Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-04-13
The Veto.
IT'S FULL TEXT.

WASHINGTON, April 4.-The follow
ing is the full text of the presidents
m essage, vetoipg the anti Chinese bill
To The Senate:
After careful consideration of senate
bill No. 7, entitled "an act to execute
certain treaty stipulations relating to
Chinese,"I herewith return it to the
senate, in which it originated, with my
objections to its oassage, A nation isjusti-
fled in abrogating treaty obligation only
when they are at conflict with great in
terests; even then all possible and rea-
sonable means for modifying or chang
ing these obligation by mutual agree
ment, should be exhausted, before re-
sorting to the supreme right of refusal
to comply with them. These rules
nave governed US in our past inter
course with other powers as one of the
families of the nations. | am per-
suaded if congress can feel that this act
violates the faith of the nation, as
pledged to China, it will concur with
me in rejecting this node of
regulating Chinese immigration and
endeavor to find another which
shall meet the expectations OF the peo-
pie of the United States without COM
ing in conflict with the rights of China.
The present treaty between that power
and the Unitef States sprang from the
antagonism which arose between our
previous relations. The treaty COM
monty known q, the Burlingams treaty
conferred on The Chinese the right Of
voluntary emigration to the United
States for the purpose o. curiosity or
trale, or rs permanent residents, and
was in all resi- poets reciprocal as to citi-
gems of the United States in China. 1t
gave to a voluntary emigrant coming
to the United States, the right to travel
there or reside there, with all the privl-
leges enjoyed by citizens or subjects of
this most favored nation. Under the
operation of this treaty it was found
that the institutions of the United
States, and the character of its people
and their means OF obtaining a hvli-
hood might be seriously affected by
unrestricted introduction of Chi
pese labor. Congress attempted
to alleviate this condition
by legislation; but the act which it
passed proved to be in violation of our
treaty obligations, and being returned
by the president with his objections,
forbidden to become q law. Diplomatic
relief was then sought. and new
treaty concluded with China without
abrogating the Burlingame treaty. 1t
was agreed to modify it so far that the
government of the United States might
regulate the limit or suspend the earn
ings Of Chinese laborers to the United
States, or their residence therein, but
it should not absolutely prohibit them,
and that limitation or suspension
should be reasonable, and apply only
to Chinese who might go to the United
States rs laborers, other classes not be-
ing reciprocal; its concession from the
Chinese to the IT, s., on tho limitation
of the rights which she WAS
enjoying under the Burlingame treaty,
leaves us by our own act, when and
how will we enforce these limitations.
China may fairly have the right to ex-
pect that in enforcing them we will
take good care not to overstep the
grant and take more than has been
conceded the United States. 1t is but
one year since new treaty under the
operation of fine constitution, became
a part of the supreme law of the land,
and the present act is the first attempt
to exercise more enlarged powers which
it relinquishes to the United States.
In its first article the United States is
empowered to decide whether the
coming of Chinese laborers to the
United States or their residence there
in, affects or threatens to affect cur in