Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-26
A LETTER FROM SENATOR STANFORD
AND ITS LESSONS.

We publish in another column a letter
from Senator Leland Stanford to the Cor
responding Secretary of the Citizens Anti
Coolie League of Red Bluff, and which
first appeared in the papers local to that
section on Monday.
III is IN response to a request that he
will discharge Chinese employed upon his
private estate. The letter speaks for it
self. 1t is of the calm, dignifed and con-
siderate character that distinguishes all
the Senator's communications to his fel =
lowmen. There is no need of extended
comment upon the letter, since it is its
own best commentator but it is too full
OF suggestion not to awaken sober Thought
and invite remark. 1t is a dispassionate
letter of advice from 4 practical, far-see-
ing distinguished citizen, who realizes in
all Its fullness the great truth that it is of
more concern what use is made of the
worlds possessions, than who holds them
in his keeping
Coming as it does from a capitalist.
known throughout the land as one of the
largest and most generous employers in
the Union, the expressions of belief on the
important topics of which it treats will be
read with the keenest interest Governor
Stanford, as an employer, is everywhere
known as faithful to the faithful. He has
never been open to the reproach of whimsi-
cal dismissals, of grinding down the wage
winner, or of making the position of labor
one of mere servitude To those true to
themselves this employer of men has uni
formly been true friend, and hence from
wage-winners his words should command
attention. No man living has higher or
broader estimate OF men, or less considers
their calling or social station, if they
are but true men, and those who
know Leland Stanford best will best
appreciate this truth. From the days of
the first faint hope of human freedom for
the enslavea, down to the present, this
man has been known as lover of his fell
lowmen, the constant friend of his race,
the foe of oppression in any and every
form, the uncompromising enemy of every
influence that degrades labor, enslayes
body or soul, or lowers the standard of
American citizenship or manhood.
FROM such one, true philanthropist,
no one had right 70 expect other than a
firm and unmistakable protest against any
and all invasions of inalienable rights: or
any thing else than frank and incisiye
declaration of loyalty to the guarantee of
the charter of our liberties, that every
citizen may do with his own as he will
free from all interference bv others and
subject only TO such restrictions as are
necessary to the common good, order and
the enforcement of the laws.
Governor Stanford pledges himself to do
all that he can to justly restrict Chinese
immigration, not only because it is the de-
sire of the people of California, but be-
cause that desire is in harmony with his
own Judgment. He issues directions for
white labor to be preferred on his estates
at the same time he gives it very clearly
to be understood that he surrenders to no
one the right or privilege to dictate or
direct how he shall dispose of his property,
or till his own field He points out that
on the maintenance of these personal
rights, resident with every man. depends
the very existence of the Government
under which we are assured of any riobt
Whatever; that on this vital principle
hangs all other rights, privileges and i'm
munlties, and that of all men the poor are
most interested in preserving its integrity.
There can arise no question that touches
the lnalienable right of the American
citizen, that the mind of the iutellipent
citizen is not carried back to the genesis
of our liberties, and the evolution of the
fundamental principle of our Government
from the attrition of the contendinp arms
of a common race; the right to selfyov-
eminent by men possessed of rights neither
kings, potentates, princes, nor yet anv
other sovereign than the man himself can
nullify. The primal object of government
IS to protect the life and property of its
subjects. Upon this substructural motive
IS built the edifce of law, from which
issue the edicts of the governed to them
selves for the preservation of order and the
attainment Of the primal object. 1t couples
with the right guaranteed each one. the
corresponding duty to respect in his neigh
Dor the right he claims for himself Upon
these interdependent rights and duties these
guarantees and privileges. there are ALSO
lnieiy no limitations except such as are