I  regard  this  provision  of  the  act  as  a
breach  of  our  national  faith,  and  being
unable  to  bring  myself  in  harmony  with
the  views  of  Congress  on  this  vital  point,
the  honor  of  the  country  constrains  me  to


return  the  act  with  this  objection  to  its
passage.
Deeply  convinced  of  the  necessity  of
some  legislation  on  this  subject,  and  con-
curring fully  with  Congress  in  many  of  the
objects  which  are  sought  to  be  accom-
plished, I  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity
to  point  out  some  other  features  of  the
present  act  which,  in  my  opinion,  can  be
modified  to  advantage.
The  classes  of  Chinese  who  still  enjoy
the  protection  of  the  Burlingame  treaty
are  entitled  to  the  privileges,  immuni-
ties, and  exemptions  accorded  to  citizens
and  subjects  of  the  most  favored  nation.
We  have  treaties  with  many  powers
which  permit  their  citizens  and  subjects
to  reside  within  the  United  States  and
carry  on  business  under  the  same  laws
and  regulations  which  are  enforced
against  citizens  of  the  United  States.  I
think  it  may  be  doubted  whether  pro-
visions requiring  personal  registration
and  the  taking  out  of  passports  which  are
not  imposed  upon  natives  can  be  required
of  Chinese.  Without  expressing  an  opin-
ion on  that  point,  I  may  invite  the  atten-
tion of  Congress  to  the  fact  that  the  sys-
tem of  personal  registration  and  passports
is  undemocratic  and  hostile  to  the  spirit
of  our  institutions.  I  doubt  the  wisdom
of  putting  an  entering  wedge  of  this
kind  into  our  laws.  A  nation  like  the
United  States,  jealous  of  the  liberties  of
its  citizens,  may  well  hesitate  before  it
incorporates  into  its  polity  a  system
which  is  fast  disappearing  in  Europe  be-
fore the  progress  of  liberal  institutions.
