Lee Kim Wah to Cheng Tsao Ju.
The Chinese Six Companies of California respectfully represent to your excellency that at the present time the condition of our countrymen on this coast is deplorable in the extreme. The Chinese have been driven out of many towns, burning our dwellings, fobbing our property, and murdering our people, without any attempt being made to prevent the same; and in many other towns and cities are organized societies with the avowed purpose of expelling the Chinese from such towns, forcibly if necessary, or planning to drive all the Chinese from America. Our suffering is inexpressible. There are over one hundred thousand Chinese who have no place of safety in which to dwell, and many millions of dollars of property have no protection. This outbreak is very dangerous; our people are absolutely terrorized, and are flocking to San Francisco, where great destitution now exists among them. The business of our merchants has also suffered greatly. If this expulsion of our people from the various towns and cities continues, our merchants will be irretrievably ruined. The laborers, who can illy afford it, also suffer great loss by being summarily driven out or compelled to leave through fear of mob violence, and are coming to this city in large numbers and in a destitute condition. Absolutely no protection is afforded our people by the governor of this State or the sheriffs of the various counties. We earnestly and respectfully request you to immediately call the attention of the Tsung-li Yamên with this meaning, to call a convention of the ministers of all nationalities to talk over this matter and send the result of their conclusion to the President of the United States, asking him to send troops to protect all the Chinese by our treaty with this country. We will send also cable dispatch to Chinese Government after you have sent your answer.
Yours, &c.,
By
President