Of all these measures which concern equal rights, the only one which I have been able to bring before the Senate is that under consideration; and I am now pressed to withdraw it so as to avoid a vote.

Why, Sir, again and again in other years have I been pressed in the same way; again and again in other years have Senators spoken to me and of me as the Senator from New York was advised to speak to-day: but it has not been my habit to…

I said on Saturday that I had letters from various parts of the country attesting that there are colored aliens shut out from equal rights by that word “white” in our Naturalization Laws.

Such, Sir, is the personal testimony with regard to the importance, I would say the necessity, of this measure.

Here are Africans in our country shut out from rights which justly belong to them, simply because Congress continues the word “white” in the Naturalization Laws.

Even if few, you cannot afford to let them suffer wrong; but they are numerous,--in Florida counted by the hundred, and even the thousand.

Its highest importance is found in its conformity to the requirement of the Declaration of Independence.

The great, the mighty words of this clause are, that these self-evident, unalienable rights belong to “all men.” It is “all men,” and not a race or color, that are placed under protection of the Declaration; and such was the voice of our…

According to this vow, all men are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights.

But the statutes of the land assert the contrary,--they declaring that only all white men are created equal.

Now, Sir, what better thing can you do on this anniversary than to expunge from the statutes that unworthy limitation which dishonors and defiles the original Declaration?

It is in your power to make the day more than ever sacred.

Will any one insist that hereafter, as these great words are read on our great anniversary, the word “white” shall be inserted to qualify this sublime Declaration?

The word “white,” wherever it occurs as a limitation of rights, must disappear.

If they come for citizenship, then in this desire do they give a pledge of loyalty to our institutions; and where is the peril in such vows?

They are peaceful and industrious; how can their citizenship be the occasion of solicitude?

Therefore do I say, if they come for citizenship, there is no peril,--while, if they come merely for labor, then is all this discussion and all this anxiety superfluous.

Is there a Senator on this floor who will say that from anything done or said by Chinese at this moment there is any reason to fear peril to this Republic?

Let us surrender ourselves freely and fearlessly to the principles originally declared.

How grand, how beautiful, how sublime is that road to travel!

How mean, how dark, how muddy is that other road which has found counsellors to-day!

I simply ask you to stand by the Declaration of your fathers.

Full well do I know that there are no millions of heathens or pagans, and no other millions on this earth, that can control the institutions of this Republic.

Fearlessly we may go forward and welcome all comers, for there can be no harm here; the heathens and pagans do not exist whose coming can disturb our Republic.

Worse than any heathen or pagan abroad are those in our midst who are false to our institutions.