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THE VETO |
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Harpers
Weekly, April 15, 1882, page 226 (Editorial) |
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In a
temperate and excellent message the President has vetoed the Chinese
bill. He states in detail the existing treaty relations between the
countries, and the express understanding between the Commissioners
upon both sides in the late negotiations. It was stipulated that the
free immigration of Chinese should not be prohibited, and that any
regulation of their coming should be reasonable. But an exclusion of
twenty years is a practical prohibition, and therefore unreasonable.
The President adopts this view, and regarding the twenty years
clause as a breach of the national faith, he returns the bill. |
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The Veto
April 15, 1882, page 236
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At
Last The Democratic Tiger
Has Something To Hang On
April 22, 1882, page 256
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He
objects, also, incidentally, to the passport and registration
provisions, as subjecting the resident Chinese to needless
annoyance, which is equally forbidden by good faith. The President
adds further that the bill is repugnant to good policy. It would be
detrimental to the general interest to destroy amicable relations
with Asia until it is plainly evident that Asiatic competition
threatens our labor and safety. To ascertain how far this is
probable, a shorter exclusion is desirable. But the President
accepts the bill as evidence that Congress is of opinion that the
Chinese immigration does injuriously affect our interests and
endangers good order, and the tone of the message implies that a
"reasonable" exclusion bill would not be vetoed. |
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The
possible party effect of his veto the President has properly not
allowed to sway his decision. If the veto should give California and
the Pacific coast to the Democrats, it would be evident that they
could be retained for the Republicans only by a wanton defiance of
the American principle that honest immigrants to this country shall
not be excluded until self-defense demands exclusion, and that in
any case the national good faith shall be preserved. If fidelity to
these principles should cost the Republican party some advantages,
that fidelity will ultimately, as usual, commend the party to the
renewed confidence of the country. |
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Harpers
Weekly, April 15, 1882, page 226 (Editorial) |
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