Speech #470056546

We were promised a commission to China which would effectuate the purposes of the veto and at tme same time give effect to the purposes of the people is expressed through their representatives in the two Houses. That commission went abroad. The Republican party met in convention and appealed to the country that notwithstandiog their President had vetoed a bill restricting Chinese immigration. still they had sent a commission abroad and they had not any doubt at all that the commission would return with all that we desired. a treaty modified. a treaty so enlarged and so shaped as that the Congress of the United States might still have the same power over Chinese immigration that it exercised in 1862. when it passed the law to prevent cooly immigration. The commission went abroad and arranged a treaty. and they reported it back to the treatymaking power of the country. It was ratified by the Executive and by the Senate and became the supreme law of tle land. Thereupon the two Houses of Congress. moved thereunto by a Republican. not by a Democrat. passed another act. sent it to the President of the United States. and that has been returned vetoed. Thus for four long years we have been struggling with this question in Congress. thus for four years the people have time and again. in both Democratic andlRepublieanplatfornis and through the action -of men of different parties in both Houses. expressed the solemn will and pleasure of the people of the United States in respect to their protection against Chinese immigration. A friend to my right suggests that I should use the word "invasion." It will be an invasion. if it is not now. Now. let us look at the power which has prevented this. Is there iny doubt about the majority of the people of the United States of both parties concurring in the fact that there must be a prohibition. or a restriction amounting almost to a prohibition. if not entirely. of Chinese immigration? Who will dare to rise up and confront the majesty of the voice of the people of the United States thus expressed and to deny its authority in this matter ? Only a few.