Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-05-19
JOHN CHINAMAN FIRED.
THE U. S. SUPREME COURT UP
HOLDS THE GEARY LAW.
All the PIg-Tails must Register or he
Sent Back to Their Native Land
A Rehearlng Asked for

The supreme court of the United
States has affirmed the constitutional
registration act. The opinion was
announced by Justice Gray, Justice
Brewer dissenting. The announce
expected attracted large attendance
of spectators.
Justice Gray, in announcing the
judgment of the court, said that the
power of this nation TO restrict or pro-
hibit the immigration of any aliens
into the country or to require such
aliens already in the country TO re-
move therefrom, was well settled
principle of international law, and
was confirmed by an unbrolIen line of
decisions in this court, II was within
the legislative power of the govern
ment to determine the regulations
under which these aliens should be
permitted To remain in this country.
As to the requirements that the
Chinese entitled to remain in this
country should esta bl!sh the right by
the evidence of one credible white
witness, Justice Gray said that it was
Nlliilh lilN pONtI Vi tue lNH lSldluAC w
determine the character of evidence
that may be received IN a case of law
and what force should be given to the
testimony of officers.
Justice Gray said it was one of the
fundamental principles of the law of
nations that every independent had the
inherent right to keep aliens out of its
territory and To order them 10 get out
- lnf III 4.
welfare demanded. That power
exists in time of war and equally so
in time OF peace and has always been
recognized as belonging to indepen-
dent nations. The United States-all
of the great powers-has the power to
make war, to make peace. 10 pass acts
of naturalization, to pass all necessary
and proper laws 10 carry cut the pow
ers reposed In congress On the pollt'
zeal department devClved the care
Of international relations, The
power OF exclusion is vested in the
executive officers and the judiciary
have no authority 10 reverse the action.
Treaties with China orignally-ls69-
provided for free intercourse, but il
was soon found necessary TO regulate
the entrance of Chinese into this coun.
try. If congress makes a law incon.
sistent with treaty 1t may give for.
eign nation the right to complain and
to take such action as it may deem best
for its own interests. but the duty of
the courts of the United States is clear,
and they must recognize its force. He
would not touch upon the wisdom, the
policy, even the justice of the act,
Those questions were for the political.
the legislative and executive depart.
rnerts of the governments if the act
were within their constitutional pow.
ers and 1T would be out of place for
the court to interfere.
Justice Brewer announced that he
dissented from the views Of Justice
Gray He declared the act unconstitu.
tional and said that if it were upheld
there was no guarantee that similar
treatment might not be accorded to
other classes OF our population than the
Chinese.
Justice Field also dissented and
characterized the act as inhuman and
brutal. He declared that the decision
OF the court was 10 his mind fraught
with the gravest dangers to the price.
less constitutional liberties CT the
people.
Chief justice Fuller also G!ssecfed
from the opinion OF the court. The
chief justice denied the soandress OF
the proposition that the cases before
the court were such as the po.ticai
department CT the government alone
could deal with II was. in his view
a judicial question, and however re.
luctaut courts may be 10 pass upca the
:cnstitutioEality of legislative acts, =
was the very essence OF judicial duty
was prosperity imposed upon IT.
Four Justices sustained Justice Gray's
opinion and the result was the act was
declared constitutional by & majority
Of FIVE 70 three.
After court had concluded announce
nert Of the opinions Huoiey AshtcaI
Of counsel for the Chinese, moved !o- a
rehearing OF the case ard an arg"ner:
before fall bench al the next term
AT present the court stands I'VE &c
three N support of the law, justice
Harlan being absent The court tock
the motion under Amusement, the esec:
OF which is 10 postpone untl! the
motion is acted upon. any proceeair 2
under the judgment the court an
nounced.