Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-03


Chinese message sent to the Senate to-
ca,
Yp ne Senate and House Of Represen-
fa'rCS.
IL IS made the constitutional duty Of
The President 10 recommend 20 the con-
sideration Of Congress from time TO
time such measures AZ he shall Judge
Necessary and eXpedlcnt. In no mat.
tors can the necessity Of this be more
evident then when the good faith Of the
nue6 States, under the solemn obi
eation OF treaties with foreign Powers,
Is concerned.
The question Of the treatment Of the
subjects Of China sojouruing within the
Jurisdiction Of the United States pre-
seniS 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 |
adyerted to this question in the follow
ing words Here the President quotes
in full the paragraph concerning
China from his message, and
proceeds TO say ! At the time wrote
this the shocking occurrence at Rock
Springs, in Wyoming Territory, were
fresh IN the minds of all and had been
recently presented anew to the atten.
ticn of this Government by the Chinese
Minister in note. which, while not un-
naturally exhibiting some misconceptiOn
Of our Federal system of adminIstra-
tion in the Territories while they as yet
are not in the exercise Of q full
measure OF that sovereign self
government pertaining to States of the
Union, presents in truthful terms the
main features Of the cruel outrage
there perpetrated upon the lnoiiensive
subjects Of China. In the investiga-
ton of the Rock-Springs outbreak and
the sscertaument Of the facts on which
the Chinese Minister'S statements rest
the Chinese representatives were
aided by agents Of the United States,
and the reports submitted, having been
thus framed and Tecounting the facts
within the knowledge Of witnesses on
both sides, possess an impartial truth.
fulness which could not fail to give
them great impresSiyeness. The facts,
which so far are not cOntroverted
or affected by any eXculpatory or
mitigating testimony, show the
murder Of a number Of Chinese
subjects in September last at Rock
Springs, the wOunding of many others,
and the spolation of the property Of
all when the unhappy survivors had
been driven from their habitatlons.
There is no allegation that the victims,
by any lawleSs OF disOrderly act on
their part. contributed to bring about
the collision. On the contrary. it APP
pears that the law-abiding DISPOSE
ton Of these people, who were So
ioGrptTs in our midst under sanction
Of hospitality and express treaty obli-
cations, was made a preteXt for the
attack upon them. This outrage upon
the law and treaty engagements was COM
mitted by a lawlesS mob. None Of the /
aggreSsors-happily for national good /
fame-appear by reports to have been /
citizens Of the United States. They were |
aliens, engaged in that remote district |
a. mining laborerS who became excited |
against the Chinese labOrers, as it would /
seem, because Of their refusal TO Join /
them in a strike TO secure higher wages.
The oppression Of Chinese subjects by |
their rivals in competition for labor .
does not differ in violence and illegality .
from that applied to other classes Of |
native or alien labor. All are equally |
under the protection of the law and |
equally entitled to enjoy the benefits of
assured public order.
Were there no treaty in existence
referring to the rights Of Chinese sub I
iects; did they come hither as all |
other strangers who voluntarily resort !
TO this land of freedom, Of self-gOyern-
Inent and OF laws, here pesceably to |
win their bread and to live their lives,
there can be no question that they
would be entitled still to the same .
measure of protection from violence
and the same freedom for redress
Of their grievances as any other aliens.
So far as the treaties between the
nited States and China stipulate for
the treatment Of Chinese subjects ac-
tually in the United States as citizens
or subjects Of most favored nations
are treated, they create no new
status for them-they simply re-
cognize and conform to the general
and existing rule applicable TO all
aliens alike, for none are favored above
others by domestic law, aud none by
foreign treaties, unless 1t be the Chi
nese themselves in some respects, for
bv the third article of the treaty of
November H., 1880, between the United
states and China it Is provided that
Article III. II Chinese iahorers. or Chinese
OF any other Class now either permanently
~ temporarily residing IN territory OF the
1 nited states, meet with ill'treatment at
The hands Of any other persons. the TOW
eminent OF the United Stales viii exert all
lis power 10 deVise measures for their pro
tection and Ia secure TO them the same
rights privileges. lInfnuuittes and exemp- |
lnns as may be en- Dyed bv citizens or SUBJ
lects of the most favored nation, ana 10
which they are entitled 10y treaty
This article may be held to constitute
special privileges Tor Chinese subjects
in the United States as compared with
other aliens not that it creates any pc
culiar rights which others do not share,
but because in case Of ill-treatment of
the Chinese IN the United States this
t.SSeTnment is bound TO "exert all its
power TO devise measures for their pro-
lection " by securing to them rights
to which equally with any and all
foreigners they are entitled.
Whether it is now incumbent upon
The United States to amend their general
laws or devise new measures in this
regard | DO not consider in the present
but conGne myself to
be particular point raised by the out
rsye and massacre at Rock Springs.
The note Of the Chinese Minister and
documents which accompany it give, as
believe, an unexsggerated statement
IF the lamentable incide9t and present
the regretable circum-
stance that proceedings in the name Of
Justice for the ascertainment Ofthe crime