, 1886-03-03
MESSAGE
On the Rock Springs Massacre
5iN0Tf Of Chinese.
The President Severely Con-
dennis the 0utrages,
And the Conduct of Wyoming
Authorities.

EiCcS toual
TO he Senate anil House of Repre-
sentdhres:-It is made the imperative
duty Of the president to recommend to
the consideration of congress from time
to time such measures as he shall judge
necessary and e~xpedient. In no matters
can the necessity of this he more evident
than when the good faith of the United
States under solemn obligation of treaties
with foreign powers is concerned. The
question of the treatment of the subjects
of China s%ojourning withinth jurisdiction
of thc United States presents such a matter
for the urgent and earnest consideration
of the executive and congress. In my
first annual message upon the assembling
of the present congress-. | adverted to
tins question 1.-THE president here quotes
the passage from his message upon the
Chinese question, and %coutinues,) At
the time | wrote this, the shocking oc-
currence at Rock Springs. in Wyoming
Territory, were fresh in the minds of all,
and had been recently presented anew to
the attention Of this government by the
Chinese minister in a note which while not
unDaturally exhibiting some m~isconceptiOn
of our federal system of administration
in territories, while they as yet are not in
the exercise Of the full measure of that
sovereign self government pertaining to
states Of the Union, presents in truthful
terms the main features of the cruel out
rage there perpetrated upon inoffenslve
subjects of China. In the investigation
Of the Rock Springs outbreak and ascer-
tainment of facts on which the Chi
nese minister's statements rest, the
Chinese representatives were aided by
the agents of the United States, and the
reports submitted having been thus
framed and recounted facts within the
knowledge of witnesses on both sides,
possess an important truthfulness which
could not fail to give them great impress
siveness. The facts, which so far are not
controverted or affected by any exculpa-
tory or i~nstigating testimony,
show the murder of a number
of Chinese subjects in September last
at Rock Springs; the wounding of many
others, and spoliation Of property of all
when the unhappy survivors had been
driven from their habitations. There is
no allegation that the victims, by any
lawless or disorderly act on their part,
contributed to bring about the collision;
on the contrary, it appears that the law
abiding disposition of these people, who
were soiourne.s in our midst under sane
ton of hospitality and express treaty OBJ
legations, was made the pretext for the
attack upon them. This outrage upon
law aud treaty engagements was com
mitted by a lawless mob; none of the
aggressors, happily for the national good
fame, appear by reports to have been cit
liens of the United States.
Accompanying this national disgrace is
the hmentable fact and impressively
regretable circumstance that the proceed
ings in the name of Justice for the ascer-
tainmeut of the crime and fixing the res
possibility therefor, were a CHASTITY mock
cry of Justice. So long as the Chinese
minister, under his Instructions, makes
this a basis of an appeal TO the principles
and convictions of mankind, no exception
can be taken. But when he goes further
and, taking as his precedent the action OF
the Chinese government, in past instan-
ces, where the lives and property Of Amer
lean citizens in China have been endan-
| gercd, argues reciprocal obligation on the
part of the United States to indemnify
Chinese subjects who suffered at Rock
Springs, it became necessary to meet his
argument aud to deny most emphaiically
the conclusions he seeks to draw as to the
existence of such liability and the right Of
the Chinese government to insist upon
it,
Yet in view of the palpable and dis
creditable failure of the authorities Of
Wyoming Territory to bring to Justice
the guilty parties, or to assure to the
sufferers an impartial form in which TO
seek and obtain compensation for losses
which those subjects have incurred by
lack of police protection, and considering
further the entire absence, provocation..or
contribution on the part Of the victims,
the executive may be induced to bring the
matter to the benevolent consideration of
congress in order that that body, in its
high discretion, may direct the bounty
Of the government in aid Of innocent
and peaceful strangers, whose cruel NAL
treatment has brought discredit upon the
country, with the distinct UNDERSTANDING
that such action is in no wise to be helC
as a precedent. is wholly gratuitous and il
resorted to in a spirit of pure generosity
toward those who are otherwise helpless
The correspondence exchange is here
with submitted for the information o
congress.
(Signed) GROVER CLEVELAND,
Executive Mansion.
Washington, March /, 1886.