President: Rev. J. K. McLean, D. D. Vice-Presidents: Rev. A. L. Stone, D. D., Thomas O. Wedderspoon, Esq., Rev. T. K. Noble, Hon. F. F. Low, Rev. I. E. Dwinell, D. D., Hon. Samuel Cross, Rev. S. H. Wiley, D. D., Edward P. Flint, Esq., Rev. J. W. Hough, D. D., Jacob S. Taber, Esq.
Directors: Rev. George Moor, D. D., Hon. E. D. Sawyer, Rev. W. E. Ijams, James M. Haven, Esq., Rev. Joseph Rowell, E. P. Sanford, Esq., H. W. Severance, Esq.
Secretary: Rev. W. C. Pond. Treasurer: E. Palache, Esq.
In place of our usual communication from Superintendent Pond, which he has not been able to send us, on account of special pressure in his work, we reprint from a California paper the following article by Rev. Dr. M. C. Briggs, one of the leading men in the Methodist Episcopal denomination in California. It embodies very important truth in a most sprightly and incisive style.—[Ed’s Am. Miss.]
CHINAPHOBIA.
“Bring me to the test, and I the matter will re-word that madness gambols at.” This sentence from Shakspeare (I hope it is correctly quoted) is the sole partition between our Assemblymen and a charge of confirmed monomania. All roads lead to Paris, and all subjects of discussion lead these astute Solons to John Chinaman. To assert your philanthropy, curse the Chinese. To prove your patriotism, denounce the Chinese. To abate land monopoly, abuse the Chinese. To eradicate the social evil, grow furious over the Chinese. To regulate finances, tax the Chinese. To quell incendiary mobs, displace the Chinese, and put ruffians in their stead. To pass the Bland bill, expel the Chinese. To effect resumption, crucify the Chinese. To ensure commercial prosperity, exclude forever the Chinese. To show your faith in the Declaration of Independence, levy a high tariff on the bones of the Chinese. To reclaim our swamp lands, howl at the Chinese. To encourage citizens to furnish free meals for white tramps, who refuse to work at any price, drive out from our kitchens the Chinese, who to-day receive higher wages than white men and women are getting in any State east of the Rocky Mountains. To show yourself a hero, hurl brickbats at the Chinese. From whatever point of the political or moral compass these broad and eloquent men set out, they are sure to end with a stereotyped spasm on the stereotyped topic—the infernal Chinese. Such untiring repetitiousness grows stale, and one almost wishes that the “nigger” or the Hottentot, or any human being without a vote, would appear on the political tapis, to offer leather-lunged demagogueism a chance for variety, and the weary ears of the people a rest. Nasby’s patent question, “If the nigger is set free, whom will the Democrats find to look down on?” has been answered to the glory and delectation of both the old parties, and, pre-eminently, of the new party, which has nothing American about it save whisky and brag.
The republic is sick. It has gastric fever, gout, goitre, gangrene, scrofula, sciatica, croup, consumption, ophthalmia, vertigo, small-pox, and cholera. It has eaten too much, drank too much, danced too much, flirted too much, smoked too much, gambled too much, run riot in frivolity, gone mad in greed, flaunted its pageantry of pride, coveted, lusted, blasphemed, forsaken God, despised religion, loved leasing, and hated honest toil, with its health-giving frugality and slow but solid gains. Poor patient! It needs skilful treatment; and what will these queer doctors do? Why, they propose to force emetics and drastics down the throats of ever so many Chinamen. If the case were not so serious, it would be infinitely funny. The patient has brain fever. Kick the Chinaman. It has palpitation. Cuff the Chinaman. It is shaking with chills from Maine to Mexico. Pull the pigtails of the Chinaman. Banks are breaking in New York. Set the dogs on the Chinamen. Mercantile houses are tumbling into ruins in Massachusetts. Arrest the Chinaman on suspicion. Finances are deranged, and Congress is quarreling over resumption. Shoot the Chinamen. The South needs pacification. Cut the throats of the Chinamen. Industry flags everywhere. Get up processions, and raid on the wash-houses of the Chinamen. Wages are six bits a day, without board, in the Eastern States. Banish the Chinamen from California forever and forever. Hurrah!!
There was once a doctor who was “death on burns.” These gentlemen are not a whit behind him, only their specialty, into which they resolve all wounds and diseases, is the Chinese pest, alias the Asiatic nuisance, alias the Cooly invasion, alias the cheap-labor plague of the Pacific Coast.
What repose it gives a State to have wise and just men at the helm of affairs! This epidemic rage—as unstatesmanlike as it is unphilanthropic—so prevalent in the halls of legislation just now, merits the sarcasm of a Lord Brougham. Yet I accord to our Representatives a fair measure of good intentions. The Chinese have no votes, and are not patrons of the press; therefore, it is safe to denounce them. Besides, just now it promises to be a paying as well as a perilless pastime. The rioters have ballots in their hands. “Pathric” counts one (sometimes two or ten) at the polls; and who will defend John? “Pathric” does not care to remember that he was threatened with expulsion on similar grounds, and with equally cogent reasons, in the bygone. It will be well for him to recall the fact; for when once the principle of discrimination is incorporated into the policy of the nation, the bolt that hits John to-day may chance to strike some one else to-morrow. When caste and caprice usurp the place of justice and humanity, every man will thenceforth hold life, liberty and property by sufferance of the mob. It is natural to the weak side of public men, to court the voters’ favor. Not many politicians are tall enough to look over the heads of stump orators and bannered agitators. Has the good God no taller men to send us for these agitated times?