Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-12
FOR CONGRESS. SIXTH DISTRICT
REEL b. TERRY, of Fresno.
F.lsifying History to Help narri-


The Republican excuse for Harrison 8
votes in the Senate against Chinese re-
striction and in favor of naturalizing the
Monaghan, is that the subject was a
novel one to Eastern men at that
time, and that their views upon
Chinese immigration were identical
with those of Californians in 1868, when
Burlingame and the Chinese embassy
was given banquet in San Francisco,
by some leading men of that city. If it
we're true-which it is not-that public
opinion in this State, in 1868, was favor
able to Chinese immigration, it
does not follow that in 1882, with
fourteen additional years of exper ience
on the subject, Eastern statesmen should
not have become informed of the perni-
cious effects of unlimited admission of
that element into our country. Mr..
Harrison must have known that
the whole Pacific Coast was up
in arms against the Chinese invasion.
He could not have been ignorant of the
fact that at the general election of 1879
the question OF Chinese immigration was
submitted to the popular vote of Cali.
fornia with the result of 154,63
against to 1888 in favor! He must
also have been aware that in the
same year new State Constitu-
ton was framed and subsequently
adopted by the people, in which special
article was devoted to the exclusion of
the Chinese. A broad-headed states
man, with all these facts and indicia be-
fore him coming from the people who
had borne the brunt of the Mongolian
irruption, would certainly have given
them some weight. He would,
at least, have hesitated to take
. stand which, if his natur-
alization policy had been carried
ont, would have irrevocably perpetuated
the Chinese infiction. How feeble,
therefore, is the plea that Harrison's
attitude in 1892 should receive no more
censure than the falsely-assumed attitude
of public opinion in this State in
1868. We say falsely-assumed, and we
emphatically mean it. The anti Chinese
feeling was as strong in California in 1868
rs it ever has been since. The fact that
. banquet was given to Burlingame and
the flaming Chinese embassy argues
nothing against our assertion. The
banquet was got up in the interest
OF commerce and the comfy of nations
by few leading merchants, some of
whom were engaged in the Chinese
trade, and the Governor, Judges, lawyers,
and other prominent men were invited.
After the wine had done it's mellowing
work, the convives made gushing
speeches and treated the Manda-
rims with effusive warmth. But,
as against this exhibition of
Mongolian welcome by few promi-
nent citizens, flushed with wine and
good cheer, let US cite some other facts.
In 1867 there were twenty odd Anti
Coolie clubs in San Francisco, all having
large Memberships. There was also q
congress of trades, embracing nearly ev-
cry mechanic in the city. These, for the
purpose OF checking Chinese immigration.
sent delegates to an industrial conven-
ton. This convention formulated plat
form of principles, and carried the
Chinese question into the State Conven-
tons of both the Democratic and Repub-
hcan parties, and both organiza-
tions that year adopted the planks
sTlepared for them by the Anti
Cs; Convention on the subject of
- 4. .n,;. Immigration. Not only this.
# AZ the her nolls iiffe deles-4ion was elected
the Republican : : lnss .ressionsi fid Gsen sent to
tion at San Jose to SUPP t special ca
didate. The man selected -raved them
It the last moment. and Il. result
vas that the arti-coolie sentl-an
ranged itself on the side OF Sam. b.
Axtell, the Democratic nominee ioi
Congress, and elected HIM by phen
onnenal majority.
Let rs hear no more about Harrison''
attitude on the Chinese question in lSS'
baine the same as the attitude OF tn
ueople OF California on the same sublec
in 1858.