Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-23
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 22. 1861.
rur ERENcH AT HONOLULU.


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THE FRENCH AT HONOLULU.
The last accounts from California present very inter-
esng e the probable blockade Of this, the most
prominent of the Sandwich Islands. The of the diff
fcuy gather from the papers, may be stated as
follows The principal for the threatened blockade
the refusal of the Hawaiian government accedc the
demand Of French that their wines and bandies should
be received at lower duties than those imposed In the
treaty which the Hawaiian government made with England
and France it stipulated that al vaiore duty OF five
per should be fixed upon all imported articles except
wines and brandes Upon these the duties were to be op
,ional provided they did prohibition Ihe
government laid duty Of five dollars per gallon on wines
and 5randes and included ale and beer The British Gov
ernment demonstrated against CHASING ale and beer with
wines and spirtuous liquors. and the former were not
named 10 the treaty. the duties that had been palo upon e
were refunded and than the ordinary duty snose
oueny levied Ths French upon this insisted that as
wines and brandes were much the natural CROWN ana
production of their country malt liquors were OF Ensana
the exemption from the duty of five dollars was equay de
| to them.
AT the last accounts tho French authorities not only de-
manded repeal of the duty wines and oranaes' mann
fest violation of their previous compact but INSISTED VII"
singular absurdy, that because two members ot 'ue
ian Ministry happened 10 be Scotchman anu d"
(Mr. Willie and Mr. Judd) Frenchman should also DC
mand 10 that the French and American missionaries should
ne nlaced upon an equal footing with regard to the innds
devoted by Government the support oi the missionary
enterprise also commanded that a correspondence
between the two Governments should be carried on In
French the weknown fact that the Eng
spoken throughout the Islands, and has been declared
the official language of the country account of the po-
verify of the Hawaiian tongue The frivolous and ridiculous
character of these demands needs no showing.
,,lt;, IN tho Woiin
Government with the declaration that if the demands were
NOT complied with by the Goth of March, the fortress would
be again seized and the port bockaded The Government
continued firm il its Intention to resist so shameless an I'M
position and generally believed, would throw Itself
under the protection of the United States The San Fran
cisco papers with confidence that the American coors
will be at once adopted in OF an attack Inc Ameri-
cans constitute large majority of the foreign residents at
Honolulu and the of the Islands with California
and Oregon equal their entire ude with Ensaho
and France.
At least three oths of the foreigners at Honolulu are
Americans, while there not dozen French subjects
,berc shot cannot be fred the Of the Hawaiian
kingdom without destroying the property OF citizens OF Inc
United States Should this occur Government VIII at
once demand and obtain strict account The people OF
California already looking with "lthul eye 10 le Pos
session of the Sandwich Islands, which are situated on Inc
route from San Francisco from the Oregon coast 10 oh
na and must become the great depot of supplies for the
whole of that important trade Honolulu the largest OF the
islands of which there eleven says the Baltimore Ane
can is tho place the deposites OF coal whch WIZ
be necessary for the Pacific numerous as heY WI"
be when the of the Pacific is fairly drawn 10 our
Western coast and to the Ishmus The island OF Honolulu
is miles length and seventy IN oreao
much the largest of the groups contains some onf
thousand square miles, while all the others contain ou' il'e
over two thousand They lie between the eighteenth ana
degrees of North latitude, having saiuof
climate snd productive SOIL 1t is in reference to COM
mercc however these islands grow INTO
and in that view their future Importance can hardly De over
estimated No spot in the Pacific ocean can compare h va
line and in commanding advantages of position with that
group The population OF the whole group as es'e y
/ the missionaries is about l50,0UU
Al the last date there was much excitement. The Kings
palace was closely guarded and funds
removed place Of safety and other active measures ol
defence taken. We believe that our government viii
20 farther than nrooos our own citizens anu prevent '
and permanent control oil any Europeon power
over those islands, 1t do less in view OF the very
interest already held by American citizens and the i'm
nortnnt relation which islands must bear towards this
country and our future commerce in the Pacific appealed
to bv the Hawaiian king and ministry government will
bably nerpose mediave influence Butt thought tha,
the Cafonians will hardly for the tedious Of
diplomacy but, shortly after receiving intelligence OF the
blockade by the French will land the Hawaiian shores
shipoads of adventurous allies The New York Tribune
looks still further ahead follows We have not the mate
ras for the calculation but it is clearly the duty of our
vernment that European nation snail nave lhere
foothold and control:
"That the Sandwich Islands WILL at remote day. (says
the Trbune incorporated into The American Republic
recognized the Pacific coast as manifest destiny Inc
geographical position Islands, the general predec-
lions of their inhabitants and the intimate commercial eu-
nns already established between them and the ports OF ga
lorna and Oregon point directly this result. We Do
discuss the question whether such an event would
be desirable; mention il inevitable consequence OF
our growth in the West How far the present dlihcuy
with France will hasten its advent remains 10 be SEEM
THE BASIS AGONY OVER FOR THE PRESENT!
The Convention yesterday, by majority off, 81 to 44)
ordered the insertion of the compromise reported from the
Committee of the Whole They also agreed to the appoint
of committee digest and report apportonmens
with which 10 fill the blank in the compromise.
| With the Alexandra Gazette we agree when it says:
| l, is considered "fxed fact" that the Com
promise settlement of the Basis question will be in
serted in the new Constitution, be adopted by
the Virginia Convention; and however much may
be objected TO- and however disappointed will be- in
the East the result, it is than probable that if the
remaining provisions of the contain the reforms
which the people called for and desired The Constit
on as presented will be accepted by arxs majority of
the people, AT any rae that the question concerning
the basis of representation the stumbngbo in the
of Dropress has been sumounted il is to be hoped and it
certainly is expected that the Convention will all due
diligence in completing Its work. ana bringing about an da
ouTnmcn In all parts of the Commonwealth the cry is
or acton and then adjourn We reecho the cry The man
in the Convention who makes very long speech now,
speaks much ought 10 have mark set upon him. so tha, he
may be remembered hereafter.
IThe Fredericksburg News suggests meeting in that
place on Friday evening" consider the daring outrage on
vested rights about be committed by the Convention at
Richmond"l
The Convention then, resolved itself into committee OF
the whole and took up the Report the Legislative De-
parnent to which they made amendments and acted
on seven Articles 1t is earnestly trusted that they Will now
go on quietly and industrousy TO complete their work.
Their working industry yesterday is worthy Of all commen
daon If kept up with the SPIRIT they may be enabled
to adjourn by the Goth of June.
WESTWARD HO
a.nID