Speech #500101716

SHERMAN. Thayer. and Yates31.-Globe. page 5173. There were 20 Republicans and 7 Democrats in the 27 votes above given against Chinese naturalization. Among tbe 14 in favor of naturalization there were no Democrats in regular standing. but Sumner. Trumbull. Ross. and Sprague had practically left the Republican party at that timeand never acted with it afterwards. Among the Democrats who were present on the first division and voted against the Sumner amendment. and who deserted before the last vote and were absenton that occasion. leaving the Republican Senators from the Pacific coast to fight the battle alone. was Mr. Casserly. a Democratic Senator from California. After the defeat of Sumners amendment. the following amendment was adopted: The naturalization laws are hereby extended to aliens of African nativity and persons of African descent. On the passage of the bill every Democrat present except their allies. the Mugwumps of that day. voted in the negative. because they were opposed to extending naturalization to the colored race. The debate on the motion to reconsider the vote by which Sumners amendment was adopted was earnest. serious. and exhaustive. The speeches of Senator Williams. of Oregon. on that occasion are models of both eloquence and logic. Mr. Schurz sustained Mr. Sumner in favor of Chinese naturalization in an argument that must be classed among his best efforts. but it was based on the false supposition that the Chinese were the equals of the whites and that their coming was a blessing rather than a curse. I participated in the general debate. showing as best I could the utter ruin which would result to the Pacific coast by the importation of hordes of Chinese to be naturalized to control the political destinies of the West. I called attention to the factthat it was not the Pacific coast alone that was to be invaded by the importation of Chinese coolies. and showed that both the South and the East were to be invaded. A convention was then in session in Charleston. S. C.. considering the question of supplanting colored laborers by Chinese coolies. In answer to a question as to how the business was conducted I said: I will tell you in a moment. This business is done in China bynative agents.