Letter from Banker John Alton to Secretary of State John Hay Regarding the Chinese Exclusion Act
5/15/1901
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In 1900 the Office of the Superintendent of Immigration, which had been established in the Department of the Treasury in 1891, became the chief agency responsible for implementing Federal regulations mandated by the Chinese exclusion laws. Both the Chinese Bureau within the Customs Service and the Chinese Division of the INS employed "Chinese" inspectors, people designated to enforce the Chinese exclusion laws. Immigration-related decisions made by these Federal officials were sometimes appealed to Federal courts, which also heard criminal cases involving Chinese alleged to be living in the United States illegally. This document is featured in "The Chinese Exclusion Act: Researching in the National Archives," available on iBooks.
This letter discusses allowing anyone with a Certificate of Residence to return to their homeland, leaving their Certificate of Residence and identification with the port Custom Authority, irregardless of privilege, and getting a receipt to be allowed back into the United States without difficulty.
This letter discusses allowing anyone with a Certificate of Residence to return to their homeland, leaving their Certificate of Residence and identification with the port Custom Authority, irregardless of privilege, and getting a receipt to be allowed back into the United States without difficulty.
Transcript
Mr. John Hay,Secretary of State,
San Francisco, Cal.
Mr. Secretary:-
Your present visit to the Pacific Coast seems to me an opportune time to address you on a portion of the Chinese Exclusion Act that has for years past, appeared to me foreign to the traditions and principles of this Country. I refer to that portion relative to those privileged to visit their native land and return to this country. As you know, the present privileged class is quite a small one, merchants, some few professionals and those showing assets of $1000.00, (which last qualification is practically a dead letter.) Now it appears to me unjust that a distinction should be drawn between classes in a matter that appeals to one’s humanity, most of the Chinese men in this Country having wives and families in China, and unless they belong to the privilege class, they cannot visit them and return.
This restriction, in my judgement, based on close observation, and acquaintance with facts during many years past, is fruitful in Chinese prostitution, perjury and fraud in the matter of ‘Merchants’ Certificates, an incentive to efforts to evade the laws and lays the ‘laborer’ open to extortion at the hands of those who would try to get him through as a ‘Merchant.'
I would suggest for your careful consideration, that all persons, irrespective of class, who have complied with the Registration Law and be in possession of Certificates of Residence, should be allowed to visit their native land and return by the port of departure, within one year of such departure, (in the case of Merchants, the present privilege class, the limit might be extended or unlimited). Let each person on departure deposit his Certificate of Residence with the port Custom Authorities, receiving in exchange a receipt sufficiently explicit to ensure identification with the original, without giving the personal description of the owner, in this way minimizing successful impersonation. Let the person on production of receipt and proving his identity, according to the Certificate deposited, receive back his Certificate, and land.
Such a course as I have proposed would not conflict with the existing Laws as to increasing the number of Chinese person in this Country and would, I am confident, assist materially in the welfare of the classes I have referred to, and tend to remove temptations to breaking the Laws of the land, as I have mentioned; and this extension of the ‘privileged’ would make happy so very many persons who are now barred from visiting the wife, children and parents.
Your consideration and action in the matter, in due course, will be much appreciated I assure.
I have the honor to remain,
Yours respectfully,
This primary source comes from the Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
National Archives Identifier: 19086654
Full Citation: Letter from Banker John Alton to Secretary of State John Hay Regarding the Chinese Exclusion Act; 5/15/1901; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/letter-from-banker-john-alton-to-secretary-of-state-john-hay-regarding-the-chinese-exclusion-act, April 29, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
