Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-02-04
DAILY RECORD UNION
Ky a. 1873,
THE CHANG PING cAsE-TEREaTExYNe,
THE GeVERNOK-A SUGGESTION.


There is pending in the Supreme cour,
of tie United States the case Of Cb,e
Ching Ping, the decision of which will in
volve the life of The Chinese Exclusion
ACT. 1t has been proposed in the Lepis-
lature to appropriate sem OF money to
employ two gentlemen, we'll yersed in the
law, to go to Washington and argue the
case before the Court in support of the
Exclusion Act. Upon this proposition
there exists some diversity of op;pion
among legislators IS to the proper course
to be pursued, and the resolution therefore
hangs fire.
According tossAe San Francisco BuQsia.
report has obtained that Governor
Waterman has expressed hinnelf as op-
posed to the passage Of the resolution to
authorize the employment OF the-special
counsel. Upon the rude assumption of the
verify of this declaration, the Bulletin pro-
ceeds to take the Governor more Than
sharply to task, and it does SO in a
manner neither creditable to its Judgment
nor taste. 1t declares tina. the Governor
has advanced as reason in support of his
position that the Pacific Coast Representa-
tives-are entirely competent TO take care
OF err interests in this matter: but it
asserts that even admitting that to be
true, 1T should not be expected OF them;
hat they are not sent to the National I,eg-
lsiature for any such purpose; that they
have not the time necessary to attend to
Inc case, etc. Our contemporary then
proceeds, scoldingly, to read the Governor
threat, plainly saying to him that unless
he pursues policy which the BsGstin. in
Its arrogance assumes to be the only sound
course, the Republican party will throw
him overheard and appoint his political
funeral.
1t is scarcely necessary to premise that
the REcoRD-U UNIONS position upon the
Chinese question is not open to assault by
The friends of measures to restrict Chinese
immigration. But it cannot, with regard
for justice and the common pronrieties
permit the gross assault OF the BesVet;a
to pass uanoticed. That Journals assunp-
ton that the Governor has SO expressed
himself i'll conceais the unmanly innuendo
that his motive is selfish, and the threat
when "facts" are ascertained which it
thinks may exist, that it viii make this
surmlse the subject of direct charge,
coupled with the further threat that the
Bulletin will direct political cyclone in
his direction.
1t will address every impartial mind as
worthy of singing rebuke, whenever a
journal claiming to he an exponent of
public opinion so far forgets itself as to
lmpugn the motive of the Executive be-
cause that magistrate dares to differ
with 1t upon a question of State
policy. twill also impress thinking men
forcibly that the attempt to coerce a
Governor by the threat to unmake his
political misunderstanding that the Gov-
ernor has further ambitions politically
because he is sufficiently Independent to
entertain an opinion, is an affiuence.of ec-
frontery that calls for emphatic condemna-
ton.
To the Bulletins assertion that it is not
usual for Governors to pre- announce their
position upon pending measures, it is to he
replied that great many vital interests of
the people are to-day at rest because of the
reliance that Is placed upon the knowledge
or belief of what the Governor will do in
the way of interposition between the peo-
pie and intended vicious and unparalleled
invasion of their rights. But for this i'm
plieit confidence, and it may, the Gov
ernors open deelaration-which he has. as
an independent arm of the State Govern
ment, the unquestioned right TO make
equally with any Senator or Representa-
tlve-the Capitol would to-day be the
scene of resistance to measures inirnical to
the people, unparalleled in the history of
legislative agitation. Because the Execu-
tive has bold and determined policy con-
corning wise legislation, the Senate and
Assembly have themselves been spared not
few infections and the people many out
rageous assaults.
If Governor Waterman has expressed
confidence in the ability and willingness of
Pacific coast representatives at Washington
to guard our interests and plead our cause
In the Supreme tribunal, he has said
rightly. II might be unwise to solicit our
Congressman to enter legal lists where
merely money considerations were in
volyed. But this question of admission
of a non-assimilative element is one as
broad as the substructural founda-
tions Of the Government itself. II
is an issue involving not merely
a question of to-day, bat the cycles of time.
Its consideration is compound OF state
craft, political economy and domestic adj
ministration. 1t is Sc unconiined in the
sweep of IFS Importance, that the eyes of
the men of this day cannot even scan Che
Unreasonable horizon ,ef its possibilities.
1t is a question, indeed, that deserves the
most vigilant attention, and the engage
ment of the best intellectual timber We
can command.
Let us then expand the proposition os
the Governor, on the ground of the Bullc-
tiE's assumption, which it fortifes by no
better authority than an imparsonal cit is
said Without rejecting upoa the ability
Of the gentlemen named in Tie resolution.
or their legal acumen and high character
1t the bar, il is perfectly Gear, that
in such g question Of sta&esmaaship and
foreign ps-icy as this, the .Gt.est rep
resentative she State OF C.aIilornis can
have at IT, bar OF the Supreme Court
OF the nati9l will be United States
Senator who IS also an accomplished urist.
1o William d. Stewart, Of Nevada, we
owe the Sceb exclusion bill. When
politicians OF the East, who never
have been sincere with Californi2 upan