Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-02
NO MORE COOLIES.
CLEVELAND SIGNS THE CHINESE
RESTRICFION BILL,
But Wants 1t AnnulIed in Certain
Particulars-His Message
iE Full.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE REooRD-uNIoN.I

proyal OF this bill Its object is to more effect
ually accomplish by legislation the exclusion
from this country of Chinese laborers.
The experiment Of blending the social habits
and N utual race idiosyncrasies of the Chinese
laboring class with those of the great body oi
the people of the United States has been proved
by an experience of twenty years and ever since
the Burlingame treaty OF 1868 to be, IN every
sense, unwise. impolitic and injurious to both
nations. With the lapse of time, the necessity
for its abandonment has grown in force, until
those having in charge the Government of the
| respective countries have resolved to modify
and sufficiently abrogate all those features OF
prior conventional arrangements which per-
| mitted the coming of Chinese laborers TO the
United States.
In modification of prior conventions. the
| treaty of November II, 1880, was concluded,
whereby in the first article thereof twas agreed
| that the United States should at will regulate,
| limit or suspend the coming OF Chinese labor
ers to the United States but not absolutely pro-
hibit it, and under this article an Act OF Con-
| gress approved on May 6. 1882, amended July
! S, 1884, suspended for ten years the coming of
| Chinese laborers to the United States and regu-
| lated the going and coming of such Chinese
| laborers as wele at that time III the United
| States.
| 1t was however soon made evident that the
! mercenary greed of the parties who were trad
ing in the labor of this class of Chinese popua-
| ton proving too strong for just execution
| of the law. and that the virtual defeat of the
object and intent OF both the law and the treaty
was being fraudulently accomplished by false
pretenses and perjury, contrary to the expressed
| the successful violation of the treaty laws en-
acted for its execution progressed, that the
Courts in the Pacific states have been for some
time past Oyerw helmed by the examination of
cases of Chinese laborers who are charged with
| having entered our ports under fraudulent GER
tfcates of return, or seek to establish by perjury
| the claim of prior residence
Such demonstration OF the imperative and in
efficient condition of the treaty ana law has
produced q deepseated and increasing discon-
tent among the people of the United States and
| those hp Pacific
coast. This has induced me to omit no effort to
find an effectual remedy for the evils COM
| plained OF, and to answer the earnest and popu-
lar demand for the absolute exclusion OF Chinese
| laborers, having objects and purposes unlike
our own, and wholly disc injected with Amer
| lean citizenship.
and intelligent diplomatic and Consular officers
of the Chinese Government, and the representa-
tions made from time to time by our Minister TO
China, under the instructions OF the Department
of State, the actual condition of the public SER
timent and the status OF affairs in the United
States has been fully known TO the Government
of China.
The necessity for remedy has been fully ap-
preciated by that Government, and in August,
1885, our Minister at Peking received from the
Chinese Foreign Office a communication an
nouncing that China, of her own accord pro-
posed to establish system of strict absolute
prohibition of her laborers, under heavy penal
ties, from coming to the United States; likewise
TO prohibit the return to the United States of
Chinese laborers who had at any time been back
to China
I'm order lin the words of the communica-
tom that Chinese laborers may be gradually re-
duced in number and the causes of danger
ayerted and lives preserved. his view OF the
Chinese Government was completely in har-
mony with that OF the United States 1t was,
by my direction, speedily formulated into a
treaty, the draft between the two natious en-
bodying the propositions presented By the
Chinese Foreign Office.
The deliberations, the frequent and oral dis
cussions and correspondence on the general
questions that ensued, have been fully com
muuicated By me to the Senate at the present
session, and as contained in the Senate Execu-
tive Documents, Parts and 2, and iu the Sem
ate Executive Documents, No. 27S, may be
properly referred to containing Il complete
histOry of the transaction.
1t is thus easy to learn how the joint desires
and unequiyOcal mutual understanding of the
two Governments were brought into articulated
form in the treaty which, after mutual exhi-
biticn CT plenary powers from the respective
Governments, was signed and concluded by the
plenipotentiaries OF the United Safes and China,
at this Capitol, on March 18th last, beins Snb-
mitted for the advice and consent of the Senate
and its confirmation on the 18th day of May lasr
accompanied by two amendments which that
body drafted upon it. On the 18th da" of the
same moath the Chinese Minister, who was
Plenipotentiary of his Government in the nego
tiaiiOn and conclusion OF the treaty, in q note
to the Secretary of the Senate. gave his approval
of these amendments, las they did not alter the
terms OF the treaty. and the amendments were
at once telegraphed TO China, whittier the orig
inal treaty had previously been sent imme-
d ately after its signature on March 10Th.
