The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 687 Skin color is the only criterion for testing white people!

On Election Day in Sacramento County, the sun was so scorching that it could peel off a layer of skin.

Outside the polling station, two 12-pound cannons were set up at the street corner, with red ribbons wrapped around the muzzles, like some kind of festive decoration, but the black barrels clearly told everyone who came to vote - today's vote must be cast according to the rules.

The gray uniforms of the Free California Militia were washed white, and their bayonets gleamed coldly in the sun. They stood in twos and threes outside the voting booth, their eyes warily scanning every voter who approached.

The aroma of baking bread wafted through the voting booth, and every voter who cast their ballot received a loaf of rye bread, three boiled eggs and a one-dollar bill.

"This is called oral voting." Xianfeng (Zhao Si) lifted the canvas curtain of the voting booth, and the hoarse voice of the poll watcher came out from inside:

"Third District, James O'Neill, vote for William Smith!"

Lai Wenguang held a gold-plated pocket watch with a True Jesuit cross on the watch chain, and frowned, "These Irish miners... can they really shout as we taught them?"

"They can't read." Xianfeng lowered the canvas curtain and said with a smile, "They shout whatever the poll watcher reads. And after they shout, they get bread, eggs and dollars. If they shout a few more times, they'll have enough food for a week!"

"How many more times can you shout?" Lai Wenguang was stunned. "Isn't it one person one vote?"

Hong Renzheng took over the conversation with a smile: "One vote per person. You can vote again if you go to another place!"

"Is this," Lai Wenguang asked, "according to the rules?"

"That's right!" Hong Renzheng laughed, "We, the Zhenyue faction, didn't invent this. The Americans, at least the Americans in California, have always done this!"

"The situation in the industrial states in the northeastern United States is better. The agricultural states in the South, Central and West are all playing like this now." Xianfeng added, "The United States does not suppress mergers and acquisitions. The wealthy families in the agricultural states, especially those who use black slaves to farm the land, control an astonishing amount of land! At the same time, they firmly control the state militia, county police, and town law enforcement officers. From top to bottom, it's all controlled by those wealthy families." He smiled and said, "Everything is controlled by those local wealthy families. How can we vote in this election? Is there anyone who dares to vote for the Republican candidate who advocates abolition under the gunpoint of the Virginia gentlemen? Can you survive if you shout this out?"

Lai Wenguang suddenly realized: "No wonder the Americans use verbal voting. This is to make it easier to settle accounts later!" He thought for a moment and asked, "What about the industrial states in the Northeast?"

"The situation there is better," Xianfeng said. "Although the state soldiers in the industrial states are also controlled by the local wealthy families, and everyone in the state is theirs. However, there are many European immigrants in the industrial states, and they have formed their own unions and gangs. They have also brought the methods of struggle in Europe to the New World, so the old America in the northeastern industrial states is a little out of control."

Lai Wenguang smiled and said, "Isn't this a bit like California?"

Xianfeng shook his head: "Not exactly the same. Those old Europeans can serve as soon as they come, but we haven't served them yet!"

"San Francisco County, unanimously vote for Smith!"

"Nevada County, 98% approval!"

The sound of vote counting rang out from early morning to dusk, and the entire Sacramento County seemed to be pushed by some invisible force towards a predetermined result.

As the sun set over the bullet-riddled state capitol, Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick O'Leary, a red-nosed Irish True Jew minister, held up the statistic book with a shaking hand:
"William Smith elected governor!"

“States’ rights come first!”

"for freedom!"

Cheers resounded throughout the state capitol. Murrieta's Mexican sombrero flew into the air. He is now also a member of the Democratic state assembly, and has been appointed speaker of the state assembly. In next year's election, he will be elected as a federal representative!

Carney, the president of the Catholic Irish Union, had champagne spilled all over his smart suit - he had just opened a bottle of expensive French champagne to celebrate his election as a state senator, and later as speaker. Oh, and he's a Democrat!
Leland Stanford stood in the corner adjusting his silk tie. His new job was lieutenant governor, and like William Smith, he was a Republican.

California is now a typical swing state where Democrats control the parliament and Republicans control the government. In the next election, California's four electoral votes may go to either the Republicans or the Democrats. Who will they go to depends on how Xianfeng talks with the leaders of the two parties. Mark Hopkins, Collis Huntington, and Charles Crocker, who are heads of the four major families in California, were all elected as justices of the California Supreme Court. There are a total of five justices in the California Supreme Court, two from Central California, two from Northern California, and one from Southern California. All are elected for a term of six years. Now that the Free California Militia has controlled the densely populated Central California and Northern California, it can naturally take all four justice seats. However, one of the justices elected by the Bay Area was originally a true member of the Protestant faction, so there is no need to replace him.

