CALIFORNIA. 



81 



need not attempt a statement of the evils which re- 

 sult from the policy of our Government on the Chi- 

 nese question. That the Chinese have rapidly en- 

 croached on the white laborers in all branches of 

 industry, except those requiring either great muscu- 

 lar power, or a high order of mechanical skill, need 

 not DC demonstrated; it is manifest to every one who 

 will open his eyes and see. It is pretty clear that, 

 in every branch of industry in which Chinese labor 

 can be used at all aud there are few branches in 

 which it has not already been introduced it is only 

 a question of time as to when all white labor shall 

 be excluded from such industry. 



As a preventive of future trouble, he made 

 the following suggestion : 



Now, what I have to suggest to the committee is, 

 that it, in the interest of the future safety of the city 

 and the State, and in the interest of a proper Ameri- 

 can civilization on this coast, make formal declara- 

 tions : First, That, in its judgment, the present 

 treaty relations between the United States Govern- 

 ment and the Government of China ought to be modi- 

 fied so as to prevent the unlimited influx of the Chi- 

 nese into this country; and, second, That it will 

 employ all means legitimately at its command, to 

 secure action in the premises on the part of the Fed- 

 eral Government. 



About the end of October and the beginning 

 of November a series of meetings was held 

 in the streets of San 

 Francisco, at which in- 

 cendiary speeches were 

 made, with intent to 

 stir up the popular sen- 

 timent against the Chi- 

 nese and to incite at- 

 tacks upon them. An 

 appeal was made to the 

 mayor, by the presi- 

 dents of the six Chi- 

 nese companies, for 

 the protection of their 

 countrymen, and these 

 meetings were dis- 

 persed by the police, 

 several speakers being 

 arrested. 



The committee of 

 the State Senate, which 

 had been appointed in 

 1876 to investigate the 

 subject of Chinese im- 

 migration, prepared a 

 memorial, which was 

 submitted to the Fed- 

 eral Congress at the 

 extra session in Octo- 

 ber. This set forth in 



strong terms all tlie alleged evils of the influx 

 of Mongolians. It represented that the Chi- 

 nese shipped to California were of the most 

 degraded class, and virtually the slaves of con- 

 tractors; that they were in danger of over- 

 whelming the white laborers with their num- 

 bers ; that the cheapness of their labor had 

 a ruinous effect on the native working classes ; 

 and that vice and crime were very prevalent 

 among them. In conclusion, the memorial 

 said : 



VOL. xvn. 6 A 



The Chinese now here are protected by our treaty 

 obligations and laws ; and, that they will continue 

 to receive that protection, the people and Govern- 

 ment of this State will be responsible. If further 

 immigration is prevented, they will gradually return 

 to their own country, and the occupations in which 

 they are now engaged will be supplied with laborers 

 and immigrants of our own race. The temper of 

 the people of California is such that the employment 

 of Chinese will be, as it has to a considerable extent 

 already been, discouraged, and this will effectually 

 compel their departure. 



As to future immigration, neither a total nor par- 

 tial abrogation of the Burlingame Treaty will afford 

 relief. The mass of indeed, the entire immigration 

 comes from the port of Hong-Kong, a British colony. 

 No alteration in our treaty stipulations with China 

 could have the slightest effect upon the passenger 

 trade of that port. 



The British colonies of Australia have, like us, 

 suffered under the incubus, and have recently en- 

 deavored, by hostile legislation, and, in some in- 

 stances, by force, to effect the exclusion and obstruct 

 the further ingress of Chinese. Those agitations, 

 coupled with the earnest and uniform policy of 

 Great Britain of suppressing any traffic resembling 

 the slave trade, convince us that an appeal to that 

 country would lead to the desired result. Indeed, 

 we may well assume, in view of the amicable rela- 

 tions existing between the English Cabinet and 

 people and the United States, that, in the absence 

 of any urgent reasons addressing themselves pecu- 



8TATK CAPITOL, SACRAMENTO. 



liarly to Her Majesty's Government, it would, upon 

 proper diplomatic representations, cordially cooper- 

 ate with our own Government in arriving at a satis- 

 factory remedy. 



"With the Chinese Government there need be no 

 difficulty. As will appear by the report, that Gov- 

 ernment is opposed to the emigration of its people, 

 and, in our judgment, founded upon reliable evi- 

 dence, would readily consent to a modification of 

 existing treaties ; and for this reason, also, such 

 modification would not necessarily disturb in any 

 manner our commercial relations with China. 



We would, therefore, most respectfully suggest, as 