On the 18TH day of last month | approved SEN
ate Bill No. S04, to prohibit the coming of Chi
nese laborers to the United states. TNiS bill
was intended to supplement the treaty ID was
approved in confident anticipation of g.. a-ly
exchange of the ratification OF the tleaiy aud
It's amendments, and the proclamation of the
same, upon which event legislation, as ap
proved, was by its terms to take effect No in
formation of any definite action upon the treaty
by the Chinese Government was received until
the 2lst ultimo, the day the bill which l have
just approved was presented to me, when tele-
gram from our Minister at Pekin to the Secre-
tAIy of the State announced the refusal of the
Chinese Government to exchange ratification of
the treaty, unless further discussion be had
with view to shorten the period stipulated in
the treaty for the exclusion of Chinese laborers
an 70 cnange the conditions agreed on, which
should enlitle any Chinese laborer who might
go bHck to China, to return again to the United
States.
By note from the Charge dAGaires ad In
term OF China to the Secretary of State received
on tie evening of the 25th utimo. and which is
herewith transmitted, together with the reply
thereto, a third amendments is proposed whereby
Il certificate under which any departing Chinese
lab0rers alleging the possession Of property in
the United states would be enabled to return to
| this country should be granted by the Chinese
Consul, instead of the United Ststes Collector
as has been provided in the treaty
| The obvious and necessary effect of this last
proposition would be practically to place the
| execution Of the treaty beyond the control of
the United States Article of the treaty to be
so materially altered has, In the course of nego
| tiations, been settled In acquesence with the
request of the Chinese Plenipotentisry and to
his expressed satisfaction in 1856 as appears in
documents heretofore referred to, the Chinese
| Foreign Office had formerly proposed to our
Minister a strict exclusion of Chinese lahOrers
| from the United States without limitation, and
had otherwise and more definitely stated that
no term whatever for eX lusion was necessary
for the reason that China would itselftake S cps
topTevent its laborers from eomiugto the United
States.
In the course of time the negotiations that
| followed suggestions from the same quarter led
to the insertion i'll behalf of the United States
of thirty years. and this term upon presentation
to the Chinese PlenipotentiaTy was reduced to
twenty years and finally so agreed upon. Arti
Gle IL was wholly of Chinese origination and
TO that alone owes its presence in the treaty
and il is here right to remark that everywhere
in the United States the laws for the collection
of debts are equally ayai'a lie to all creditors
without respect to race sex or previous place of
residence, and equally with citizens or subjects
of the most favored nations and with citizens
OF the United States recovery can be had in any
Court of justice in the United States by sub
ject of China, whether of the labor ng or any
other class No disability accrues from the
non-residence of the plaintiff, whose claim can
be enforced in the usual way by him or his
assignee, or attorney, in our Courts of justice
In this respect it cannot be alleged that there
exists the slightest discrimination against the
Chinese subjects, and it is a notable fact that
the large trading firms and companies and in
dividuals. merchants and traders of that nation
| are prOHtdDly AT numerous points
throughout the United States in whose hands
every claim transmitted by absent Cinnamon
| OF a just and lawful nature could be completely
enforced.
1t is admitted that the right and duty of
every Government to exclude from its borders all
| scum OF foreign population, which for any rea-
son retards prosperity or are detrimental to the
moral and physical health of its people must be
regarded as a recognized canon of in-
| ternational law, and the intercourse of
China herself has not dissented from
| this doctrine, but has by the expressions
| to which l have referred led us confidently to
| rely upon such action on her part in The CO.
operation with us as would enforce the excC-
| sion OF Chinese laborers from our country
This cooperation has not, however been &C.
corded US and thus. from the unexpected and
disappointing refusal of the Chinese Govern
ment TO confirm the acts of its authorizing
agent and TO carry into effect the International
| agreement, the main feature, which was volun-
tarily presented by that Government for our ac-
ceptanee. and which have been subject to long
| and careful elaboration, an emergency has
arisen IN which the Government of the United
States is called upon to act in selfdefense by the
exercise of its legislative powers.
| cannot but regard the expressed demand on
| the part of China for a re examination and re-
newed discussion of the topics so completely
covered by mesual trcsty stipulatons. as the in
| definite postponement and practical abandon
| ment of the subject we have in view to which
Aff