R.B. HAYES.
VETO MESSAGE.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 1, 1879._
_To the House of Representatives_:
After a very careful consideration of House bill 2423, entitled "An
act to restrict the immigration of Chinese to the United States,"
I herewith return it to the House of Representatives, in which it
originated, with my objections to its passage.
The bill, as it was sent to the Senate from the House of
Representatives, was confined in its provisions to the object named
in its title, which is that of "An act to restrict the immigration of
Chinese to the United States." The only means adopted to secure the
proposed object was the limitation on the number of Chinese passengers
which might be brought to this country by any one vessel to fifteen;
and as this number was not fixed in any proportion to the size
or tonnage of the vessel or by any consideration of the safety or
accommodation of these passengers, the simple purpose and effect of
the enactment were to repress this immigration to an extent falling
but little short of its absolute exclusion.
The bill, as amended in the Senate and now presented to me, includes
an independent and additional provision which aims at and in terms
requires the abrogation by this Government of Articles V and VI of the
treaty with China commonly called the Burlingame treaty, through the
action of the Executive enjoined by this provision of the act.
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