Pun Chi Lies

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In the early 1870’s the Chinese’s hopes and dreams were shut down and betrayed severely by the United States Congress. After settling in California after the Civil War to carry on their professions as farmers, mechanics, and merchants, the Chinese were subsequently frowned upon. Pun Chi, one of the immigrant merchants, wrote a petition to Congress after feeling sincerely distraught and mislead. In his petition he states, “The ship-masters of your respected nation came over to our country...and made it known that your officers and people were extremely cordial toward the Chinese” (A Remonstrance from the Chinese in California). Later claiming that it was all a lie, he states “But, alas! what times are these! when former kind relations are forgotten,…show more content…
After describing some of the horrible accusations brought to the Chinese people, yet again there is another discriminating factor brought to the Chinese’s attention. According to Chi, the Supreme Court ultimately decided that the Chinese are not allowed to testify against white men. Chi declares, “...Because here and there a Chinese or two has proved a perjurer, shall it prejudice our entire nation?” (A Remonstrance from the Chinese in California) He is angered that only the Chinese are degraded amongst everyone else. All of the Chinese’s hard work for the day could be taken away in an instant. Robbers could easily take their gold and hard earned dollars away from them, because they can’t do a thing about it. They can not fight back, because they can not even speak their language. Even if they could, they know it would not do any good due to the inevitable accusations brought upon them. Chi resiliently asks that the Chinese are treated as people and are allowed to go on in their daily lives without the fear of being robbed, beaten, or

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