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“To his Excellency Gov. Bigler,” Daily Alta California (San Francisco: May 5, 1852)

Sir: I am a Chinaman, republican, lover
              of these United 
       States. I have learned 

                                     of your recent
                           arguments to exclude   
                               Chinese workers from entering
this state so as,
              you say, to enhance
       its wealth, a thought which forgets

                                     population, too,
                           is wealth: that once you looked
                                 for immigration

and it came, and made you great
              throughout the nations
        of the earth. I am sure

                                     you will recognize your own
                           familial origins
                                 in this story, since

your Excellency, like all white men,
              would never boast
        of having a red man 

                                     for a father. I am sure
                           the Constitution does not admit 
                                 asylum only 

to the pale face, even as it holds
              the Negro here
        in forced servitude. 

                                     As far as the aristocracy
                           of skin is concerned, Sir,  
                                 ours compares 

with the European 
              races, though the framers 
        of your Declaration, I believe,

                                     never argued for an aristocracy
                           of skin. Sir, we are as allied
                                 to the African and red man

as you are.
              We must remind you  
       that when your nation

                                     was a wilderness
                           we exercised the arts
                                 of commerce, science:  we grew

a civilization while your own one
              languished, helpless
       in the dark. 

                                     We will not be reproved
                           now for pursuing any work here
                                 you consider degrading

to a man's character, or accept
              your condemnation except
       you consider labor 

                                     degrading for itself.
                           We, like you,
                                 make our own way

into the future. We, like you,
              have learned to trust
       in law's distinctions even

                                     as we daily see here how law
                           is bent to fit
                                 a changing prejudice.

One day soon such prejudice
              may benefit us.
       I hope you take this message, Sir,

                                     in all the spirit 
                           of candor. I have the honor to be
                                 Norman Asing,

your Excellency's
              obedient servant.