The morning call., 1893-01-20

The source from which the following
letter comes is the principal reason for its
publication:
PROTEST.
Dear Editor: I read your leading article on
the Geary law Monday morning with consid
cradle pain. You bewail the probability OF thar
law not being carried out. l rejoice because of
that Not only SO. but viii encourage in every
way l can the quiet passing into oblivion OF that
law
II often happens that higher law conflicts
with a lower one. In the Time OF the persecu-
tons under the Roman Empire, II happened that
tile law OF Christ conflicted with the law OF the
Roman Senate. and some OF the finest men the
world ever saw refused TO obey the laws OF
mighty Rome. The same 10 all ages OF peTsecu-
ton.
The Geary law happens TO conflict with a
higher law, the law OF human brotherhood; for
God made of one flesh all men that dwell on the
face OF the earth. Ii conflicts with the law OF
Christ. that there Is neither Jew nor Greek,
Barbarian, Seythian, bond nor free, but all are
one in Him, and on q level OF eternal
equality. All the different uationalities 10 the
United States to-day ought 10 have the same
privileges. II In a moment Of blindness; or II In
defiance OF the law OF heay n. he House Of
Representatives, the Senate. and the President
passed such a law, tIey cannot compel me 10
obey il. nor to respect IT. nor can they prevent
NE nom regulating Dul Dl tue uhe OF loICe,
such as they would use In China and other
heather countries. No, dear editor, this petty
GeaIy law, the quintesseuce OF selnsEness, VIII
have to give way before the tremendous sweep
OF this higher law OF God; and those who have
promoted it, and those who uphold IL, VIII, in
higher enlightenment and civilization, have 10
cover themselves with shame. because they have
made such an effort 10 roll this great country
back Into the dark ages.
What Is 10 me most marvellous Is that so many
church going people are in the dark about the
law Of God about The law OF love and human
brotherhood, and this is only 10 be accounted for
by the fact that they know so little Of their
Bibles, and have only mere smatlering OF
! Christianity and are only playing with IL. / am,
| dear editor. yours faithfully.
A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER.
1t is impossible not 10 respect an honest
| conviction. That cur correspondent be-
! Iisves that he truly interprets the higher
| law there can be no doubt. But others
| equally honest and, perhaps. equally inteli-
| gent interpret it differently. They believe
| that the first duty Of a man is to his Maker,
the second to his country and the third to
| his family. There can be no higher law
than that which requires man to care for
! and protect those whom nature and the law
| Of the land have placed in positions of de-
| pendence upon him.
The right of a nation to protect itself
against injurious immigration is based upon
the right OF man to protect his home from
! tramps. We do not doubt but that our cor
respondent would exercise whatever physi-
! cal force might be necessary to protect his
home from unlawful Intrusion. And yet
| the would be intruders may be men and
brothers. The exercise of force TO put the
intruder out would be as absolutely in con-
! flict with the higher law as an exercise Of
| force to keep undesirable immigrants out of
the country.
Self-preservaton is the first law of nature
! The truth Of the adage is found in its ne
cessity. The right to live. to be free, to
accumulate property, depends uron the right
to enforce the law of self representation. 1t
is in the exercise of this right as people
that the Chinese and other undesirable i'm
migrants are kept out Of the country. 1t Is
not worth while in this place to discuss the
question whether or not the immigration Of
| Chinese in large numbers is an Injury to
the country. A large majority OF American
voters think it is. Believing so they acquire
the right to bar Chinese out They hold
that the higher law authorizes them TO pre-
serve the desirable condition under which
they live. We prefer our civilization and
our condition of life to those of China.
We object TO an immigration that tends to
impair these conditions. The condition of
the human race will not be improved by ex-
posing the most desirable condition to the
| assaults from the lower depths.