Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-03-03
THENcHINEsE.
Message on the Rock
Springs Outbreak.
AID ASKED FOR SUFFERERS
A Note From the Chinese Minister
to Our Goyernment-The Pres
dent Submits it to Congress.

Special 10 the Herald bvthe Associated Pres
WAsHINeToN, March 2.-The Pres
dent sent the following message to Co
gress to-day:
To he Senate and Hsuse of Repr
sentotives 1T is made the constitution
duty of the President to recommend
the consideration Of Congress from tin
to time such measures as he shall judp
necessary and expedient. In no matter
can the necessity OF this be more evider
than when the good faith OF the Unite
States, under the solemn obligation {
treaties with foreign powers, is cor
oerned. The question of the treatmer
of the subjects Of China sojournin
within the jurisdiction Of the Unite
States presents such matter for III
urgent and earnest consideration
of the Executive and Congress
In my first annual message, up
on the assembling of the presen
Congress, adverted to this question
The President here quotes q passag
from his message upon the Chimes
question, and continues: At the time
wrote this the shocking occurrence a
Rock Springs, in Wyoming Territory
were fresh in the minds of all, and has
been recently presented anew to the at
tention OF this government by the Chi
nese Minister in q note which, while no
unnaturally exhibiting some misconcep
tion of our general system Of admins
tration in the Territories while they a.
yet are not in the full measure of tina
sovereign self government pertaining I,
the States of the Union, presents il
truth the full terms and main features
OF the cruel outrage there perpetratet
upon inoifensive subjects of China
In the investigation of the Rock SPRING
outbreak, and to ascertain the facts OF
which the Chinese Minister'S statements
rest, the Chinese representatives were
aided by agents Of the United States
aud the reports submitted having been
thus framed and recounted as facts with
in the knowledge of the witnesses OF
both sides, possess an important truth
fulness which could not fail to give then
impressiveness. The facts which so fal
arc not controverted or affected by any
exculpatory or mitigating testimony,
show the murder OF number of CHINESE
subjects in September last at Rock
Springs, the wounding of many Others
and the spoilation of the property of all
when the unhappy survivors had been
driven from their habifations. There
are no allegations that the victims by any
lawlessor disorderly act on their part con-
tributed to bring about collision. On the
contrary, it appears that the law abid.
ing disposition Of these people, who
were sojourners in our midst under the
sanction OF the hospitality and express
treaty obligations, was made a pretext
for the attack upon them. This outrage
upon law and treaty engagements was
committed by lawless mob. None Of
the aggressors, happily for our national
good fame, appear by the reports to
lave been citizens OF the United States.
They were aliens, engaged in that re-
mote district as mining laborers, who
became excited against the Chinese la
borers, as it would seem, because Of
their refusal to join them in strikes to
secure higher wages. The oppression of
Chinese subjects by their rivals in the
compeiition for labor does not differ in
violence, and all classes of native or alien
laborers are equally under the protection
OF law and equally entitled to enjoy the
benefits Of assured public order was
there no treaty in existence referring to
the rights Of Chinese subjects. Did they
come hither as subjects? Did they come
hither as all other strangers who volun-
tarily resort 10 the land of freedom, Of
government and of laws, here to win
can be no question that they would be
entitled TO the same measure of protec-
tion from violence and the same free
form Of redress OF their grievances as
any other aliens so far as the treaties
between the United States and China
stipulate for treatment OF Chinese as the
subjects Of the most favored nation are
treated. They create no new status for
them. They simply recognize and con-
firm the general aud existing rule applic.
able to all aliens alike. for none are fa-
vored above Others by domestic law, and
none by foreign treaties unless it be the
Chinese themselves in so le respects, for
by the third article of the treaty Of
November IL, 1850. between the United
States and China, it is provided Chinese
laborers or Chinese Of any other class,
now either permanently or temporarily
residing in the territory Of the United
States, shall meet with i'll treatment at
the hand of any other persons, the gov
ernment OF the United States will exert
all its power to dexise measures for their
protection and to secure to them the
same rights, privileges, immunities and
citizens or subjects Of the most favored
nation, and to which they are entitled
by treaty. This article may be held 10
constitute special privileges for Chinese
subjects in the United States, as COM
pared with other aliens. Not that il
created any peculiar rights which others
do not share, but because, in case OF the
i'll treatment OF the Chinese in the
United States, this government is bound
to exert all its power to devise measures
for their protection by securing to them,
rights to which, equally with any and
all other Foreigners, they are entitled.
Whether it is incumbent upon us to
amend their general laws or devise new
measures in this regard, l do not con-
slider in the present communication but
confine myself to the particular point
raised by the outrage and massacre at
Rock Springs. The note Of the Chinese
Minister and the documents which ac-
company il gives as its belief an
unexaggerated statement Of the lament
able incident and presents impressively
the regretable circumstances; that the
proceedings in the name OF Justice for the
ascertainment Of the crime and fixing
the responsibility therefor were ghast-
ly mockery of Justice. SO long as the
Chinese Minister, under his instructions,
makes this an appeal to the principles
aud convictions Of mankind. no excep.
ton can be taken; but when he goes
further and. taking as his precedent the
action of the Chinese government in
past instances where the lives of Ameri-
can citizens and their property in China
have been endangered. and argues a
r.c;nrocat ohliaa tion os, tha mart If tha