Melville Fuller

“ By the treaty between the United States and China of 1868, all Chinese subjects were guarantied the right, without conditions or restrictions, to come, remain in, and leave the United States, and to enjoy all the privileges, immunities, and exemptions enjoyed by the citizens of the most favored nation. ”

“ The inquiry upon this application, therefore, is whether the matter is of sufficient importance in itself, and sufficiently open to controversy, to make it the duty of this court to issue the writ applied for in order that the case may be reviewed and determined as if brought here on appeal or writ of error. ”

“ The status of domicil in respect of natives of one country domiciled in another is a matter of international concern, and the acts of congress are to be considered, in view of general and settled principles upon that subject, in arriving at a conclusion as to the operation upon the treaties with China designed by congress in those enactments. ”