social advancement. There went up, therefore, most urgent appeals from the Pacific Coast to the Government of the United States to take such measures as would stop the further coming of Chinese laborers. The effect of these appeals was the sending of Commissioners to China to negotiate for a modification of the treaty of 1868. The supplementary treaty of 1880 was the result. This treaty authorizes legislation restricting the emigration of Chinese laborers to the United States whenever our Government should be of opinion that the coming of such laborers would affect or threaten to affect the interests of the country or endanger its good order, but expressly stipulating that its provisions should not apply to other classes.
Referring to the class that was before us last year, we said it was framed in supposed conformity with the provisions of the treaty, and that in the inhibitions which it imposes upon the immigration of Chinese there was no purpose expressed in terms to go beyond the limitations of the treaty. Undoubtedly, so far as the subjects of China are concerned, no purpose is shown by the Act to go beyond those limitations. It was intended by language which has been felt necessary to obtain a modification of the treaty with China before legislating with reference to the immigration of Chinese. The Government of China, without such modification, would have had just ground of complaint. It was never supposed that any of the European Governments having within their possessions in the East Chinese subjects would make any complaint to their exclusion from the United States.
The Act of May 6, 1882, followed this new treaty and, speaking of it in the case of the Chinese merchant, we noted English precedents. It was well known that the English Colonies...