Speech #470047642

I read from page 2556 ofr the RECORD. The memorandum says: At tie moiment. we are only prepared to negotiate for a mode of limitation. having in mind the interests of both governments. We ore entirely ready to negotiate nost carefully with your excellencies to the end that a lbnitacion. either in point of time or of numbntrs. may be fixed upon the emigration of Chinese laborers to the United States. Again on same page: The Chinese comnissoners replied that they had informed the secretary of the commission verbally that there would be difficulty in their accepting the word prohibition. nsedin tie seconid artile .and. assuming that the word "regulate" would cover generally the other words limit and susptend." they had suggested this limitation in hopes of learning frot the United States commissioners what their idea of limitation was. and they would like to hear. Afc. Trescot replied that the United States commissioners were not qa to propared to say. I leave out what he says: The Chinese commissioners said they did net intend their proposition to be considered as a substita e for article 11. or in any sense an ultimatum on the part of the Chinese Govornment. They ratiher intended it to induce a free dise.neion of the subject so it shonld be tborughlynterstoo. ltylinitation in number they meant. tor exampleThat is the Chinese accountthat the United States having. as they supposed. a record of the number of immigrants in eacla year as well as the total number of Chinese now there. that no more should be allowed to go in any one year in future than either the greatest nuiber which lad gone in any year in the past. or the least numher wh ch hid gone in any year in the past. or- that the total number should never be allowed to exceed the neurber now there. I draw the attention of the Senate to this definition from the Chinese commissioners. of that which they considered would be a reasonable exercise of discretion by the Unitel States. in limiting the nunher of emigrants. and suggested that that should be enforced under the treaty. even that the Government of the United States could prevent any greater number from coming here than either the mininnun or maxinmum of immigrants in any preceding year. and further. that at any time and forever the total nutber of Chinese laborers in the United States should not exceed that already here. Was not that a less reasonable limitation upon inuigration than that of twenty years ? Look at it practically.