The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-03-25
chinese immigration.
Speech Of Hen. J. g. George, Of Mississippi,
Delivered in the Senate Of tie Uaitsd
States. Monday. March s, 1882.

Inc Senate, as IN Committee of
the Whole, having under eonsid-
GRAFTON the bill rs. No. 7l) TO en-
force treaty stipulations relating
to the Chinese-Mr. George said /:
Mr.. President: have many rea-
sons which impel me to give my
most hearty support to this bill, as
we'll as to the amendment propOs-
ed by the Senator from Oregon
Mr.. Groyer and to the amend.
mend offered by the Senator from
California, !Mr. Farley.l | shall
mention now only two. | shall
give it my support, first, because
the white people of the States
mostly affected by Chinese immi-
grafton with almost entire unanim.
ity desire its passage. For the
present, at least, the evil and
wrong intended to be remedied by
the bill are in the main local, spend
ing their greatest force on the
Pacific States. These States com
plain, and think they complain
justly, of the effects of Chinese i'm
migration upon their welfare and
prosperity. These complaints are
real, based on actual grievances of
a most serious character. They
do not have their origin in mere
sentiment and theory; they are
not mere apprehensions of injury
to come hereafter; but they set
forth wrongs now being felt, evils
now being endured. These wrongs
and these evils are not temporary
or ephemeral. They have existed
for many years, and, if continued,
threaten permanently to affect the
welfare of those States and the
happiness of their people.
The existence of the evils aris-
ing from the presence of the Chi.
nese in these States is not a matter
of speculation or argument, but it
is shown by actual experience
These States have had, and are
now having, in their borders a
practical demonstration of the eff
fects of Chinese immigration
Their people have seen the Chi.
nese in all the walks and pursuits
of life in which they are engaged
and in their social relations, and in
their religious life. They have OBJ
served the influence of their pres.
ence among and their contact with
the white race on the morals and
material welfare of those conmu.
mites. They have had the oppor.
tunity of enjoying the blessings, il
any there be, arising from Chinese
labor and Chinese association, and
they have been compelled to sub.
nit to and endure the inconve-
nience and wrong occasioncd by
this labor and this association,
They have watched and observed
the disposition and capacity Of the
Chinese for progress aud advance
ment and their capability for assim.
ilation with and incorporation into
our own people. And their yer
diet is on all these points against
these immigrants.
Certainly, sir, the experience and
observation of the people of the
Pacific States, and their judgment
founded on these data are entitled
to the greatest weight and inhu.
ence on our deliberations.
Our Government has attained its
present astonishing gandeur and
vigor because it is the result OF
the growth and development OF
the Anglo-Saxon ideas, put into
practical operation by Anglo-Sax.
on common sense. 1t has not
grown according to rule preseri.
bed by an inexorable logic, reason
ing from premises which assumed
an ideal perfection in human nature
and attainable in human institu.
tions. Our Constitution is the
work of men, intended for the gov.
ernment of men, not of angels OF
demi-gods. It recognizes human
frailties and human passions, and
seeks no unattainable perfection.
1t was made by the American peo-
pie for themselves and their pos
terity, not for the human race. 1t
was ordained by the American peo.
pie for their own happiness and
their own welfare, and the welfare
of such others as they should
choose of their own free will to
admit to American citizenship.
The foundations were not laid
according to any scientific rule,
but according to the exigencies
and needs of the people. The SUI
perstructure may be patchwork,
but the different pieces are so
dove-tailed into each other, so
skillfully joined, that the weakness
of one part has up to this time
been counterbalanced by the uni
fed strength of the whole. In