Speech #570040933

The Chinese are a wonderful people in many respects. They have great powers of endurance. great industry. great patience. and they can work and live on so much less wages than white men that they become formidable competitors in all lines of work. They continued to come into the Pacific States in such large numbers that our people became alarmed. and the people and officials of the Pacific coast appealed to Congress to save them from what was termed "the yellow invasion." In 1879 Congress passed an act "to restrict the immigration of Chinese to the United States." The means adopted to secure this object was the limitation of the number of Chinese passengers which might be brought to this country by any one vessel to 15. The bill was passed by both Houses and was transmitted to the President for approval. President Hayes vetoed it. stating in his veto message that the bill as amended by the Senate included provisions which aim at and require the abrogation of Articles V and VI of the treaty *with China of 1868. President Hayess message concludes by saying: I am convinced that whatever urgency might in any quarter or by any interests be suppoced torequire an instant suppression of further immigration from China. no reasons can require the immediate withdrawal of our treaty protection of the Chinese already in this country. and no circumstances can tolerate an exposure of our citizens in China. merchants or missionaries. to the consequences of so sudden an abrogation of their treaty protection. Fortunately.lhowever. the actual recession in the flow of the emigration from China to the Pacific coast. shown by trustworthy statistics. relieves us from any apprehension that the treatment of the subject. in the proper course of dip lomatic negotiations. will introduce any new feature of discontent or disturbance among the communities directly affected. Were such delay fraught with more inconveniences than have ever been suggested by the interests most earnest in promoting this legislation. I can not but regardth le summary disturbance of our existing treaties with China as greatly more inconvenient to much wider amid mere permanent interests of the country.