Year: 1877

Meetings of SC called "workingmen"
have been held in the City of San Fran
cisco on several occasions lately, and at
each Of these meetings the liberty of fspeech
of which we pride ourselves has been
wantonly abused by those who addressed
the meetings. Not content with a recital
of the supposed wrongs of the working
classes, and the consideration Of pacific
measures which would have a tendency
to ameliorate the condition Of the classes
in whose presumed interests the meetings
we're held, the speakers branched out into
language most incendiary in its character
and calculated to incite the lawless ele-
ments which always congregate about
great cities to acts Of violence. While
the utmost liberty of speech and action is
held to be one OF the fundamental princi-
pies Of our liberties, both speech and nc
ton are liable, in the hands Of demagog-
ues to abuse, and so it has proven in the
present instance.


The Chinese question is the one which
these incendiaries use rs the one calculat-
ed to stir up and bring into action the
lawless elements. The State, and the
United States have already taken such
steps as should bring relief from this
evil, and the effect Of these measures is
such that we are beginning at this time,
to gee a decrease of our Chinese popula-
ton. If there was any considerable por
ton Of our people who favored the pres
ence of Chinese here, we should ex-
pect that lawlessness would come to the
surface, but such is not the case. AL po-
litical parties are agreed in their opposi.
ton to further Chinese immigration, and
their platforms reflect fully the sentiment
Of those composing the rank and file Of
the parties. 1t is conceded that the only
relief the Pacific States can receive from
this incubus must como from the hands
Of Congress. On this point there is now
no difference of opinion, and the friends
Of white labor have taken the initatory
steps to bring the matter before Congress
in such manner that that body must
give it the attention it deserves. The
State Senate of California at its last ses-
sion, appointed committee Of Senators
who took testimony bearing upon the ef-
feet the influence Of the presence here of
large numbers of Chinese must have
upon the morals and condition of the
white population. This testimony was
published and will be laid before Con-
gress, and coming before that body cloth
ed with the authority Of Legislative
commission, cannot fail to give the peo-
pie OF the East an insight into the true
character of the Chinese people, and show
that their presence in any greet numbers
must be injurious to the interests ofthose
with whom they are brought into contact.
The same may be said of the Congress-
ional investigating committee. And
while the true friends of white labor are
thus endeavorng by all legal means to
rid this State of the evil complained Of,
such actions as those to which the speak
ers at those "workngmen's" meetings
are endeaverng to incite the popuace,
can only arouse sympathy for the Chi
nese. 1t is gratifying to think that the
city authorities of San Francisco have
arrested the chief demagogues and it is to
be hoped they will meet with such pun
ishment as their efforts to lead others into
acts of violence deserve.