Chinese Exclusion Act: What's Up With the Opening Lines?

    Chinese Exclusion Act: What's Up With the Opening Lines?

      Whereas in the opinion of the Government of the United States the coming of Chinese laborers to this country endangers the good order of certain localities within the territory thereof: Therefore,

      Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the expiration of ninety days next after the passage of this act, and until the expiration of ten years next after the passage of this act, the coming of Chinese laborers to the United States be, and the same is hereby, suspended; and during such suspension it shall not be lawful for any Chinese laborer to come, or having so come after the expiration of said ninety days to remain within the United States. (Sec.1)

      The opening lines are likely to make you cringe. Then again, if you were reading something called the Chinese Exclusion Act and didn't expect to cringe at least once, you're probably a pretty scary person.

      The introduction to the law states that the government of the United States has decided Chinese immigrants are bad for the country. It's just stated as a foregone conclusion. They're justifying the need for the law here, but at the same time it's like, jeez, grandpa, you don't want to have a talk about this?

      No, they didn't want to have a talk about it. They wanted to shut California up, and this was the way to do it.