Speech #500116160

So the bill did not pass. There was not a twothirds vote for it. and therefore this door that the Republican Senators are now so anxious to close. by their own votes and by the veto of their own President was kept open. The next time it came up was on March 9. 1882. on the bill to restrict Chinese immigration. Anothereffort was made to close the door which the Republicans had made wide and high. and had locked by the pledged faith of the Government. locked it open (not locked it shut). and fastened it. The next time the effort was made to close this door. which had been opened by the Republican party and labeled right over its lintel with thevords. " We acknowledge the inherent and inalienable right of the Chinese to come to this country not only for curiosity and trade but for permanent residence" (and I will get to that "permaneut residence" directly. to show what they wanted to use it for then). the vote in the Senate for the bill was 30 Democrats and 8 Republicans. nearly four to one30 Democrats in opposition to this idea ingrafted in the treaty of 1868. that there was an inherent and inalienable right in the Chinese to come to this country. not only for labor and trade and for curiosity. but for permanent residence.