Speech #520048873

I stated while the Senator was out that the treaty. according to the record. was ratified in the Senate May 7. 1888. that it was cabled by the Chinese minister immediately to the Chinese Government. and no response was received. Theyhad not stated that the amendments of the Senate were unsatisfactory or that they were satisfactory. nor had the Chinese Goverulnent given any reason up to the date of the introduction of the bill in the House of Representatives September 17. 1888. why they had not acted upon the amendments to the treaty. I refer to this matter for the purpose of showing that the Government of the United States did not act hastily in passing the exclusion act October 1. 1888. We went on in perfect good faith. the treaty having been agreed to. and we passed an act for the purpose of carrying out its provisions. asI say. which was approved September 13. 1888. That is the act that the Congress of the United States passed. supposing. as a matter of course. the treaty would go into operation.