President. I do not wish to prolong this debate or to restate the argunment which has. to my own satisfaction. as stated by the honorable Senator from Connecticut just now. demonstrated the enormity of the legislation which is proposed. .[he vote which has just been taken shows that it is the purpose of those having this bill in charge to force it through without regard to its effect upon the public faith of this Government. just pledged. by an act in which the Senate itself took its constitutional share. to the Emuire of China. Such is the purpose of the framers of this bill. we having promised that we would not prohibit but would only reasonably suspend the immigration of Chinese laborers to this continent. that promise having been accompanied with an express assurance given to China. reported to us by our envoys. that it wasthe purpose of this Government to use this power to adjust the balance of this class of laborin different parts of the country. When China asked for amore specific definition of this right of suspension. our commissioners said to China. "You may trust in the justice and good faith of the Govern mnet of the United States." In the face of that treaty and in the face of that contemporaneous promise reported to us before the treaty was ratified by the Senate. it is now the purpose of a majority of this body to proceed to prohibit. not to suspend. but to proceed to do the one thing which we promised we would not do. and which our commissioners assured China might be left to the justice and good faith of the people of the United States. This is proposed to be done for the reason perhaps best stated by the honorable Senator from Delaware. usually so sensitive to the obligations of public faith and of public morality. that he thinks whether such things should be done or not should be left to the people of the particular locality immediately to be affected.
Keywords matched
immigration