Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-07
AUGUSTA NAME FRIDAY MORNING. APRIL T. 1882

| ognixed. Therefore. if such concession re-
moves all difficulty on the part of the Chinese
commissioners (hut only in that case) the
| United States commissioners will agree TO re-
move the word prohibit from their article,
and to use the words regulate. limit or sus-
p. nd" The Chinese reply To this can only
be inferred from the fact tnat in the place of
an agreement. as proposed by our commits
| sioners. that we might prohibit the coming
| or residence of Chinese lsborers, there was
inserted in the treaty an agreement that We
| might not do it.
The remaining words. "regula'e. limit and
suspend" first appear in the American draft
When it was submitted 10 the Chinese they
said: I'VE infer that of the phrases regulate
limit suspend or prohibit. the first is \ gem
| eral expression referring to the others, We
| are entirely ready to negotiate with Your Ex-
cellencies to the end that a limitation either
in point of time or numbers NAV he fixed up
on the emigration of Chinese laborers to the
United States" At a subsequent interview
they said that ''bv Limitation in number they
meant, for example, that the United States,
having. as they supposed, n record of the
| number of immigrants in each year, as well
rs the total number of Chinese now here. that
no more should be allowed to go in any one
year in future than either the greatest num-
ber which had gone in any year in the past.
or that the total number should never be al
lowed to exceed the number now there. As
10 limitation OF time. they meant, Tor exam
pie. that the Chinese should he allowed 10 90
IN alternate years. or every third year. or.
for example, that they should not be allowed
to go for two. three or five years" At u
subsequent conference the Americans said
The Chinese commissioners have in their
project explicitly recognized the right of the
United States to use some discretion, and
have proposed Limitation as to time and
NUMBER lhis is the right to regulate, limit,
or suspend.
In one of the conferences the Chinese
asked the Americans whether they could give
them anv idea of the laws which would be
passed to carry the powers into execution.
The Americans answered that this could
hardly be done; THAT the United States
g"vernment might deem It necessary to exer-
c'se TINS power. IL would depend upon err
euhhstahces. III Ihihese Immigration con
centrated IN cities where 1t threatened public
order, or If 1t confined itself Ia localities
where IL was an injury TO the interests Of the
American people. the government of the
United States would undoubtedly take steps
to prevent such accnmulations of Chinese.
II. on the contrary, there was no large immi-
granon' or there were sections OF the
benenciai, then the Legislation OF the United
such c;rcrms,annos Enr avamrIa ,haro
might be demand for Chinese labor in the
South. and surplus of such labor in Calitor
ma. and congress might Iegislate in accord
ance WIN ,nese iacts: In eFnera' the legis-
'"''o' "o"i" "e !" we" VI an" "tPe"' "P""
circumstances Oh tue sit"a''oh at 'ne moment
such 'eeis'a'ioh became necessary ne Chi-
nese commissioners SAID this explanation was
satisfactory: that they had not intended to
ask for draft Of any special act. but for
some general idea how the power would be
exercised what had Inst been said gave
'hrm the explanation which they wanted.
VIZ" '"is e,'''e accora az 10 tue meaning
VI ''e "or"s .nev were aoont 10 empioy' ana
tne "olect oi the iegisihtion which might be
mad IN consequence, the parties signed the
treaty, IN article |. OF which 1.-THE gov
ernment Of China agrees that the government
of the United States may regulate, limit or
suspend such coming or residence, but may
no. ansoi"teiy pr"hoit IT, Inc limitation or
su'pens'o" snai' oe reasonaoie, ann shaii ap-
ply only 10 'hihese VINO may go 10 the United
otates as iahoIe's, other cIasses not pe'ng
included IN the limitations. Legislation taken
IN regard to Chinese laborers Will be OF such
character only as is necessary to enforce
'"S fes"'"'o"; 'h"ita'ioh VI s"sPensi"H u
Immigration
A BRrAcu OF NATIONAL Farm
Inc nrst section OF the act provides that
from ana aIter the expiration OF 6o days next
after the passage OF this act and until the ex-
piraiion of 90 years next after the passage
of this act. the coming of Chinese laborers
be and the same is hereby suspended and
during sneh suspension it shall not be lawful
'or any Chihese 'aporer 10 come. or having
so come a'ei 'ne ehp'ra''oh oi saih oo days'
'o Ie''ai" "itnin Tue ohhen ota'es'
Inc examination which nave maze OF the
treaty and OF the declarations which its me-
gotiators have left on record of the meaning
of its language leaves no doubt in nv mind
that neither contracting party in concluding
the treaty Of 1880 contemplated the passage
OF an act prohlbii'ng immigration for 20
years ~nich Is nearly generation' or thought
that such Period wonid De reasonable
suspension or Limitation. or intended to
change the provisions OF the BurliDgame
Treaty to that extent.
! regard this provision Of the act as
breach of our national faith, and being un-
able to bring myself in harmony with the
nn ffal