just treatment of an American merchant
vessel, not engaged in fishing, has been reported since March 3, 1887.
This was the ship _Bridgewater_, which was first brought to the
attention of the Department of State by the claimant by petition filed
June 1, 1888.

On June 18, 1888, legal counsel, who appeared and desired to be
heard, filed their formal authority and the claim was at once duly
investigated, and on June 22, 1888, a communication was addressed by the
Secretary of State to the British minister, which sets forth the history
of the claim, and a copy of which is herewith transmitted; and of this
formal acknowledgment was made, but no further reply has been received.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _September 18, 1888_.

_To the Senate_:

I herewith transmit, in reply to the resolution of the Senate of the
11th instant, a copy of a report from the Secretary of State, with
accompanying documents, relative to the pending treaty with China.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _October 1, 1888_.

_To the Congress_:

I have this day approved House bill No. 11336, supplementary to an act
entitled "An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to
Chinese," approved the 6th day of May, 1882.

It seems to me that some suggestions and recommendations may properly
accompany my approval of this bill.

Its object is to more effectually accomplish by legislation the
exclusion from this country of Chinese laborers.

The experiment of blending the social habits and mutual race
idiosyncrasies of the Chinese laboring classes with those of the great
body of the people of the United States has been proved by the
experience of twenty years, and ever since the Burlingame treaty of
1868, to be in every sense unwise, impolitic, and injurious to both
nations. With the lapse of time the necessity for its abandonment has
grown in force, until those having in charge the Government of the
respective countries have resolved to modify and sufficiently abrogate
all those features of prior Conventional arrangements which permitted
the coming of Chinese laborers to the United States.

In modification of prior conventions the treaty of November 17, 1880,
was concluded, whereby, in the first article thereof, it was agreed that
the United States should at will regulate, limit, or suspend the coming
of Chinese laborers to the United States, but not absolutely prohibit
it; and under this article an act of Congr