Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-03-11
THE CHINESE QUESTION.

The CHINESE QUESTION.
TAe President Communicates with Con
gress ON the Subject Of the Recent Act
of Outrage Against the Chinese In tn,
West, and Discusses Our Treaty Obliga
lions.
WASHINGTON, March 3.-The Presi.
dent yesterday sent to Congress a mes
sage treating on the Chinese outrages in
Wyoming. After referring to the re-
,strictive legislation of 1880, the President
says that the condition of the Chinese
question in the Western States and Ter.
ritories is, despite this restrictive legisla.
.tion, far from being satisfactory. The
recent outbreak in Wyoming Territory,
where numbers of unoffending Cinnamon.
indisputably within the protection of the
treaties and the law, were murdered nv
a mob, and the still more recent threat.
ened outbreak of the same character in
Washington Territory, are fresh in the
minds of all, and there is apprehension
lest the bitterness of feeling against the
Monaghan race on the Pacific slope NAV
ind vent in similar lawless demonstra-
f1ons. All the power OF this Government
should be exerted to maintain the amplest
good faith toward China in the treatment
OF these men, and the infexible sternness
OF the law in bringing the wrongdoers to
Justice should be insisted upon.
"Every effort" continued the Presi.
dent, "has been made by this Govern
ment to prevent these violent outbreaks,
and to aid the representatives of China in
their investigations of these outrages;
and it is but just to say that they are
traceahle to the lawlessness of men not
citizens of the United States engaged in
competition with Chinese laborers Race
srHs t,f L; of Co. -
these disturbances, and it exists in a large
part of our domain, jeopardizing our
domestic peace and the good relation
ship which we strive to maintain with
China"
Referring to the Rock Springs outbreak
In the light that all citizens are entitled
protection, whether stipulated by treaty or
not, the President remarks. 'The facts
which so far are not contrOverted or af-
fected 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 spoliation of the property
of all when the unhappy survivors had
been drive. t=om their habitations. There
is % allegation that the victims, by any
iawless or diSorderiy act on their part,
contributed 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 sane
ton of hospitality and express treaty OBJ
legations, was made the pretext for the at
tack upon them. This outrage upon law
and treaty engagements was committed by
a lawless mob. None of the aggressors,
happily for the national good fame, APP
pear by the reports to have been citizens
OF the United States. They were aliens,
engaged in that remote district as mining
Ahorers, who became excited against the
Chinese laborers, as it would seem, be-
cause of their refusal to join them in
strike to secure higher wages. Were
there no treaty i'm existence, referring to
the rights of Chinese subjects? did they
come hither as all other strangers who
voluntarily resort to this land of freedom,
of self-gOvernment and of laws, here
peaceably to win their bread and to live
their lives, there can be no question that
they would be entitled still to the same
of protection from violence, and
the same free forum for the redress of
their grievances as any other aliens"
Discussing article 8 of the treaty the
President says: "This article may be
held to constitute a 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 ill treat
ment of the Chinese in the United States
this Government is bound to exert all its
power to devise measures for their pro-
lection"
Coming down to the question of dam
ages, which the Chinese Minister in his
with Secretary Bayard
claims, the President denies that there is
any expressed or implied obligation in
the treaty or international law which
would require the United States to in
demnify these Chinese for losses sus-
tanned. While holding this view, the
President says: "In view of the pal
pable and discredtable failure of the au-
thorities of Wyoming Territory to bring
to justice the guilty parties, or to as
sure to the sufferers an impartial forum
In which to seek and obtain compensa-
tion for the losses which these
subjects have incurred by lack of
police protection land considering further
the entire absence of provOcation or con-
tribution on the part of the victims, the
Executive would bring the matter to the
benevolent consideration of Congress in
order that that body in its high discretion
may direct the Government in aid of in
nocent and peaceful strangers whose mall
treatment has brought discredit upon the
country; with the distinct understanding
that such action is no wise to be held as
a precedent; is wholly gratuitous and is
resorted to in spirit of pure generosity
toward those who are otherwise help
less"
THE DOMINION