Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-09-13
HarrisOn's Chinese Record.


interrupted end asked by gentleman,
who was Republican, for my author
| ity for the statement that Mr.. Harri-
son, Republican candidate for the Pres
dency, as an United States Senator,
voted against the restriction of Chinese
immigration.
l have since heard Republicans in
private conversation deny the fact.
That they and ali others may be put
right who read this quote from the
congressional record of 1872, vol. 10,
part End, pages 1,7O2. 1,705 and 1,717.
The bill was in words as follows:
where's in the opinion of the Gov
eminent of the United States the COM
ing of Chinese laborers to this country
endangers the good order of certain To-
calities within the territory thereof;
therefore,
Be it enacted, &C., That from and a.
ter the expiration of ninety days next
after the passage of this act and until
the expiration of twenty years next,
after the passage of this act the coming
of Chinese laborers to the United States
be and the same is hereby suspended;
and during such suspension it shall not
be lawful for any Chinese laborer to
come to, or, having come after the ex-
piration Of said ninety days, to remain
within the United States" The sec
ond section provided penalties for
bringing in such Chinese by masters of
vessels and others.
Senator Hoar (Republican) offered
the following amendment: "That this
bill shall not apply to any skilled (Cin-
ese) laborer who shall establish that he
comes to this country without any con-
tract by which his labor is the property
of any person than himself"
Upon this Mr.. Harrison and fifteen
other Republicans voted in the affirm
alive. While twenty-five Democrats
voted against and beat said admend+
ment. Under this amendment the
anti-Chinese law would have been
nugatory.
Senator Hoar (Republican again
moved the following amendment:
"That any laborer who shall receive a
certificate from the United States con-
sui at the port where he shall embark
that he is coming to this coun-
try at his own expense. and by his own
free will, and has established such fact
to the satisfaction of such consul, shall
not be affected by this BILL"
Mr.. Harrison and sixteen Republic
cans voted for this amendment while
nineteen Democrats voted against and
defeated it.
The bill as first above set out was
finally passed by vote twenty-nine in
faver to fifteen against it; and of that
fifteen Mr.. Harrison was one.
And only one Democrat voted with
him. The balance were Republicans.
On April 9Th, 1882, a Democrat, Har-
ris, moved to postpone other business
till the Chinese bill was disposed of.
Twenty-six Democrats voted for this,
while twenty-five Republicans voted
against it, and of that number Mr..
Harrison was one.
Senator Sherman (Republican) then
moved to refer the bill TO the committee
on foreign relations, thereby shelving
it. Harrison and seventeen Republic
cans voted for this, but .twenty-six
Democratic votes beat them.
The President (Arthur, Republican,
having vetoed the bill, Sherman again
moved the reference of the bill 70 some
committee.
Whereupon Harrison and eighteen
other Republicans voted in the affirm
alive and twenty-five Democrats voted
negative and beat them.
The rate upon passing the bill over
the Presidents veto was twenty-three
Democrats in favor of so doing. but
Mr.. Harrison and twenty Republicans
voted against it.
At the same session bill prohibits
ing the naturalization of Chinese was
considered.
One section read "That hereafter no
State court or court of the United States
shall admit Chinese to citizenship; and