The other party to the treaty were aware of it. and we have in the passage of this act. so far as strict right is concerned. done that which we had not only the legal and constitutional right to do. bi4 which the people ofall the earth knew wo had the right to do. There was a very recent instance of the exercise of this authority on the part of Congress. Gentlemen know well that there was passed during the last Congress what is known as the Chinese repeal billthe Chinese exclusion actpresented here without having been printed. and offered and passed by unanimous consent without objection. even the distinguished gentleman from Maine [the Speaker] sittingin front of me not opening his mouth in protest against it. or the gentleman from Ohio either. Now. if we could treat these people of the Flowery Kingdom in this arbitrary and peremptory way. without any complaint ever having been made by gentlemen on either side of this House. can we not do the same thing against these islands. where nearly half the population are of the same kind of people. the Chinese. without the reproach which the gentleman feels attaches to us by the modification which has been made in the bill ? I suspect there is some other motive beneath this measure. in which I have no idea my friend from Ohio participates.
Keywords matched
Chinese exclusion