The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-07
DAILY NATIONAL WING.
A NOVEL QUESTION.

upon the policy of admitting the Sandwich
Islands into the American Union as sepa-
rate State. We wish it to be distinctly
understood, that we do not express any
opinion whatever upon the question.
Adnaission ofths Sandwich IsIands into the
AnzerScan Unlon.-The state Of HAWAII.
1.-THE PRocREss OF FREE lNsTITu-
rIoNs., phrase which has become hack
neyed from having been used by PoitcA
SPECTATORS and threadbare partlzans to gloss
eyer their own sinister designs while osten-
sibly pretending to advance the interests,
and promote the welfare Of our country, has,
withnl. deep significance. Whether the
recent events which have transpired will re-
suit in good, greater than the evils pre-
sent and long consequent upon the disrup-
fion Of friendly ties between neighboriug
coniederated democraces, is yet to be learn
ed from the future history Of the PACING
States. That there is grand principle OF
healthy action, which will accomplish great
ends we have no doubt, and we look for
ward with hope TO the foundation Of perma-
nent governments for the newly acquired
regions Of the West.
The commercial relations which must
soon be established on wide bases with the
nations OF the Pacific shores will inevitably
demand an enhepot, OF commercial station
between the American and Asiatic coasts,
which, while il shall be governed by The
most enlightened and liberal policy, shall
afford the advantages Of harbors and the ia
cilities for fitting and repairs needed by the
marine of the whole world resorting to tie
North Pacific.
" The humiliation Of time and space"
or, in other words, the placing oil the North
American coast in near proximity to the
Asiatic, by the use of steam vessels, as well
as the frequency with which intercourse
must henceforth be maintained with the
Hawaiian Islands, present to our view very
important considerations in favor OF some
movement on the part of our government
for the peaceful annexation, by purchase
and cession, Of the whole group, and their
admission into the Union on an equal footing
with the other States, under the, title Of the
STATE Of HAWAII, to be represented BY
two senators, and its proper number OF dele
gates TO the popular branch Of our national
legislature
Notwithstanding the fact that guarantees
have been given by Great Britain, France,
and the United States, securing the nde-
pendence of the Hawaiian Islands, owing to
the difficulties with La Place in 1898, re-
sultng from the intrusion Of the Roman
Cotholc missionaries, it is conceived that
there would be no violation Of national faith
in the independent action of the Hawaiian
government ceding the group to the United
States, and taking its rank as an indepen-
dent State in the American Union. The
purpose Of the guarantees given by these
three powers was, to provide against the
subjugation and seizure Of the group by any
one Of those powers, with the design of
placing them in the position Of colonial
dependencies, as well as to recognize them
among the family Of nations. This indie
pendence having been maintained, and the
compact having been scrupulously observed
so far, there can be no violation Of national
honor by overtures which may result in so
desirable an accession---or in embracing
among the members of our national family, |
cluster Of islands which occupies SO COM
handing position in the North Pacific.
II may be cool and calculating policy
en- the part Of France and Great Britain,
thu two other great maritime nations Of the
earth, 10 dupe or humor the American gov
eminent into non-interference in the af-
fairs Of Oceanica, and to keep the United
States out of the various important groups
Of islands which Diversity the vast bosom
OF the Pacific. But while doing this, they
are each Selling every group which they
can occupy, without the fear Of being des-
troyed BY cannbal hordes, or which offers
sufficient inducement TO their rapacity and
spirit of conquest The appropriation Of
the Marquesas BY the French, and their base
oppression Of Queen Pomare and her Tahi-
tian subjects, the pitiful tramplng Of "Ld
Belle France" upon weak and half-civil-
ized people, together with the COLOMBIA
ton" Of New Zealand by the English, and
the prospective appropriation Of other clus-
ters, as soon as they shall have become val
liable, may be apart Of their national poll
ry-and II may be wise one. But the
game played so dexterously by these two
nations should not be denied 10 the enter
prise and the beneiicent operation OF the
free institutions of the American Union.
The central position Of the Hawaiian
group, living in the North Pacific, and reach
ing from latitude ls deg. "a min. TO %
deg. 20 min, and stretching from ID deg.
% min, to 100 deg 10 min. west longi-
tude, at about 2,2O0 miles from the Ameri-
can coast, and $500 from Canton, makes
them desirable as place Of entry and re-
pairs, and the harbors Of Oahu and Kauai
offering fine facilities for shipping, will ena-
BILE wise local government, under the as
Sociated influences Of American residents
and officers to transformthe partially civilized
communities into valuable portions Of oul
body polite. The area Of the group is about
5000 square milcs--the island Of Hawaii,
the largest, being SS miles in greatest length
by 70 in greatest breadth, and 24o miles in
circumference, with an area Of 900 square
miles-equal to Delaware (2,0SO so. m. J