John Adams. with the power for two years to order the removal of a single person whose presence for good cause he deemed dangerous to the public peace. But here a local officer of the smallest customs district may. yes. must. forcibly seize and expel. without trial or judicial hearing. the Chinese whom he finds within his precinct. however excellent his character. however advantageous his presence. We have experienced evils which required legislation to regulate immigration from other countries. But we have hitherto directed our remedy to the complaint. There may be much that is wrong connected with the coming of these people from China. especially the importation of coolies. But let ns in our statute use language which fitly describes the evil and would prevent. not language which. strikes at the prerogative with which Government has no right to interfere. It is not importation. but immigration. it is not importation. but the free coming. it is not the slave. or the apprentice. or the prostitute. or the leper. or the the thief but the laborer at whom this legislation strikes its blow. What has happened within thirteen years that the great Republic should strike its flag ? What change has come over us that we should eat the bravest and the truest words we ever spoke ?
Keywords matched
immigration coolies