"Time" 15 Jan
445
1881
"Latest Intelligence
THE UNITED STATES.
(BY ANGLO-AMERICAN CABLES.)
PHILADELPHIA, JAN. 14. The President has sent to the Senate two treaties negotiated with China. Both are regarded as certain of ratification when considered next week. The Emigration Treaty provides that whenever in the opinion of the United States Government the coming of Chinese labourers to the United States, or their residence therein, affects or threatens to affect the interests of that country or endanger its good order, China agrees that the United States may regulate the limit or suspend such coming or residence, but may not absolutely prohibit it. This limitation or suspension shall be reasonable, applying only to the Chinese who may go to the United States as labourers, other classes not being included. The legislation taken shall be only such as is necessary to enforce the regulation of the limitation or the suspension of the emigration. The emigrants shall not be subject to personal maltreatment. Other Chinese subjects, with their servants, visiting the United States and the Chinese labourers now in the United States shall be allowed free movement, being accorded all the privileges given to the subjects of the most favoured nation. If the Chinese now in the United States are ill-treated, the United States will exert all its power for their protection under the treaty rights. Whenever under this treaty the United States adopts legislative measures, they will be communicated to China. The treaty was signed at Pekin on November 17, and ratifications are to be exchanged in one year.
The Commercial Treaty binds each Government to give most careful and favourable attention to such special extension of the commercial intercourse as either may desire. China and the United States mutually agree and undertake that the Chinese subjects shall not be permitted to import opium into any of the United States ports, and the citizens of the United States shall not be permitted to import opium into any of the open ports of China, to transport it from one open port to another, or to buy or sell opium in any Chinese open port. This absolute prohibition, extending to vessels owned by the citizens or subjects of either Power, to foreign vessels employed by them, or to vessels owned by them and employed by others for the transportation of opium, shall be enforced by appropriate legislation by China and the United States. China agrees that no other kind or higher scale of tonnage dues or duties on imports, exports, or coastwise trade shall be imposed or levied in the Chinese open ports upon American vessels or upon produce, manufactures, or merchandise imported or exported in them, or transported coastwise, than are imposed on vessels or cargoes of any other nation or those of Chinese subjects. A similar provision is made for Chinese vessels and cargoes in American ports. All controversies in China between the Americans and the Chinese needing decision by the public officers of the two nations shall be tried by the proper officers of the nationality of the defendant. The proper officers of the plaintiff's nationality shall be freely permitted to attend the trial, shall be treated with courtesy, granted proper facilities for watching the proceedings in the interest of justice, and, if desirous, shall have the right to be present at the examination and cross-examination of the witnesses. If dissatisfied with the proceedings they may protest against them in detail. The law administered will be the law of the nationality officer trying the case. Signed, Pekin, November 17. The ratifications will be exchanged in one year.
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