A Petition to the American Government from the Anglo-Chinese College.
12th July, The following petition has been prepared by the students of the Anglo-'Chinese College'and has been duly sent, through Consul Gracey, to the President and Secretary of the United States, and to Mr, W. We Rockhill, the American Minister st Peking. A number of copies of the same petition will be sent to the respective members of the two Houses of Congress in the United States, through Dr. Geo, B, Smyth, former President of this college, who is now in San Francisco Anglo-Chinese College, Foochow, Chins, June, 1905. To His Excellency the President of the United States of Americs, Washington, D. C., U. 8. A.
8im,—Your petitioners, the three hundred and fifty Chinese teachers and students of the Anglo-Chinese College, Foochow, China, in the matter of requesting the modification of the Exclusion Treaty on its expiration, the restoration of Chinese liberty in America, and the vindication of equal rights in your honourable country, beg to submit the following 1.—Your petitioners have been much influenced by the discipline of Christianity introduced by your honourable country since they received fostering and instruction from the American people and have tat least possessed the spirit of gratitude. As human beings, they have a direct responsibility to their government; as subjects, they have a duty to fulfil towards their government. Therefore six months before the expiration of the Exclusion Act, they hasten to protest against the Exclusion Treaty enacted by your honourable country and the ill-treatment of Chinese V3 Americans which bring not only n disgrace to the dignity of China, but cast a blot on the civilisation of your honourable country. In considering the races of the world, no matter how ignorant and how base the Chinese may seem to be, still they are not inferior to the negroes. With the cost of your own blood. you maintained for them equal rights, released them from slavery, and let them enjoy the privileges of liberty. This forms one of the it and most glorious enrrisee in the history of the world. How is it that in the case of the Chinese you enacted an Exclusion Law, inflicted' all serta of ill-treat nent upon them, and evidently reserved liberty and equal rights in the Vil of Unknown Quality" or an iron-safe? Why do you not distinguish between the Release from Slavery and the Exclusion Acts' against Ohinese in order that the glory and disgrace may stand evident?
2.—Your honourable country has often declared that you are China's friend and that you are unwilling to allow any power to disturb her peace. For this, the four hundred ale bettoen have been deeply grateful. Why, on the other hand, do you oppress the Chinese by introducing the Exclusion Acts with which no country has ever oppressed Ohinese in like manner as you, and no country has ever received such ill-treatment from you 8 has China? Chinese people constitute China: if you acknow-dis: ting the derision of other powers, ledge China as your friend why do you,
practise such unkind and oppressive acts which mean that your friend is deprived of liberty and equal rights 3.—The maintenance of peace in the
less of pains, is to keep the' "Open East by your honourable country, Dogar. Door" policy which is the essential of commerce. The vitality of commerce lies, it is universally admitted, in industry, and if you unduly restrict Chinese industry or labour in your country, you narrow your commerce in China because Frond———_ are torres fence, they might, wit! \eir efforts, try to boycott American goods. The result will be that no Chinese will use American goods or products. When you exclude Chinese from your country, i means no less than that you exclude your commerce from Chins.
4.—Your country has professed to be 1 Christian country, aod has been ac-\nowledged as such, and the fundamental principle of Christianity is to Love God and] thy neighbour as thyself." In obedience to the command of the Lord Jesus, you have sent out missionaries to all parts of the world and even into the "Celestial Empire" to proclaim the good tidings". No doubt your trust is sacred and your motive not only laudable but honourable. The people of China do not read as much as your people do, but they watch carefully the deeds of the missionaries and the treatment which their home country gives to the Chinese to whom you have preached Love thy neighbour as thy-golf." They do not quite understand why. your people in China preach the doctrine Love, while in America you treat Chinese worse than any other nation, nay, coven the negroes If you really love God Zit loving the brethren whom you can must prove your love to Him by see on this earth, then the words which proceed from the mouths of your mi sionaries will have signal force i minds of Ohinese. For "exam; louder than words" and it is not words" that have a secret influence over the people.
6.—Your honourable country has, since the opening of your history, the reputation of "daring to do right, daring to stand alone" as it was shown to all the world in the War with England when you claimed, and insisted upon securing, equal rights. The tree of liberty was planted and the bell of liberty was rung in America, but the branches of the tree have extended and the sound of the bell has echoed in Cubs. The people of Cuba, awakened by the sound of the bell of liberty, and long impatient under the yoke of Spain, attempted to throw off the yoke. By the brave and undaunted assistance of your country, they have become independent at your cost. The question of slavery which caused the Civil War in your country is another instance which roved thst you would brave any, gers and difficulties to do right rather than to have it forfeited by any man or nation, The integrity of China during the crisis of a few years ago is said to have been preserved by your honourable country. If such good and praiseworthy courage has been the object of your government; if you dared to stand against England on the question of Taxation without Representation; if you challenged Spain to fight-on the Independence of Cubs; and if you dared to, fra with the cost of your 1 oppose Slavery among your fellow-
petitioners have faith to believe in the recasting of the Exclusion Acts your honourable country will maintain her reputation for righteousness and deal fairly with the Chinese government, In view of the preceding statements, your petitioners respectfully beg to submit the following ten propositions and hope that they will have due weight in the consideration of the Exclusion Acts 1.—Objecting that any discrimination should be between immigrants and travellers from Chins, or Chinese residents in America, and those from any other coun-
'2.—That no discrimination shall be made between the examinations or measurements of Chinese and those from any other country at ports of entry. The naked examinations of Chinese shall be discontinued, 3.—That the buildings provided for the iter of Chinese immigrants awaiting examination at ports of entry shall be the the lo from any other country. No same as those provided for the shelter of
buildings such as water houses shall be specially erected for Chinese alone, and in case of sickness, Chinese shall be allowed the attendance of physicians just as the people from any other country, 4.—That Ohinese immigrants having obtained passports signed by American consuls residing in China are entitled to admittance without being hampered by all sorts off troubles or difficul amination of ports shall be made Withina week from the time of arrival at ports of entry. of Chinese immigrants and eons in the hearing and examination frionda}and relatives of th migrant be allowed to be present and, in case of disapproval, the immigrant may to engages lawyer to make that his petition shall not hands of the original examiner, 6.—That no objections shall be made to Chinese students in America as to their choice of study and their choice of schools, and the school expenses defrayed by} the students themselves, restrictions li the amount of ready money shall be the same as those for students from any other country. Ohinese students may be allowed to work outside of school hours to support th selves while pursuing their educat they find it necessary to do so, without being regarded as coolies or prohibited labourers, '7.—That besides the favoured classes, as writers, cooks, laun n, partners, business men, and skilled mechanics, all managers, treasurers, buyers, sellers, clerks, accountants, agents, tailors' apprentices, and proprietors of restaurants and boarding-houses, manufacturers of tobacco, cigarettes, boots, and hats, and all kinds of Chinese retail dealers shall be regarded as merchants, 8.—That Chinese merchants having property or bills collectible in America (no matter how much) shall have the liberty to travel at any time to any place without being compelled to return to America at s specified time. In case of the non-return of the immigrant, the authorised attorney shall have the power to collect the debts, if any, in America, 9.—That all registered Chinese, and those Chines who go to America in the future, shall be treated justly and fairly by both the government and the people of America and shall be secured in all their rights as legal residents, 10.—That in case it should become necessary to destroy buildings occupied by Chinese in order to exterminate
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.