National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-06
The Chinese immigration Bill.

If California, Nevada, and Oregon were
provinces subject to the sway of CEN
tral government, in which they had no
representation, it would be most unwise
to disregard q universal complaint of
their people. No wise ruler would turn
deaf ear to ten years ofunited entreaty
from far distant subjects. The order of
his realm would be endangered by such
q policy. Whatever differences ofopnion
there were in 1868, and for two or three
years thereafter, on the Pacific coast as
to the Chinese element there, certain it
is that for ten years past there have been
few there TO favor Chinese immigration
upon any Underground than that which
in slavery days was occupied by the
advocates Of the reopening of the African
slave trade. The exaltation which was
caused by the war and emancipation did
for brief time prompt sentiment in
favor of realizing the Republic of the
World, in which all national boundaries
were to be erased and all mankind were
to be brethren. The treaty with China
In 1868 was somewhat overloaded with
this idea, although the Senate took good
care to guard by an amendment against
Chinese suhrage-even in that ultra
philanthropic period. The people of the
Pacific Coast have for ten years set their
faces against Chinese immigration, and
have been united in clamoring to the
Congress of the United States to rid
them of the dangerous rivalry of labor
Guatnr1 which ,,,ni,,taing itsn1f ut toe ,f
wages under which civilized wants can
not be supplied
Until now the honorable obligations
of n treaty have been properly and sue.
cessfully interposed as barrier to legis-
lation on this subject. But the treaty
stipulation finally gave way, and a new
one was entered into between China and
the United States expressly to prepare
thoway for the legislation prayed for by
our Western coast populations. 1t is not
to say the Chinese are our interiors,
nor that we undervalue our commercial
relations with that great people, that
Congress is to meet this great question.
By International agreement we are to sus-
pend immigration. The opponents of
the proposed law must appear to adopt
the sentiments of the Morey letter,
against which such an outcry was made.
General Garfield thought those sent-
ments worth an energetic and indignant
denial on his part So said we all of us.
Was it only to catch votes? If 50, shall
we never need any more? We deny
that it was to catch votes that the senti-
ments Of the Morey letter were repudi-
ated. 1t was to emphasize the fellowship
Of the Republican party with the great
multitude of workingmen, and to repudi-
ate the idea that "pauper wages" could
properly be imported with the Chinese,
while we had a protective tariff to pro-
tect our people from the rivalry of
pauper wages in Europe.
The speech Of Senator Miller, of Cali
fornia, is strong, calm, and temperate
statement of the whole subject and full
answer to all that has been urged against
his bill. 1t is free from demagogsm, in
which art he is not an adept. 1t is toler-
ably certain that the bill will pass, and
that at an early day the people of the
far-off Pacific will breathe freer and real
lie that in the East not they but the Chi
nese are regarded rs the heathen. 1t
should be borne in mind that not the mob
but those Of all parties who have re-
strained the mob are behind the present
agitation Of this matter.