Speech #470057070

To show you how the people regarded this I desixe to call your attention to the first and perhaps the most distinct aninouncement of opposition to Chinese immigiation that has been heard from that coast from that day to the present time. I will read from the Democratic platform of the State of Oregon in 1870. promulgated very soon after the passage of this embassy through California. That convention resolved as follows: That they urge and entreat a repeal of the recent treaty concluded between the United States and China. which guarantees to the latter nation such extensive privileges and immunities without corresponding benefits to American citizens. and offers to its hordes of semibarbarias such favorable inducements to swarm in upon us. occupying our mineral and agricultural districts. create competition with our laboring" masses. establish immoral pursuits. disgusting rites. ceremonies. and practices. discourage and repel the immigration of our own race. docrease the white population. retard thrift. impede the advancement of education and enlightenment. abstract from our resources and send away our valuable main eral wealth. and disorganize and spostatize our comanmity. And they resolve that a party who will sustain a policy so unwise and ruthless as that which upholds sucht an infamous bargain om unworthy the suwpport of white men. This was scarcely me t ona sqnare issue by the Republicans of Oregon in that coupaign. In fact. so far from meetin- the question of immigratin. of reneving Chinese upon the coast as aborers. their platform was silent. but in order to have some question to partly meet the issue tcndcred to them they did resolve that they we re iopposed to the naturalization of Chinese. The year before that the Democrats in California had made a strong issue upon the introduction of Chinese into that State. If I understand the history of that campaign correctly the Republican party of that State in that campaign evaded the issue. and only resolved against admitting Chinese to citizenship. taking refuge behind the Federal Government and the treaty power in regard to this matter. Two years later. however. they realized their mistake. and put themselves in full accord with the Democratic party upon this question. and from that day to the present time I believe in no State or Territoryon the Paciic slope has there been any disagreement between the parties in regard to Chinese immigration . and we had hoped. after the last national conventions of the two great parties of the country. that we had reached a similar condition as to national politics. We had hoped when we saw the pledges given in the platforms of the two parties that we shonid receive some attention and consideration at the hands of Congress. Just preceding the meeting of those conventions a bill had been passed through the two Houses of Congress by large majorities. and it may be well to refer to that vote. It was there disclosed that that measure in both branches of Congress was substantially carried by the votes of Democrats. On the passage of the recent bill a similar alignment of parties was disclosed. The facts clearly show that the opposition to the restricting of Chinese immigration now and in the past is and has been mainly confined to the Republican ranks. Why. sir. during the late campaign no language was strong enough to portray the feelings of abhorrence with which Republican speakers all over the United States assumed to hold as respected the sentiments of the Morey letter. which had been attributed to Mr. Garfield. Yet. sir. strange to say. in less than eighteen months from that time. the only source from whence we hear any voice in accordance with the sentiments of that letter comes from the Republican side in this body and from the same side in the other branch of Congress. These facts deserve attention. and they signify that from the commencement of this agitation to the present hour the Democratic party has made and led the contest against Chinese immigration. and is today the only party substantially and honestly making resistance and warfare against this Mongolian ivasion. But. sir. if there were any doubt as to the attitude of the Republican party in this respect. it was set at rest yesterday by the Senator from Massachusetts. In his remarks he said: I wish. however. to refer in a single word to one charge which has been fro. quently made. and that is that those members of the Republican party who have resisted the passage of this measure have violated the pledges with which they asked the support of the American people at the recent Presidential election.