No. 89.
Mr. Cheng Tsao
Ju to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Washington , February 5, 1883. (Received February 5.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 2d instant, with its inclosure of four copies of a recent circular issued by the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury, in relation to the transit of Chinese laborers across the territory of the United States, and desire to express my sincere thanks to you for your courtesy.
I beg leave to remark in regard to Rule 3 of the Treasury circular, which reads as follows: “In the case of numbers of Chinese being transported in a body, under the charge of agents or others, the affidavit of such agents or others in charge, with proof satisfactory, * * * may be received in lieu of the tickets,” &c., such an arrangement will be a great convenience to the Chinese laborers in transit to or from a foreign country; but it is feared that the language of this rule is liable to misconstruction by a class of people in foreign countries who desire to contract for Chinese laborers in large bodies. This rule, as I understand it, refers solely to the agent of transportation companies, and not to an agent for contract labor.
The following are the standing regulations in force in China respecting Chinese emigration: Whenever Chinese subjects desire to emigrate [Page 215] they must go in person to the Chinese local authorities, to whom they must make a report, stating that they have provided themselves with passage money, and that they go to foreign countries with their free and voluntary consent; and further, they must find some trustworthy persons to stand security for them. Before the stamped certificates are issued to them as proofs, the Chinese authorities make a careful investigation. When the emigrants embark, the authorities again examine them, in order to show great vigilance and care in the matter. The authorities reprobate any other than an entirely voluntary emigration.
Accept, &c.,