Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-03-02
PORTY-SgyEyTH CONGRBSS.


Mr.. Mcpherson presented petitions for cor
rections of the tariff laws.
Mr.. Vest introduced bill to prohibit the
issue of bank notes or currency BY the Ma
tional Banks that may be organized or re-
organized after the first of July 1882. Re-
ferred to the finance committee.
On motion of Mr.. Window. the resolutions
reported from the committee on foreign re-
lations, for the investigation of the loss or
abstraction from the state department OF dl-
plomatic correspondence relating to Chill
and Peru. and as to any improper connection
of the diplomatic, or other officers. OF mem-
bers of Congress, with the contracts or ar
engagements in regard to the claims against
or grants derived from those countries. were
taken up.
Mr. Bayard said the point TO which the
resolution introduced BY himself referred,
and the one he considered the most important,
was whether or not the intervention OF the
United States in the affairs OF the neutral
governments had been implicitly expressly
pledged. The war making>pOwer rested in
Congress, and il to the Senate OF the
gravest moment that there should be no i'm
plication of this great power by way oil me-
diation by any individual or in any manner,
other than in accordance with the grave ex-
ecution of powers under the constitution. He
| therefore moved to amend by adding as the
specific subject of inquiry the following !:
Whether any promise or stipulation by which
the Intervention BY the United States in the
controversies existing between Chill and
Peru, or Chilli and Bolivia, has been express
ly or implicitly given by any person or per-
sons officially connected with the government
of the United States. or whether its influence
has been in any way exerted, promised, or
intimated in connection with or in rotation
to the said contracts, by anyone officially
connected with the government of the United
States.
The amendment prevailed without o5jec-
ton, and the resolutions as amended were
adopted.
After the morning hour the unfinished bus
mess Chinese bilD WAS temporarily laid
aside for a~peech by Mr.. voorhees,, upon
the urgency of better accommodations for
the library of Congress, the new library bill
being taken up informally for this purpose.
At the close of Mr.. Voorhees, remarks the
Senate resumed the consideration of the
Chinese bill.
Mr. Hoar opposed the bill. His first prop
osition was that our people, hundred years
Ago founded their nation upon moral law, af-
firming that all men equally derived from
their Creator the right to the pursuit of hap
piness, and that equality in that light is the
fundamental rule of Divine justice in its ap-
plication to mankind.
He set forth how the nation had grown, and
said the existence of the principle Just stated
had attracted immigration from all countries
to our own shores rather than to South Amer
lea or Mexico. That every new state affirm
ed it in Its constitution, and that California
herself. in the original constitution, declared
it was meant to include the right of expatri-
alton. This was declared in 1868 by act of
Congress, and on the persistent effort of Mr..
Conners. a California Senator of Irish birth.
1t was urged upon the country that ex-
patriation is indispensable to the enjoyment
of life and the pursuit of happiness. The
doctrine was solemnlv reiterated in the Bur-
lingame treaty. We have made treaty and
now we propose this legislation which under
takes to deny and overthrow that
declaration, and TO strike blow at
men by reason Of their race and occupation.
China offered To modify the Burlingame
treaty as to permit the exclusion of pros
titutes, criminals and diseased persons and
| imported coolie laborers. This offer was re-
iected by our government aud a treaty sub.
| stituted which does not permit the exclusion
| of the three first named classes but only
permits the exclusion of laborers. The pur-
pose of the trainers of the treaty and of the
| bill is to strike their blow at labor without
regard to character.
| For myself and for Massachusetts. Hoar
continued. | refuse to consent to the denial
| by the United States, of the right of every
man desiring to improve his condition BY
| honest labor. his labor being no mans prop.
| erty but his own, to go anywhere on the face
| of the earth he lleases. But the bill violates
| the provisions of the treaty which it processes
| to execute. The treaty permits the reason
able suspension of immigration only. The
| statute totally prohibits it for 90 years and
| confers upon every petty officer of the Gus
toms authority to seize and forciby remove
| from the country persons without trial VIVA,
has happened within l3 years that the great
republic should strike its flag?
Citing statistics to show the rapid decrease
| of immigration for the last halt decade and
| that this diminuton became greater when
| compared with the rapidly increasing MN
| bers from other countries. lioar argued that
the cutlery against the Chinese was the same
| which had been made in the past against the
| freshman, the Negro, the Indian and the Jew
| and that each of those races in its turn had
indicated its capacity for freedom. and sub
dued over large part of the world the pref
| udice it had encountered.
He admitted that there were great abuses
and dangers growing ont Of the coming OF
| these people. but much of these he thought
| might be remedied by state or municipal leg.
| islation- The real motive of the attack uDou
| the Chinese was the fear, not of the inferior
tv but of the superiority of the Chinese in
most of the occupations of life 1t is said
| that they will not assimiate with us but our
| treatment of them has made this impossible.
The most serious argument. Mr.. Hoar said.
was the claim that the introduction of Chi
| uese labor reduces the price of the American
laborer, and upon this he said I am not in
| favor of lowering anywhere the wages of any
American laborer. On the contrary be-
ileve the maintenance and increase Of the
| purchasing power of the wages of the Amer
| lean workingman should be the one principal
| object of our legislation. The share in the
| agricultural and manufacturing products
which goes to labor ought. and | believe will
steadily increase. For that only our protec-
tive system exists. The acquisition of wealth.
| national or individual, is to he desired only
tor that, and believe the Chinese lahorer
will learn very soon to insist on his full share
of the product of his work; that whether he
does or not, the wealth he creates will make
better, not worse, the condition of every high
er class of industry
Proceeding with abundant Illustrations of
| the treatment of the Chinese of California.
and to show that the cheapness of Chinese
wages and of living had been greatly exag-
yerated