Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-06-27
ISLANDS In THE PACIFIC.

The interest not less than the honor and dignity OF
the United States requires that our Government should
interfere, peremplorily and decIsveiy 10 MAINTAIN The
nationality and indie pendence TO take under her
own projection and flag, the Islands IN the Pacific
Ocean, recently added by an unwarrantaoe exercise oil
power To the British domnons. Apart from the con
sidera,on which appeals strongly to the pride oil
Americans that all the advantages which those ISL
ends possess beyond the importance which their posi-
ton gives them conferred upon them by The en-
ierprize and Christian philanthropy OF our own coun-
trymen-apart from this consideration, and from The
fact that when the flag of the Islands taken down
TO make room for The British ensign, our own national
emblems quartered on that flag, displaced by
the power which has so many times land and on
sea, sought in vain to humble them-apar from these
considerations, which touch the sensbilitles 10 be
sure, but not, perhaps, OF the great practical I'M
potance Of other considerations which present them
selves it is the interest, the duty of the American
Government to ntcrpost and proven! the conditional
cession from beco ming positive.
In the first place. admission TO the ports OF those
| Islands upon good terms as the vessels OF other
nations, is absolutely necessary to the prosperity oil
whale fisheries ard other navigation and trade IN
the Pacific, which compose Of the largest branch
es of maritime interest. To tie hsheries Inc
Sandwich Group Of moro Importance than any other
islands in the Pacific from the excellence OF the mar
hors, the frendness of the natives, the fertility OF the
SOIL the pure water wh.:h is found upon them, their
proximity the fishing regions and from the conVenien-
OF fitting which the American and other mercan
tile establishments there afford. Indeed from the nor.
nation which we have upon the subject, We feel war,
ranted saying, TINT the possession of those Islands
will enable England to monopcze the whale fisheries,
and drive The Yankee from The waters IN which,
by their enterprise, skill and daring, they have been
SO long almost omnipotcnt. OF the extent and IN
poriance of these fisheries, we had occasion 10 pre-
sent some facts in commenting upon the seizure Of
the Marquesas group of Islands by the French Go
vernment. Ii is ,ssary here to repeat them.
Suffice i, to say, that the fisheries give employment
directly and indirectly TO more than twenty thousand
of our countrymen and highly lucrative.
In the second place, these islands are immediately
upon The great maritime hghway-not the King 8 nor
Queens highway, but the highway of the world, and
marked by their position ground tor the
extensive trade which all maritime nations will pursue
in those seas. On this point, also, remarked more
fully than shall now, when the French encroach'
mens upon these common rights were occupying public
attention. We thought at that time, and still think,
that this consideration alone Of su icent weight 10
make it the imperative duty Of our Government TO pro-
test against The Judgment which made by France,
and insist that the islands Of the Pacific, and partcu
larry those nearest this continent should remain as Ma
ture had planted them, neutral grounds, common and
free resorts for the trade every flag But there's rs ch
more why the principle should be urged 10y what
may be found necessary the present case
The Marquesas group inhabited by wild and savage
TRIBES and their importance prospective than
present. They will certainly form for France very
important naval and commercial RENDEZVOUS and DEPOT
-
rights of others, nor overthrow independence that
had been recognised by leading powers. Not SO with
the Sandwich group which are of great present I'm.
portance, and which are inhabited BY highly lnlei-
gent and prosperous, though not warIke people, with
an established Government, and just received into the
pale of nations, by the consent of the United States
France and England herself. In them, also, our own
country is more directly interested than she would
ever have been in the Marquesas; and, if We submit
quietly to their seizure, we debar ourselves, by ac-
quIescing in the principle, of any future right OF
interference, should France and England pro-
ceed in the appropriation 10 themselves Of Polynesia
Till there is not harbor in all the vast ocean that
rolls between this continent and Asia, upon which
the shadow of an European fortress does not fall
| Other and more important considerations remain to
te urged; such the commanding position which
those Islands occupy in relation TO the disputed ter.
rory our Northwestern coast and the fac! that IN
acquiescing in their seizure we acknowledge that we
have rights beycnd proper territory, mol held
at the mercy Of European powers, and liable at any
moment TO be invaded by lhem.-.N o. Bulieiin