 10 boyel, a feast to
famine, affluence TO penury. hope TO despair.
And we bave swung our front gate open,
by the Burlingame treaty, and said to the
countless millions OF that miserable Empire,
"Come in and help yourselves" We have
given to each emigrant the same rights that
we and our children possess. We offer TO
divide the estate with them, and make them
our brothers. There is not foot OF our
domain from which they are excluded. Our
courts have made them voters, and they are
eligible to any office except the two at the
top OF the official ladder.
And what do we get in return? What
does China agree to do for us in compensa-
ton for this most muniticent gift? Is her
territory opened up for Americans in case
they should wish TO 20 there and become
citizens? l. there any real advantage gain
ed by us except few rights OF trade that
we should have if no such treaty existed
Is not the Empire, except few ports, seal
ed, barred, bolted against us q? Are we not
as efiectualy excluded from China now as
we were before the treaty was made? And
if we could 90 all over the Empire in peace
and stay where we pleased, does it offer any
advantage? No, it is wretched, over
populated, worn-oUt land, where no Ameri-
can cares TO live, except for trade In few
OF its products.
We do not want TO exchange some thou
sands OF Americans for The same or
greater number of Chinese Experience
has shown that these Asatic immigrants
are most undesirable acquisition. We do
not want to degrade the labor or the life OF
our working people to the Chinese level OF
bestiality. We do not want 10 introduce
the vileness and the loa,hsome babits OF
these people into our county. We have
and can easily foretell the result Of q vase
influx OF their c0untrymen.
The treaty, while it stands, must be full
filed, but il cannot be too soon abrogated
as to most Of its provisions. We must see
that this country shall not be oyerrun with
a turbd tide OF Asiatic degradation. China
has shown us how to do this by fixiug upon
certain ports where Americans may enter
and certain places where, under defined
they may reside. In any new
,reaty with that Empire we must follow |
bis example. II we have any single right |
rs people it is that OF sef-protection, and |
lnder this right we are bound to say that |
he millions Of Asia shall not occupy this |
or ccme here in such numbers as 10 |
10 us hahn.
1t is stated that q commission to negotiate
new treaty with China VIII soon be ap.
pointed. 1t should begin with a fair un-
ierstandng that China IS incapable OF CIV
ng us much that we would not possess
we're there no international compact; that
Isina is too exclusive TO fairly claim stand
ng with treaty-making powers; that we
re ready to extend our commercial rea-
ions on fair terms, but don't intend TO
dopt and take home the miserable millions
I that God-forsaken land.