Speech #490083033

They do not come because they believe they are deprived of their rights there. they do not come to acquire citizenship under our flag. but they come simply because they believe theycan earn in a little while moremoney here than at home. and they come with a view of earning that money and with the intention of returning home with their gains so as to be buried in the laud of their ancestry. But. sir. while all of this is true. I can not accord with the suggestions of some gentlemen on this floor that because they are unwelcome immigrants. and because we believe them to be unfair competitors of those who work for wages in our land. that we should feel ourselves at liberty by legislative enactment to violate and disregard all of the sacred obligations of the treaty which we have made. Gentlemen can not forget the fact that China for hundreds of years insisted upon secluding herself and having no intercourse with any of the rest of the world. or any of the socalled civilized nations. They should not forget that it was the civilized nations of the world who knocked at her doors and demanded that the wall of seclusion should be broken down. and that there should be free intercourse. free egress and ingress of the citizens of the civilized world into China. In return for these concessions on the part of China it was agreed that there should be free ingress and egress to citizens of China in our own country. I find by referring to the Burlingame treaty. and all gentlemen present know the origin and purpose of that treaty. Article V provides: The United States of America and the Emperor of China cordially recognize the inherent and inalienable right of man to change his home and allegiance. and also the mutual advantage of the free migration and emigration of their citizens and subjects respectively from the one country to the other for purposes of curiosity. of trade. or as permanent residents. * * And article 6: Citizens of the United States visiting or residingin China shall enjoy the same privileges. immunities. or exemptions in respect to travel or residence as may there be enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of the most favored nation. and. reciprocally. Chinese subjects visiting or residing in the United States shall enjoy the same privileges. immunities. and exemptions in respect to travel or residence as may there be enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of the most favored nation. Now. sir.