Year: 1879

The following is the full text of the
memorial presented by General Miller,
Chairman of the Chinese Csmmitte, and
adopted unanimously by the Constitution
al Convention


To the Senate and House of Repre-
SentatveS of the United States: The
people Of the State of California, by
their delegates now assembled in Consti-
tutionsl Convention, respectfully present
TO the Senate and House of Representatives
Of the United States this memorial, the
object and purpose Of which is to invoke
the exercise Of the Supreme national au-
thority for relief from Chinese immigra-
ton, an evil Of such magnitude and Of a
character so threatening to the highest
interests of the State as to excite in the
minds of our whole people the most So
rious dissatisfaction and alarm. As be-
cOme a people devoted to the National
Union, and filed with a profound rever-
encs for law, we have repeatedly, by pc
tition aad memorial, through the action
OF our Legislature, and by our Senators
and Representatives in Congress, sought
the appropriate remedies against this
great wrong, and patiently awaited with
confidence the action Of the GeAeral Gov
ernment. Meanwhile this giant evil has
grown, and strengthened, and expanded
its bsneful effect upon the material inter
ssts Of the people, upon public msrals and
eur civilization, becoming more and more
apparent, until patience is almost sxhaus-
ted and the spirit Of discomfort parvades
the State. 1t would be dsingenueus in US
TO attempt TO conceal our amazement at
the long delay Of appropriate action by
the National Government toward the pro-
hibitien Of an immigration which is
rapidly approaching the character of AN
Oriental invasion, and which threatens to
supplant Anglo. Saxon civilization on this
coast. If the facts relating TO this immi
grafton now patent to all observers, iflhe
ascertaned knowledge now within the
reach of every intelligent man, will not
serve to awaken an interest 1pon this
subject IT, the minds of the governing
power of this nation, we are temped TO
despair of ever reaching remedy.


NOT CONFINED TO FEW.


If it be supposed, as has often been
said, that tho hostility to Chinese immi
grafton is confined TO "A small and ignor.
ant class of our people, we protest against
such assumption. The discomfort from
this cause is almost universal. 1t is not
limited to any particular party, nor TO
any class or nationality. 1t does not
spring from race antipsthies, nor alone
from economical considerations nor from
any religious sentiment nor from low
merconary motives. We submit that our
people, being interested to n greater extent
in commerce with China than any other
portion of the American people, the
reason for this hostility ts Chinese immi-
grafton must be considered overwhelming,
when sufficient 10 array the whole bedy of
our people against a treaty which was
intended to secure TO that people, moro
than to any other, the great benefits to be
derived from Asiatic commerce. Our
sincerity cannot therefore be doubted,
since we are willing to forego all the
benefits Of commerce with China, If need
be, rather than suffer the ills which this
immigration must inevitably entail upon
us and our descendants.


SOME OF THE REASONS.