Some Denominational Reactions to Chinese Immigration to California, 1856-1892

Abstract

WHEN THE GOLD RUSH brought first Chinese to California in 1848 it brought into state one of most emotional and complex social, political, and economic problems in American history. By 1853 twenty-five thousand Chinese in California comprised largest single minority group in state. Not only did custom, habit, and language isolate these strange immigrants from their Caucasian neighbors, but white miners soon came to resent industry and frugality of Orientals and their cheerful willingness to work longer hours for lower wages. This deflated price of labor in gold fields and led directly and quickly to anti-Chinese riots and to discriminatory anti-Chinese legislation. As early as 1852 California legislature passed a foreign miners' tax. During following year anti-Chinese riots and demonstrations broke out in San Francisco. These were followed in 1855 by state legislation which levied a fifty-dollar head tax on all Chinese immigrants.' In face of these adversities docile and bewildered Chinese could do little to help themselves. The first champion of persecuted Chinese in America was a Presbyterian clergyman, Reverend William Speer. A former medical missionary in Canton, Speer opened first Christian church for Chinese in United States in San Francisco in November, 1853. His knowledge of Chinese language and his interest in problems of Chinese in California made him their logical spokesman. Thus when California legislature considered repealing foreign miners' tax and Chinese landing head tax in 1856, it was Speer who stepped forward to argue case for inarticulate Orientals. In a forceful and widely circulated pamphlet he denied that Chinese were slaves imported by California capitalists for cheap labor. More to point, he skillfully developed thesis that the interests of California