Anti-Chinese by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 2, 1879

Anti-Chinese.

By Editor

THE question of the Chinese has occupied much of the time of the Constitutional Convention now in session in Sacramento. As this subject is just now eliciting such general interest we give below in full the article as adopted by the convention:—

SECTION 1. The legislature shall prescribe necessary regulations for the protection of the State, and the counties, cities, and towns thereof, from the burdens and evils arising from the presence of aliens, who are or who may become vagrants, paupers, mendicants, criminals, or invalids afflicted with contagious or infectious diseases, and aliens otherwise dangerous or detrimental to the well-being or peace of the State, and to impose conditions upon which such persons may reside in the State, and to provide the means and mode of their removal from the State upon failure or refusal to comply with such conditions; provided, that nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to impair or limit the power of the legislature to pass such other police laws or regulations as it may deem necessary.

EMPLOYMENT OF CHINESE.

SEC. 2. No corporation now existing or hereafter formed under the laws of this State shall, after the adoption of this constitution, employ, directly or indirectly, in any capacity, any Chinese or Mongolian. The legislature shall pass such laws as may be necessary to enforce this provision.

SEC. 3. No Chinese shall be employed on any State, county, municipal, or other public work, except in punishment for crimes.

SEC. 4. No person who is not eligible to become a citizen of the United States shall be permitted to settle in this State after the adoption of this constitution.

SEC. 5. No alien ineligible to become a citizen of the United States shall be permitted to catch fish in any waters under the jurisdiction of this State; nor to purchase, lease, own, or hold any real property in this State, and all contracts of conveyance or lease of real property to any such alien shall be void.

THEIR PRESENCE DECLARED TO BE DANGEROUS.

SEC. 6. The presence of foreigners ineligible to become citizens of the United States is declared herein to be dangerous to the well-being of the State, and the legislature shall discourage their immigration by all the means within its power. Asiatic coolieism being a form of human slavery, is forever prohibited in this State, and all contracts for coolie labor are null and void. All companies or corporations, whether formed in this country or any foreign country, for the importation of such labor, shall be subject to such penalties as the legislature may prescribe. The legislature shall delegate all necessary power to the incorporated cities and towns of this State, for the removal of Chinese without the limits of such cities and towns, or their location within prescribed portions of those limits, and it shall also provide the necessary legislation to prohibit the introduction into this State of Chinese after the adoption of this constitution. This section shall be enforced by appropriate legislation.