Therefore under no circumstancesunder existing laws could the Chinaman become a citizen. though he remained here a thousand years. This rul. therefore. today. looking as it does to the welfare of our Government. to the good of our people. to the preservation of the rights and liberties of existing generations and their posterity. as well and at the same time recognizing the doctrines of the Declaration of Independence in reference to the birthright of humanity as to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. requires. nevertheless. a rule of action which today forever excludes from these sacred political rights more than onehalf the foreign population of the globe. including the very race under discussion. and imposes these severe restrictions upon the remainder. While. therefore. we recognize the brotherhood of man. while we to the fullest extent accord to all men. whether born in America. in Africa. or on the distant shores of Asia Minor. the rights of life. liberty. and the pursuit of happiness. still. to maintain our autonomy among the nations. to protect our people and our civilization from contact that will degrade and paralyze and finally overthrow it. we insist on the right to interpose with conditions upon the same principle upon which we impose conditions in reference to naturalization. In other words. we say to the nations of the world. for the same reason that we would inhibit a foreign prince or potentate. or the adherent of any foreign prince or potentate. from becoming a citizen of oir country. we would inhibit a race whose customs. practices. aspirations. are in direct conflict with our own from obtaining by numerical force a controlling influence in our Government and among its people. Bet. says the learned Senator from Ohio. the doctrine of the right of expatriation is a cherished one. and its recognition by our Government by an article in the Burlingame treaty forecloses the Government of the United States on this subject.
Keywords matched
naturalization