1880 – Burlingame Treaty Is Revised; Chinese Immigration Is Suspended

“President Hayes did not object to the goal of limiting Chinese immigration… he raised the possibility of revising the Burlingame Treaty… In November [1880], the new treaty was signed which allowed the American government to suspend, but not prohibit, the immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States. The document reaffirmed the panoply of ‘rights, privileges, immunities, and exemptions’ enjoyed by the subjects of a most favored nation for Chinese laborers currently residing in the United States. The new treaty furthermore obliged the American government to formulate measures to ensure the protection of those rights and privileges.”