Speech #450113396

I wish to say a word more. The remarks of the Senator from Vermont verify my understanding of his amendment. and I trust the Senator from California will by no means agree to putting that amendment upon the bill. As I remarked when I was up before. this is not saying to the Emperor of China "we would not take offense at your adopting by a decree such a provision as we have adopted in regard to Chinese subjects. regulating the migration of American citizens to China. as we by this bill regulate the immigration of Chinese subjects to America." That is not this amendment at all. but this amendment is in effect saying if China shall stop all commercial intercourse between the United States and China we will not take offense. Nobody denies the right of China to abrogate the treaty as fully as we have the right to abrogate it. but every nation that abrogates a treaty does it under responsibility. and I for one am not willing to say that China would be justilied. by the passage of this bill. in putting an end to all commercial intercourse between us and that empire. that she could shut her ports. the free por s. five of them I believe there are. which are now by treaty open not only to us but to France and Germany and England. and I do not know but to the whole world. that she can shut them against us. keep our merchants and our ships out of them and find a justification in the passage of this bill. which simply seeks to regulate who shall become denizens and residents in the United States. I shall never agree that she would be justified in stopping her ports in that way on account of such a bill as this. and I am not Willing. therefore. to say to her in advance. in fact to invite her in advance to break off all commercial intercourse and go back to her policy which existed before hei ports were opened at the mouth of the cannon. and shut out the American at least from all intercourse with China.