Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-05-13
DEBATE ON THE CHINESE BILL.
How the Fight Was Managed in the
House, and by Whom.

the Arguments of their Opponents
at Every Point.
The telegraph has already given Us Q
brief synopsis Of the contest in the House
OF Representatives on the Sd inst. over the
amended Chinese bill. We are now in re-
ceipt Of the Congressional Record contain
ing full particulars Of the debate. The
bill had been made . special order for
Saturday, May 8. Representative Lamb
Of Indiana. from the Committee on For
eign Relations, had parliamentary charge
Of the bill, though yielding from time to
time to the suggestions Of the Pacific
Coast members. II was stipulated chat
general debate should be limited to four
hours, the time to be divided equally be-
tween the friends and enemies Of the bill.
Ex-Gov. Rice Of Massachusetts seems to
have led the opposition, as he did two
years ago. Some seven or eight Republic
cans, and no Democrat, spoke against the
bill. Nor was there Q single Democratic
vote recorded against the measure. Henly,
Glascock, Sumner and Tully Of California,
Lamb Of Indiana, King of Louisiana, Ham
mond Of Georgia, Willis Of Kentucky and
Cassidy Of this State spoke for the bill,
each occupying but Q few minutes Of the
two hours allotted to their side of the ques-
ton. Running all through the speeches
Of the opposition, however, are pointed
questions ~propeunded by Henly, Rose
Grams, Tully, Budd and Cassidy from this
Coast. The bill was finally passed by a
vote Of 1874 to 13-not voting, 1875. We
have seen it stated by some correspond
emit that the great number Of absentees
was due TO the fact that . vote was not
reached until a late hour, when many had
left the hall. While it is true that the
entire opposition came from the Republi-
can side of the House, 1t seems but fair to
say that nothing approaching q strictly
partisan opposition can be claimed. The
record discloses Is Republican votes and
about one dozen Republican pairs against
the bill. Also Of the 125 not voting a large
majority Of them seem to have been Re-
publicans, the Democrats as q rule remain
ing in their seats until the final vote to
aid in the passage Of the bill.
The bill was considered in Committee
OF the Whole with Mr.. Cox of New York
in the chair. Although the speeches were
necessarily brief, owing TO the limitation
Of time, the discussion seems to have taken
a wide range, and, as usual, brought out
to q very great extent the race issue. New
England cannot rid itself of the idea that
the Pacific Coast is against the Chinaman
because of his color. Mr.. Cassidy seems
to have met this argument in q pointed
manner. We quote from the Congressional
Record as follows:
Mr.. lamb yield 10 minutes to the
the gentleman from Nevada Mr.. Cassidy ] .
Mr.. Cassidy-Mr. Chairman, 1 have no
desire to detain the committee to submit
more than a single expression on this ques-
ton. During the last Congress the act
prohibiting coolie immigration to this
country was discussed in all its bearings;
and the Congress of the United States by
the law then enscted settled the policy Of
this Government with reference to this
subje cot.
The bill under consideration does not in
any sense change that policy; nor does il
in my judgment in any sense contravene
the treaty between this Government and
the Chinese Empire. Under that treaty we
have been given the power to exclude q
certain class Of Chinese. We have the right
to suspend. prohibit, or limit the coming
Of coolie laborers to this country, and nc
gentleman has undertaken to say to this
House that the amended bill under con-
sideration anywhere conflicts with the
rights conferred by that treaty. We have
simply sought to make the law which was
enacted by the last Congress fully oper'
alive and effective. We have, where it has
been found nugatory, or has been evaded,
endeavored by the bill to make provisions
which shall carry out the original inten-
ton OF Congress under the enactment OF
the law passed at the last session.
Mr.. Reed-Does the gentleman propose
TO treat Of the violation Of treaties with
other nations as alleged to be in this bill
l hope he will give Us some information on
that point.
Mr.. Cassidy-I have not considered that
this bill goes to that extent. AS originally
drafted the intention was, and Judge Field
30 held. that these people were to be
treated as a race. Judge Field gave that
| construction to the law, and / hold that
Congress has the right, If il sees proper to
exercise II, to infringe treaties with other
| countries by act of Congress to the extent
OF terminating such treaties and all
treaties; the right, l think, is undoubted;
public policy might dictate a different
course, pub tuo EASus Chu uhAuiy 10 Duoo-
toned.
Mr.. Rice-Have you any doubt that this
| act as II reads would violate the treaty?
Mr.. Cassidy-In theory it might; practi-
| cally, it would not.
Mr.. Rice-In theory il would.
Mr.. Cassidy-It excludes the importa-
ton of coolies alone. 1t will not infringe
treaties with any Government. 1t will no
be applicable to any other country than
the Chinese Empire, because these coolies
do not come from other countries, and
hence the bill cannot in any manner be
made applicable to other countries.
have undertaken to show that by this
amended bill we make no change OF policy.
None is contemplated. We merely seek to
make effective the law enacted by q prior
Congress which proved imperative and
abortive.
All political parties in this country are
| committed to the doctrine that the further
coming of coolie slaves to this country
shall be prohibited. Both national con-
ventions in 1876 inserted in their platforms
resolutions to that effect. Similar resolu-
tions were included in both platforms oil
both national parties again in 1850. 80,
| then, in enacting the law, in seeking to
make it effective, we are simply recording
the will of both great national parties Of
this country as expressed by their national
corvant;ops Tor the last eight years,