Speech #490064323

Even prior to our first treaty with China. that of 1844. at a time when no American citizen could rightfully. or with any degree of safety to life. or limb. or property. enter Chinese territory. the subjects of that empire had the right in unlimited numbers to come to and reside in any part of our vast domain. and while here receive the same protection of our laws in liMe and limb and property that were accorded to subjects of the most favored nation or to any of our own citizens. Prior to the Burlingame treaty it is true no formal right by treaty stipulation or otherwise was in express terms accorded to Chinese subjects to come to this country. but it must be remembered that none such was necessary. as around this land of freedom. this asylum for the oppressed. this home of the adventurer and hidingplace of the criminals. mendicants. and contagionstricken of earth as well. no Chinese wall had been erected. Ohr doors. until the treaty of 1880. which in a.measure provided for the restriction of Chinese immigration. were open to all the millions of all the nations of the earthking and peasant. freeman and slave. millionaire and pauper. honest yeoman and wandering sloth. vigorous. energetic. industrious men. and the palsied. leprous. loathsome wrecks of living deaths. While prior to the treaty of 1880. as has been intimated. Chinese of all classes and without limit as to number or character could come to and reside in any part or portion of the territory of the United States. engage in any business. occupa~tion. or profession. "go and come of their own free will and accord." and were entitled to and received the protection of all domestic laws in reference to the rights of life. limb. and property enjoyed by American citizens. during all these years American citizens. and certain classes only of these. enjoyed and enjoy no more today. the meager privilege of entering the sacred precincts of Chinese territory. alone for the purposes of trade only prior to the existence of the Burlingame treaty. and since then only for the purposes of trade. curiosity. or as teachers. and then only in a few certain specified localities. which are chosen. in the language of the treaty. by "having due regard to the feelings of the people in the location thereof. " This was the precise state of the case prior to the treaty of 1880.