In re Ah Lung

Field, Justice.

The petitioner sets forth that he is unlawfully restrained of his liberty, and detained on board of the steam-sliip Oceanic by its captain, in the harbor of San Francisco; and that the *29alleged ground of his detention is that he comes within the act of congress of May 6, 1882, “to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese.” 22 St. 58.

The petitioner is a Chinese by race, language, and color, and has all the peculiarities of the subjects of China. He is also a laborer; but lie was born on the Island of Hong Kong after it was coded to Great Britain. He claims,…