Mr. White to Mr. Blaine.
London, November 6, 1890. (Received November 17.)
Sir: Referring to your instruction No. 373 of October 22, I have the honor to acquaint you that I had an interview yesterday with the Marquis of Salisbury with respect to the concurrent resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives, requesting the President “to enter into negotiations with the Governments of Great Britain and Mexico with a view to securing treaty stipulations with those, Governments for [Page 358] the prevention of the entry of Chinese laborers froth the Dominion of Canada and Mexico into the United States contrary to the laws of the United States.”
I explained briefly to His Lordship the difference between our own legislation and that of Canada relative to Chinese immigration and the grave embarrassments attending the application of the same, as set forth in your instruction, and I informed him that the evil caused by the surreptitious entry of Chinese into the territory of one State, in violation of its laws, for the sole purpose of effecting a transit across its jurisdiction, and so gaining unlawful access to the neighboring State, had lately assumed such proportions as to suggest that a remedy should be sought in the common interest of both countries.
I then stated that, with a view to attaining this end, both Houses of Congress had concurred in the resolution in question, which I proceeded to read and of which I left a copy with His Lordship; adding that, in accordance herewith, I had been instructed to inquire whether Her Majesty’s Government would be willing to enter into negotiations of the nature suggested.
Lord Salisbury replied that the subject was entirely new to him, and that, before expressing an opinion relative thereto, it would be necessary for him to ascertain the views of the Canadian Government. He promised to communicate with the secretary of state for the colonies in the matter and to let me have an answer as soon as he should be in a position to do so.
I have, etc.,