Speech #480122039

I do not wish to occuliy the time of the Senate. as the Senator from Miisouri desires to take the floor. but I begindulgence to say that I have no doubt about the power of the Government of theUnited States. or of any State indeed. to exclude the immigration to this country of persons who are diseased. or persons who are paupersfi or persons who are criminals. upon the general power of selfpreservation or selfdefense that any government is obliged to possess. I was only anxious to know. inasmuch as the Senator referred to the subject of a tariff. whether he thought. the- exercise of the taxing power was included in the bill. or whether the power to regulate commerce was included in it. whether he really thinks that this is a prohibitory tarix upon the incoming of foreign population under contract to labor in this country. I was at a loss to know from the Senators argument upon the sul. ject of the attitude of certain persons on this side of the Chamber on the FEB rUARy 17. tariff question. whether he thought that we are now enacting a tariff law or something that is to be justified under our power to enact tariff legislation. I think that if it goes upon the idea of regulating commerce (inasmuch as that power seems to be equally in the authority of Congress) betwen foreign countries and the States and the Indian tribes. after a while we should in extending it get to preventing the negroes of the South from coming up among the people of the orth and competing for labor on the railroads and other places where they might seek an opportunity to find employment.o I do .not want to prevent that. I o not want to establish a precedent here by which that can be done. for Iwant those people to have free access to all parts of the United States to labor in competition -with any white man anywhere. That is my view f it. and I should dislike very much to lay down a doctrine inthis bill -which might induce someperson at some time or other.to undertake to cut off the negroes from the right to emigrate to the North. I -want them to go there if they wish togo.