The reason why the True Testament faction arranged the bosses of three wealthy families in California to serve as Supreme Court justices was, of course, to let them represent the white wealthy families in California to set the only standard for testing white people.
Three days later, in the state supreme court, assistant justice Mark Hopkins raised a magnifying glass in a pretentious manner. Xianfeng rolled up his sleeves, and his forearms were dazzlingly white against his robe. "I think Mr. Zhao Si's skin is whiter than the snow-capped peaks of the Alps!" Hopkins said in a voice as loud as a bell.

Another assistant justice, Collis Huntington, immediately opened the U.S. Constitution and the Naturalization Act and announced loudly: "According to our sacred Constitution, all men are created equal! According to the Naturalization Act, only free white people can become citizens, and the Naturalization Act does not clearly state what white people are? According to constitutional principles, I believe that the standard for judging white people should be that everyone is equal, and the only thing to look at is skin color!"

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Charles Crocker, raised his gavel and knocked it: "According to the Constitution, the Naturalization Act, and the undeniable fact that Zhao Si's skin color is white enough! Therefore, I rule that Zhao Si is a free white person and meets the requirements for naturalization!"

"crash"

Thunderous applause rang out in the hall of the California Supreme Court. In the United States, where white supremacy reigns, there is finally a judicial interpretation of what white people are! This is truly a historic moment!
On the return steamboat, Hong Renzheng's yellow robe and Lai Wenguang's red robe were both rustling in the river wind - they were now also white Americans! They were white enough! According to the judicial interpretation of the California Supreme Court on free white people - skin color is the only criterion for testing white people, they were of course white people.

"There are still 60,000 Chinese in Oregon and 57,000 in Washington Territory," Xianfeng leaned against the side of the boat, "We have to make their skin 'white' before the election next year."

Hong Renzheng smiled and said, "Let the judges in Oregon and Washington Territory also look at the magnifying glass. If it doesn't work, we can let them come to California to become naturalized citizens!"

Lai Wenguang asked worriedly, "Brother Zhao, will Washington really accept our proposal?"

Xianfeng snorted: "Then it depends on our means and determination. We are not afraid of the federation, as long as we don't push the states on the east coast and the federation together!"

Hong Renzheng patted Xianfeng on the shoulder and said, "Brother Zhao Si, it's up to you. You are now the full representative of our Zhenyue faction!"

In the officers' club at Fort San Diego, whale oil lamps cast Sherman's shadow on the yellowed nautical charts.

Commodore Charles Montgomery, commander of the Pacific Fleet, had a grim face and kept poking his finger at the location of San Francisco Bay, as if he wanted to tear that place off the map.

"My Susquehanna..." Commodore Montgomery suddenly grabbed the brandy bottle and gulped down a drink. "They must have used an ironclad ship! The British taught them how to build an ironclad ship!"

Former Secretary of State William Holden held up a copy of the Daily Californian, his lips trembling slightly with anger.

"Those traitors in the Supreme Court," he hissed, "are saying that yellow monkeys are white! They're saying that the only criterion for determining whiteness is the color of your skin."

William Eckert, commander of the California Union Army, suddenly slammed the table, shaking the cups and plates on it. "Only five counties in California are still under federal law: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. Are those bosses on the East Coast blind? Where are the reinforcements?"

There was a suppressed sob in the corner. Sherman turned and saw a young staff officer wiping his tears - the boy's father and two brothers had died in the Battle of the Sacramento River.

"What's the point of crying?" Sherman kicked over the wicker chair. "I'm going to Washington tomorrow! Even if I have to beg on my knees, I'm going to beg for the federal army!"

Commodore Montgomery drunkenly held up the chart:

"Tell the Navy Department to dispatch ten ironclad ships... no, twenty! I will bomb San Francisco into hell!"

Outside the window, the Pacific Ocean crashed against the shore, drowning out all other sounds, including his drunken words. Now the U.S. Navy Department didn't even have a single ironclad ship.
At three o'clock in the morning, Sherman's carriage rolled over the empty dock - Commodore Montgomery had sent all the ships to patrol the waters off San Francisco Bay, but they could only patrol and could not do anything else. Unless the federal government declared the newly elected California authorities to be enemies of the country.

When the whistle of the Golden Gate cruise ship tore through the night sky, the man who vowed to burn down all the Chinese farms suddenly remembered that the politicians on the East Coast were probably most concerned about the election of 1860, as well as issues such as tariffs, abolition of slavery, and states' rights. This country cannot go on like this; it needs truly strong leadership!
Sherman touched the carved handle of the revolver, on which was engraved the Sherman family motto:

"Victory or death."

(End of this chapter)