Speech #470021601

At the same session a joint special committee was appointed which made a voluminous report. and also recommended a change or abrogation of the Burlingame treaty. In the Fortyfifth Congress. as chairman of the subcommittee and acting under instructions of my committee. I introduced in February. 1878. a joint resolution which was passed. requesting the executive department to negotiate a new treaty upon the subject of Chinese immigration. Tlis resolution. although passed by both Houses of Congress. called forth no practical effort at action. and therefore on the 14th January. 1879. our committee reported a bill limiting the number of Chinese immigrants to fiftecim upon any one -vessel. That bill was promptly vetoed by Mr. Hayes. and the only hope for relief remaining was in the treatymaking power. Commissioners were at length appointed who con eluded a new treaty on the 17th November. 1880. which authorizes legislation by Congress to "limit. regulate. ad suspend" Chinese immigration. The recital of these numerous efforts must make clear to this Congress their duty. and that duty is to place upon the statutebook a law which will execute the provisions of this treaty and remove forvor from American politics this alien. nonassimiilative. and disturbilg clement. There is another fact which this House should bear in mind. and which should seeure early action upon this bill.