The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-03
RELIEF FOR THE CHINESE.
The President Writes a Message Con-
corning the Rock Springs Affair.
The Obligations and Duties Imposed on United
States Authorities BY the Provisions
Of the Treaties with China.
wAsHrNGros. March 2.-The President sent

WASHINGTON. March 2--The President sent
the following message to Congress to-day;
.sTo the Senate and House OF Representatives:
TT Is made the constitutional duty OF the
President to recommend to the consideration OF
4he CONGRESS- from time to time, such measures
as he shall Judge necessary and expedlent. In
no matter can the necessity OF this be more evil
dent than when the good faith of the United
States under the solemn obligation of treaties
with foreign powers, is concerned.
''The question of the treatment of the subject
of Chinese sojourning within the jurisdiction of
the United States presents such a matter for the
urgent and earnest consideration of the execu-
five and the Congress. In my first annual mes
sage, upon the assembling Of the present Con-
.gress adverted to this question"
IThe President here quotes the passage from his
message upon the Chinese question: and continuesl:
'At the time wrote this, the shocking occur
rences at Rock Springs in Wyoming Territory,
were fresh in the minds OF ALL and had been re-
gently presented anew to the attention OF this
government by the Chinese Minister in note
which, while not unnaturallY exhibiting some
nisconception of our federal system Of admins
tration in the Territories while they, as yet are
not in the exercise Of the full measure of that
sovereign self government pertaining to the
States of the Union, presents in truthful terms
the main features Of the cruel outrage there
berpetrated upon fnofensive subjects OF China.
Enthe investigation Of the Rock Springs out
rage and the ascertainment of the facts on
which the Chinese Minister'S statements
States, and the Chinese representatives
were aided by the reports submitted,
having besn thus framed recounted facts
which, IL the knowledge OF witnesses on both
sides, possess an important truthfulness which
could not fail to give them great impressiveness
The facts, which, so far, are not controverted or
affected by any exculpatory or mitigating testi-
mony. show the murder of a number of Chinese
subjects. in September last, at Rock Springs, the
Wounding of many others, and the spoliation of
the property of all when the unhappy survivors
had been driven from their habitations. There
IS no allegation that the victims by any lawless
or ..dsorderly act on their part, contributed to
bring about a collision; on the contrary 1t ap-
pears that the law-abiding disposition Of these
people, who were sojourners in our midst and un
Der the sanction of hospitality and express treaty
obligations was made the pretext for the attack
upon them. This outrage upon law aud order
was committed by a lawless mob; none Of the
aggressors-happily for the national good fame
appear by the reports to have been citizens of
She United States. They were aliens, engaged
IN that remote region as mining laborers, who
became excited against the Chinese laborers, as
it would seem, because OF their refusal to join
them in strike to secure higher wages. The
oppression of Chinese subjects by their rivals in
the competition fer labor does not differ, in vio-
1ence snd nlegality, from that applied to other
classes Of native or alien labor All are equally
under the protection of law, and equally emit
tied 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 all other strangers who volunta-
rily resort to this land Of freedom, OF self-gov-
eminent and of laws, here peaceably to win their
bread and live their lives. there can be no ques-
ton that they would be entitled still to the
measure of protection from violence, and the
same free forum for redress of their grievances
as any other aliens So far as the treaties be-
tween the United States and China stipulate for
the treatment of the Chinese subjects that are
actually in the United States the citizens or
subjects of the most favored Nation, they simply
recognize aud conform to general and existing
rule, applicable to all aliens alike for none are
favored above others by domestic law, and none
by foreign treaties, unless it be the Chinese
themselves in some respects For, by the Third
article of the treaty of Nov. II, 1880, between
the United States and China, it is provided that
At Chinese laborers, or Chinese of any other
class, now either permanently or temporarily re-
siding in the territory of the United States meet
with ill-treatment at the hands Of any other per-
sons the government of the United States will
exert all it's power to devise measures for
their protection, and to secure them the
same rights. privileges, immunities and exemp-
tions as may be enjoyed by the citizens or sub
jects Of the most favored nation, and to which
they are entitled by treaty. This article may be
held to constitute special privilege for Chinese
subjects in the United States, as compared with
other aliens-not that it creates any peculiar
rights which others do not share, but because, in
case of illtreatment 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 the rights to which. equally
with any and all other foreigners, they are en-
titled. Whether it is now incumbent upon the
United States to amend their general laws or de-
wise new measures in this regard, do not con-
slider in the present communication. but confine
myself to the particular point raised by the out
rage and massacre at Rock Springs.
when the Chinese minister goes further, and
takes as his precedent the action of the Chinese
government In past instances where the lives of
American citizens and their property in China
have been endangered, and argues an obligation
in the treaty of the United States to indemnify
the Chinese subjects who suffered at Rock
Springs, 1t becomes necessary to meet his argu.
meat and to deny most emphatically the con-
illusions he seeks to draw as to the existence of
such treaty and the right of the Chinese gov
lernment to insist upon it. I draw the attention
of the Congress to the latter part of the note of
the Secretary of State of Feb 1S, 1885, in reply
to the Chinese minister's representations, and
invite q special consideration of the cogent
reasons by which he reaches the conclusion that
while the United States government is under no
obligation whatever, by the express terms of its
treaties with China, or che principles of inter
jects for losses caused by such means and
under the admitted circumstances, yet that
in view of the palpable failure Of
the authorities of Wyoming to bring
TO justice the guilty parties. or to assure to
the sufferers an impartial forum In which to
seek and obtain compensation for the losses
which those subjects have incurred by lack of
police protection; and considering, further, the
entire absence Of provocation or contribution on
che 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 invoke me
power Of the government in aid of innocent and
peaceable strangers, whose maltreatrnept has
brought discredt upon the country. With t. SIS
tinct understanding that such action was L. no
wise to be held as precedent, is wholly g7st,ai-
sous. and is resertod to in spirit of pure gsner-
ssity toward t.:.os5 who are otherwise helpless
The correspondence exchanged is herewith sub
nitted for the information of the Congress.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, March l. 1885,
The letter of the Secretary of State, in answer