Speech #460076269

Our fathers possessed themselves of this country under the same plea and much in the same manner as did the children of Israel under the leadership of Joshua take possession of the Promised Land. They proclaimed "the heathen must go. our fathers did the same . and now our brethren in California do but echo their language. and insist that the teachings of the ancient Israelite and our Pilgrim Fathers shall be reverenced. and that this is a Christian land in which the pagan has no inheritance and shall have no possession or foothold. The principal argument used by those opposed to measures restricting immigration is that all such acts are in violation of the existing treaty. and they insist that the only way in which we can be relieved and this incubus removed is through the treatymaking power. It will be remembered that the citizens of California have for years been petitioning this body and that the Legislature of that State has forwarded memorial after memorial praying Congress to urge the treatymaking power to take the necessary steps to modify the treaty. Congress. heeding their supplications. passed a resolution two years ago requesting the President to open negotiations with China in order to secure such modifications. so as to limit immigration. but as yet we have no relief. and still they come. If the President complied with the request of the resolution the presumption is that the government of China will not consent to such modification. If this be true we shbuld only be the more deeply impressed with the urgent necessity of taking immediate action. such as will restrain the influx of these Mongolian serfs. But I am sure a careful examination of the spirit as well as the letter of the treaty will show to the unbiased mind that the passage of this measure will not be an infraction of the obligations of that instrument. and while I as well as the entire people of the Pacific coast would much prefer a total exclusion of this dangerous population from our country and only permit commercial relations to exist between this Government and China. yet we are anxious to secure the passage of this as the only measure now within our reach and the only means of present and partial relief. Section 5 of the treaty provides. among other things: That the high contracting parties joi in reprobating any other than an entirely vonary emigration. and agree to pass laws making it a penal offense for a citizen of the United States or Chinese subject to take Chinese subjects either to the United States or any other foreign country. or for Chinese subject or a citizen of the United States to take citizens of the lnited States to China or any other foreign pert without their free and voluntary consent respectively. The obvious meaning of this clause is that emigration be restricted to the free and unbiased desire of subject or citizen of either country to visit or emigrate to the other. and was intended to prevent the introduction of coolies. slaves. or any other class bound in a condition of servitude. It certainly cannot be construed to permit. much less mean. that slaves might be imported. and that the poor. helpless. and despised classes in China might be induced and enticed away to this country under such contracts as to virtually sell themselves into bondage. No man is allowed to sell himself in this country.