Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-10
The-An.i Chinese Bill a Law.

The President has signed the bill pro
hibiting the Immigration and naturaliZs
ton IF Chinese labOrers into this coun-
try. Its provisions are mainly the same
as those of the bill recently vetoed by
him, the only material difference beng
that the former bill prohibited such i'm
migration for twenty years, while this
prohibits it for ten. This slight change
does not affect the principle of the law,
and certainly cannot be regarded as sufh
Gent ground for moving the 'funda-
mental objections" which Mr.. Arthur
expressed 20 the former bill. 1t can,
therefore, only be concluded that he has
permitted his objections to be overruled
from other motives than principle-most
probably because he foresaw that an
other veto would almost certainly cost
his party the loss of the Pacific States
this fall.
The Chinese may be very Objectionable
immigrants, and their presence as citi-
zens of the United States may not be at
all desirable; still the passage of law to
prevent them from entering in and be-
coming citizens Of this country is very
serious matter. for it involves a serious
principle. When the native American
party some years ago asserted the identi-
cal doctrine involved in this bill. viz
that this government had right to reg
ulate end restrict foreign IMMIGRATION
and citizenship, 1t was bitterly
and rightly, denounced as an IN
constitutional party, aud the Democracy
fought it down successfully on that issue.
A few years later, after the country had
been torn and distracted by war and
bloodshed, resulting IN the freedom OF
the negroes, the Republican party an
uounced its determination to do away
with all race distinction, and made great
buster about the equality of al men be-
fore the law, and their inalienable rights
10 enjoy American citizenship. This
idea the Democrats combated as tending
to lower such citizenship, and claimed
that this was a white mans govern
ment. Nevertheless, their protests and
arguments were all in vain. The Re
publicans carried their point. and laws
were enacted authorizing the full citi-
zensbip Of the newly enfranchised
blacks, while an amendment to the Con-
stitution was passed, declaring that there
should be no distinction made in this
country between any citizen on account
of race, color or previous condition.
The present anti-Chinese law effectu-
ally does away with the principle that
this is not a white mans government,
while at the same time it is, virtually, a
revival of the old Know Nothing doc
trine. 1t still permits whites and
Africans TO be American citizens,
but it declares that the orange
colOred inhabitant of the Celestial
Empire shall be tsboOed the United
States. 1t thus recognizes the right Of
the government to discriminate between
immigrants, and to decide upon who and
who shall not be entitled to enjoy the
blessings of civil liberty guaranteed by
our GLORIOUS republic" In other words,
for the first time in the history of the
government, the doctrine has been estab-
lished that these blessings shall only be
enjoyed by privileged nations, and that
the constitutional provisions authorizing
Congress to establish an uniform rule of
naturalization is burdensome and impoli-
tic, and should be dlsregarded.
This law, therefore, simply means
nothing less than a revolution in our
system of government in so far as immi
grafton is concerned, and to what extent
this principle of discrimination against
immigration may go before it stops can
not be foretold. The influx of foreign
ers to our shores during the past year is
unprecedented, and the cry is still they
come. Some have money, are thrifty
and will make desirable citizens; others
are merely thriftless paupers who
leave their own country and
come to this either from political
motives, or because they think ours is a
good land in which to pursue the avo.
cation of tramps. This is matter which,
sooner OF later, may be regarded as
necessary to be looked after, and, mas
much as the doctrine of discrimination is
now recognized, it seems not unreason-
able to believe that the time will come
when governmental supervision will be
exercised over all immigrants, and only
such as the government shall see fit to
allow to land will be able hereafter to
enjoy the aforementioned blessed priv
leges of American citizenship.
1t may be very desirable matter fol-
Chinese and all other immigrants-not
wanted-to be kept out of the country.
As we have said, however, the principle
thus established by Republican Con
gress and a Republican administration
amounts to a revolution which has only
Just been started, and which may YET
proceed to unexpected lengths before its
progress is stayed.