Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-08-25
The Sandwich Islands.

President FILLMORE communicated Message
to the Senate on the 10th inst, declining to an.
swer the inquiry whether the King of the Sand
which Islands had offered to transfer them to tho
United States. The resolution of inquiry was Of
fered by Mr.. SEWARD in open session, and in the
same words as one offered some time ago in secre
session by Col. WELLER, which also the Presi
dent declined responding to because in his opinion
the communication of the information requested
at that juncture would not comport with the pub
lie interest. On the reception of the Presidents
late message, COL WELLER expressed his sur
prise at the course of the former Senator in offer
ing the resolution after he had given notice of his
intention to introduce it in open session. There was
no doubt some trickery in the affair. 1t will be
recollected that the Colonel, in his recent speech
at this place. declared himself and his party in IA
vor of the annexation of the whole Continent and
all the adjacent Islands to the United States, and
took occasion to censure President FILLMORE, fol
rejecting the offer from the Sandwich Islands, His
object in introducing the resolution doubtless was
to obtain some party capital The National In.
teUigencer of the 18th inst. noticing the matter
thus gives its suggestions as to what is the ma
ture of the information in the possession of the Gov
eminent, and the reasons which have induced the
withholding it:
owe do not profess to have any knowledge on
this subject but what is common to all. Rumor,
however, says that when the French threatened
war upon the Islands, because the King refused
to receive French brandy at five per cent. duty,
the King offered to transfer the whole sovereign
ty of the Islands to the United States which
would as consequence, have transferred threat
ened war with them. Eah such offer were made
it must have been of the nqst confidential charac,
ter, and was doubtless 50 Communicated to our
Government. The disclosure of the fact might
even now involve its authors inutter ruin, and
thereby subvert the Government of the Islands,
which has always been friendly to the United
States No one can suppose that our Government
could be guilty of such perdy AIRY more than that
it could be guilty of the folly of attempting to ac-
quire the possession of those Islands under circum
stances that must inevitably have involved us in
war with France
"While acting disinterested part, this Gov
eminent has doubtless been enabled, by its remon-
STRANGE, to prevent the threatened war upon the
Islands, and thus preserve their independence. in
stead of involving them and itself in common
war by its cupidity, the result of which no one
could anticipate.
''The independence of these Islands is all i'm
portant to the United States, and we could never
consent that they should go into the hands OF any
of the great Maritime Powers of Europe. While
they remain Independent, we have all the benefits
from them that we could derive were they annex,
ed to the United States, without the trouble and
expense of governing and protecting them. Our
Government is not we'll fitted for colonizaton.-
We have no surplus population to spare, and the
inhabitants of those Islands are not yet sufficiently
civilized to form part of our Republic, or suf1i-
GENTLY enlightened to maintain free Government.
They could only be governed by a standing army
in peace, and would be the first prey for an enc
my in time OF war;"