Why can not the State of California. if it is so anxious to prohibit any Chinaman from ever landing upon her soil. procure an enactment by Congress allowing the State of California to prohibit the migration of persons into that State? That clause of the Constitution clearly recognizes the power. Why can they not ask for a treaty with China which shall permit Chinamen of certain classes to come here. but not to enter into the States prohibiting their immigration or residence? I can see no reason for it. My principal object in rising. however. was to say that. in my judgment. this is not a question which concerns Californiaalone. It is perfectly feasible that California shall protect herself entirely from Chinese immigration and residence here. as I have shown. but it is to be considered. not that these 350.000.000 people. or perhaps five or six hundred million people. shall be judged in regard to their entire character by a few thousand vicious people of that country in the city of San Francisco. and their whole past and future history condemned because less than fifty thousand people in the State of California. or anywhere else. exhibit vices of the most abandoned and depraved nature. I wish to ask that an extract from a book written by George F. Seward. late United States minister to China. on the subject of Chinese character may be incorporated in my remarks.
Identified stereotypes
The speaker suggests that the character of hundreds of millions of Chinese people is being judged by a few thousand 'vicious people' in San Francisco.