St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-04-29
VETO OF THE AN1I-CHINEsE BILL.

Chinese immigration Bill.
WASHINGTON. April4
The following is the full text of the
Presidents message vetoing the Anti
Chinese bill:
TO the Senate: After careful considera-
ton of Senate bill No. II, entitled IAN act to
execute certain treaty stipulations relating to
Chinese, herewith return it to the Senate, in
which it originated with my objections to its
passage. A nation is justified in regulating
its treaty obligations only when they are in
conflict with great paramount interests. Even
then all possible reasonable means for modify
ing or changing these obligations by mutual
agreement should be exhausted before resort
ing to the supreme right of refusal to comply
with them. These rules have governed the
United States in their past intercourse
with other powers, as one Of the families
of nations. l am persuaded that if Con-
gress can feel that this act violates
the faith of the Nation, as pledged
to China, it will concur with me in re-
jecting this mode Of regulating Chinese imm-
grafton, and will endeavor to find another
which shall meet the expectations of the peo-
pie of the United States without coming in con-
flict with the rights Of China. The present
treaty relations between that power and the
United States spring from an antagonism which
arose between our paramount domestic inter-
eSts and our previous relations. The treaty
commonly known the Burlingame treaty
conferred upon Chinese subjects the right of
voluntary emigration to the United States for
the purpose of curiosity or trade or as perma-
nent residents, and was in all respects recipro-
cal as to citizens of the United States in China
1t gave to the voluntary enligrant coming to
the United States the right to travel there
or reside there, with all the privileges. immu-
mites, or exemptions enjoyed by the citizens
subjects OF the most favored nation. I'm
der the operations of this treaty it was found
the institutions of the United States and
the character Of its people and their means
I,n
iy affected by an unrestricted introduc-
ed to alleviate this condition by legis-
be in violation Of our treaty obligations,
and, being returned by the President With
his objections. failed to become a law.
Diplomatic relief was then sought. A new
treaty was concluded with China. Without
abrogating the Burlingame treaty It was
agreed to modify it. 50 far that , the Govern
limit or suspend the coming of Chinese labor
ers to the United States. or their residence
therein but that it should not absolutely pro-
hibit them, and that the limitation suspen-
sion should be reasonable, and should apply
only to the Chinese who might go to the United
cluded in the limitation. This treaty is unilat-
eral, not reciprocal. 1t is concession from
the Chinese Governmental the United States,
or a limitation of the rights which she was en-
joying under the Burlingame treaty. It
leaves us by our own act to determine
when and how We will enforce these lin
1IdJlOuS. IQluh eutItlOIe ldlIlJ HufC
the right to pect that in enforc-
ing them we will take good care not
to overstep this grant. and take more than has
been conceded us. 1t is but q year SINCE this
new treaty, under the operation of the Consti-
tuition, became part of the supreme law of the
land, and the present act is the first attempt at
the exercise of the more enlarged powers
which China relinquishes to the United States.
In its first article the United States is empow-
cred to decide whether the coming Of Chinese
laborers to the United States, or their resi-
dence therein, affects or threatens to affect our
interests, or to endanger good order either
within the whole country or in any part Of it
Government of the United States, the coming
of Chinese laborers to this country endangers
the good order of certain localities thereof"
but the act itself is much broader than the re-
&ital. 1t acts upon residence as well as immi-
grafton. Its provisions are effective throughout
the United States. / think it may fairly be ac-
cepted as an expression Of the opinion of Con-
gress that the coming of such laborers to the
United States or their residence here affects
throughout the country. On this point !
should feel it my duty to accept the views of
Congress. The first article further confers
power upon this Government to regulate,
limit or suspend, but not to actually prohibit
the coming of such laborers to or their resi-
dence IN the United states. me ne. negonators
fullness their understanding OF the sense and
meaning with which these words were used.
Treaty., the Americans inserted in their draft
the provision that the words :" Chinese labor
ers'' signify all immigration other than
curiosity curl The Chinese objected to this, that
it operated to include artisans in the class of
laborers whose emigration might be forbid
not consent that artisans should be excluded
from the class Of Chinese laborers, for it is
their very competition OF skilled labor in the
cities where Chinese labor immigration con-
centrates which has caused embarrassment
and popular discomfort. In subsequent nego-
tiations this definition dropped out and does
- svnIf kr,f wr0 Arff0 nj nj tho
treaty confers the rights, privileges, immune
ties and exemptions which are accorded to
citizens and subjects Of the most favored ma
the United States as teachers. Students,
merchants or from curiosity. The Amer
lean Commissioners report that the III. Chinese
tlcle they did by exclusion provide that
nobody should be entitled to claim the benefit
OF the general Provisions Ct the e Bnengams
States in these capacities, or for these pur-
poses accept this as the definition of the word
OF legislation respecting this class of persons
the new treaty provides we may not absolutely
prohibit their coming or their residence
outset that they would never agree to pro
hibftion of voluntary emigration. Notwith-
standing this the United States Com
It was provided that the United States
preshibit', sa' The Chinese rsfassd e
accept tulSs LIE huHtFlCdiiS ECpICO tudL
they were willing to consult the wishes of the
Chinese Government in preserving the prin-
tciple of free intercourse between the people
of the two countries, as established by exist
ing treaties, provided that the right Of the
United States Government to use its discre-
ton in guarding against any possible evils Of
tinctly recognized. Therefore, II such conces-
sion removes all difficulty on the part of the
Chinese Commissioners but only in that
agree to remove the word prohibit" from
their article, and to use the words regulate,
limit or suspend" The Chinese reply to this
can only be inferred from the fact that, in place
of the agreement as proposed by our Conn
missioners that we might prohibit the
coming or residence OF the Chinese labor
ers, there was inserted In the treaty an
agreement that we might not do It. The re.
manning words regulate, limit and suspend
first appear in the American draft. When It
Al,<eyc ofd Va