Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-02
THE CHINESE TREATY.
THE PRESIDENTS REAsoH FoR ITS
APPROVAL.
Disappointed at Its Rsjsction by China, He
Suggests Further Legislation on the
Part Of the United States.
IBr telegraph 20 tho Dispalchl


ing is the Presidents message TO Con-
gress to-day with the Chinese bill:
TO Congress:
have this day approved House Bill
No. II, 1886 supplementary TO an act en-
titled Gan act to execute certain treaty
stipulations relating to the Chinese, APP
proved the 9th day OF May, 1882. IL
seems to me that some suggestions aud
Recommendation may properly accom-
pany my approval of this bill
It's object is to more efectually accom-
plish by legislation the exclusion from
tins country Of Chinese laborers
The experiment of blending the serial
habits and mutual race idiosynicracbes Of
the Chinese laboring classes with those
Of the great body Of the people Of the
United States has been proved by the
experience Of twenty wears, and ever
since the Burlingame treaty of 1863.
to be in every sense unwise, impolitic,
and injurious to both nations. With the
lapse of time the necessity for its aban-
donment 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 arrange
ments which permitted the coming OF
Chinese laborers TO the United States.
In the modification of prior conven-
lions the treaty of November II, 1880,
was concluded Whereby in the first arti-
Gle thereof il WAS agreed that the United
States should at viii regulate, limit, or
suspend the coming OF Chinese lsborers
80 the United States. but not absolutely
prohibit it and under this article an act
Of Congress, approved on May 6, 1882.
and amended July ;, 1884, suspended
for ten years the coming Of Chinese la
borers to the United States, and regu-
lated the going and coming Of such Chi
nese labOrers as were at that time IN the
United st tes.
IL was, however, soon made evident
that the mercenary g-eed Of parties who
were trading Ia the labor Of tins class Of
the Chinese population was proving too
strong for the 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 Uretence and perjury, contrary 20
the expressed viii Of both governments.
To such an extent has the successful
violation Of the treaty and the laws en-
acted for IFS execution progressed that
the courts in the Pacific states have been
for some time past overwhelmed by the
examination of cases Of Chinese laborers
who are charged with having entered
oar ports under fraudulent certificates Of
return or who seek 10 establish by per
jury q claim Of prior residence.
Such a demonstration Of the lnOpera-
tive ami inefficient condition Of the
treaty and tine low has produced deep
seated and increasing discomfort among
the people of the United States, and
especially with those resident on the Pa
ciic coQst. This has induced me 10 omit
no effort 70 find on eteciual remedy for
the evils complained of. and to answer
the oaruest popular demand for the alb
soiute exclusion of the Chinese laborers
having objects and purposes unlike our
own. and wholly disconnected with
American citizenship.
Aided by the presence in this country
Of the able and intelligence diplomatic
and consular officers OF the Chinese Gov
eminent, and the representations made
from time 20 time by orr Minister III
China. under instructions Of the Depart
ment of state. the actual condition OF
the public sentiment and status of affairs
IN the nited states has been fully made
known To- the Government of China.
The necessity for a remedy has been
fully appreciated by that Government,
and in August, 1876, our Minister nj
Pekin received from the Chinese Foreign
Office q communication announcing that
China. Of her own accord, proposed 20
establish q system Of strict and absolute
prohibition OF her laborers, under heavy
penalties, from coming 10 tho United
states, nnd hkewise to prohibit the re-
turn to the United states of any Chinese
ahOrer VINO had mt any time gone back
to- China. "in order" Tin the words OF
The communication) "that Chinese labor
ers may gradually be reduced in num-
Der aud the causes Of the danger ayertcd
and lives preserved" This view of the
Chinese Government, so completely in
harmony with that Of the nited States.
was by my direction speedily formulated
in a treaty draft between the two ma
tions, embodying the propositions so
presented by the Chinese Foreign Office.
Deliberations, frequent oral discussions.
and the correspondence on the general
questions that ensucd have been fully
communicated by me to the Senate at
the present session, and may he properly
referred TO as containing a complete his
tory Of the transaction. 1t is thus easy
TO learn how the Joint desires and un-
eduivocal mutual understanding Of the
two Governments were brought into
an articulated form IN a treaty, which,
after the mutual exhibition of plenary
powers from the respective Govern
ments, was signed and concluded by the
plenipotentiaries of the United States
and China at this capital on March 18th
last.
Being submitted for the advice and
consent of the Senate its confirmation
Oh the eth day Of May last was accom-
panied by two amendments which that
body engrafted upon it. On the 18th
day of the same month the Chinese Min
lister, who was the plenipotentiary of bis
Government III the negotiation and con-
cusion of the treaty. in a note TO the
Secretary Of State gave bis approval to
these amendments, "as they did not
alter the terms of the treaty" and the
amendments were at once telegraphed TO
China. whittier the original treaty had
previously been sent Immediately after
It's signature on March 18th.
On the 18th day OF last month | APP
proved Senate Bill No. 1904, "To pro-
hibit the coming of Chinese laborers to
the United States" This bill was in
tended to supplement the treaty and was
approved in the confident anticipation of
an early exchange of the ratifcations of
the treaty and its amendments and the
proclamation Of the same. upon which
event the legislation so approved was by
is terms to take effect.
No information of any definite action
upon the treaty by the Chinese Govern
ment was received until the Dist ultimo-
the day the bill which / have Just APP
proved WIS presented to me-when a
Telegram from our Minister at Picking
10 the Secretary of State announced the