Stephen Johnson Field

“ The evidence offered to show that the petitioner was a merchant was weak and unsatisfactory; but the statute itself does away with the necessity for any investigation by the court as to its sufficiency, for it declares that, while the certificate may be controverted by the authorities of the United States, and is to be taken by them only as prima facie evidence, it shall constitute the only evidence permissible on the part of the person producing the same to establish hig right to enter the United States. ”

“ The petitioner, if a laborer, could not, therefore, have been permitted to land, except in violation of this statute, without reference to the question whether or not he was in the country on November 17, 1880, and had departed therefrom before the passage of the act of May 6, 1882. His right to land, therefore, rested upon his establishing the fact that he was not a laborer, within the provisions of the act of October 1, 1888, and that could only have been shown by a certificate of identity issued under the authority of the Chinese gver nment. ”

“ The result of the legislation respecting the Chinese would seem to be this: that no laborers of that race shall hereafter be permitted to enter the United States, or even to return after having departed from the country, though they may have previously resided therein and have left with a view of returning ”