China and the West

Quotations by Walt Whitman about Chinese in America.
May 7
"Give them a chance—give them a chance—they will be as good as the rest. All that man needs to be good is the chance. History has so far been busy—institutions, rulers, have been busy—denying him of that chance." W. said again: "In that narrow sense I am no American—count me out." Bonsall argued in favor of restricting emigration. W. took him up: "Restrict nothing—keep everything open : to Italy, to China, to anybody. I love America, I believe in America, because her belly can hold and digest all—anarchist, socialist, peacemakers, fighters, disturbers or degenerates of whatever sort—hold and digest all. If I felt that America could not do this I would be indifferent as between our institutions and any others."
June 7
"Well for you, Tom, that you do not say it. I have no fears of America—not the slightest. America is for one thing only—and if not for that for what? America must welcome all—Chinese, Irish, German, pauper or not, criminal or not—all, all, without exceptions: become an asylum for all who choose to come."
[James G. Blaine, Senator of Maine : "The Asiatic cannot go on with our population and make a homogeneous element."]
June 20
Walt Whitman : "I hate Blaine's protectionism and anti-Chinese principles."
July 24
"America must welcome all – Chinese, Irish, German, pauper or not, criminal or not – all, all, without exceptions."
July 28
"The poor Italian immigrants! The popular fury now seems to be applied to them—and what have they done, indeed? I wonder if our people really believe the Chinese menace our institutions—the industrious, quiet, inoffensive Chinese? Maybe our institutions ain't no good if they're as thin-skinned as that."
Aug. 3
"The great country, in fact, is the country of free labor—of free laborers: negro, white, Chinese, or other."
Sept. 18
Harry Fritzinger talked some with W[hitman] while I was there. W. was asking him questions about the Chinese in California.