The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-05-20
THE CHINESE EXCLUSION
ACT.

lie Ouplt lllC Souit vi tHS Chil>N
States has decided the Geary Chinese
exclusion act of 1892 constitutional,
upon the ground that it is the right
of this nation as a sovereign and
independent power to restrict or
prohibit the immigration OF aliens
into the country, or to require such
aliens already in the country to
remove therefrom. The court in
rendering the decision does not dis
cuss the wisdom, justice or expedi
ency of the Geary Act, which are
beyond the province of the Judicial
branch of the government. The
practical result, however, of the deci-
sion will be that Congress will have
on its hands the very unwelcome
duty of deporting large number of
Chinese at very considerable ex-
pense to the government, and for
which present appropriations are
entirely inadequate. The mere cost
to the country however OF their
deportation, is the lest Objectionable
feature OF the law. While it is true
that the Chinese are not desirable
migrants, it is no less true that they
have been induced under treaties to
come here as the subjects OF a
friendly nation. Once here, under
the operation of immigration laws
that Disseminated against no nation
atty, it is difficult to see upon what
grounds either of humanity or civil
lied craftsmanship, they can be so
unjustly Disseminated against. This
is the ground taken by three Justices
of the Supreme Court who filed dis
senting opinions-Chiet Justice Full
Ter and Justices Brewer and Field.
The latter held that there was a wide
difference between exclusion of immi-
grants and the deportation of alien
residents, and he characterized the
act in the strongest language as in
human and brutal, and as violative
of the Constitution in every section.
He regretted to say that the decision
of the court was, to his mind, traught |
with the gravest dangers to the price
less constitutional liberties of the
people.
1t will surprise most people to
learn that any such dangerous and
despotic power lies in our govern
ment which will authorize it to expel
at pleasure, in time of peace, the
whole body of friendly foreigners Of
any country domiciled herein by its
permission, power which can be
brought into exercise whenever it
may suit the pleasure of Congress
and be enforced without regard to
to the guarantees of the Constitution
for the protection of the rights OF
person and property. Is it possible
that Congress can, at its pleasure,
expel at any time the Irish, German,
French and English people who
may have taken up their residence
here on the invitation OF the govern
ment, in disregard of the guarantees
Of the Constitution, simply on the
ground that they have not been
Aliens domiciled within the coun-
try by its consent are entitled to all |
the guarantees for the protection OF
their persons and property which
are secured to native born citizens.
The moment any human being |
come within the Jurisdiction of the
United States with the consent OF the
government-and such consent will |
always be implied when not expressly |
and in the case of the Chi
nese laborers before US with in terms !!
given by treaty-he becomes SUBJ
ect to all their laws, and amenable |
to their punishment and entitled to
their protection.