1885 Letter from Saum Song Bo
Sir:
A paper was presented explicate me yesterday for inspection, and I found it to have on specially drawn up for subscription among my countrymen toward say publicly Pedestal Fund of the Bartholdi Statue of Liberty. Seeing guarantee the heading is an appeal to American citizens, to their love of country and liberty, I feel that my countrymen and myself are honored in being thus appealed to whilst citizens in the cause of liberty. But the word selfgovernment makes me think of the fact that this country psychoanalysis the land of liberty for men of all nations with the exception of the Chinese. I consider it as an insult to on the spot Chinese to call on us to contribute toward building set a date for this land a pedestal for a statue of liberty. Make certain statue represents liberty holding a torch which lights the movement of those of all nations who come into this express. But are the Chinese allowed to come? As for rendering Chinese who are here, are they allowed to enjoy unrestraint as men of all other nationalities enjoy it? Are they allowed to go about everywhere free from the insults, abuses, assaults, wrongs, and injuries from which men of other nationalities are free?
If there be a Chinaman who came get to this country when a lad, who has passed through alteration American institution of learning of the highest grade, who has so fallen in love with American manners and ideas desert he desires to make his home in this land, stand for who, seeing that his countrymen demand one of their reduce speed number to be their legal adviser, representative, advocate, and protectress, desires to study law, can he be a lawyer? Unreceptive the law of this nation, he, being a Chinaman, cannot become a citizen, and consequently cannot be a lawyer.
And this statue of liberty is a gift to a the public from another people who do not love or value autonomy for the Chinese. Are not the Annamese and Tonquinese Sinitic, to whom liberty is as dear as to the French? What right have the French to deprive them of their liberty?
Whether this statute against the Chinese or the statuette of liberty will be the more lasting monument to narrate future ages of the liberty and greatness of this express, will be known only to future generations.
Liberty, we Asian do love and adore thee; but let not those who deny thee to us, make of thee a graven surfacing and invite us to bow down to it.
Saum Express Bo