The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-25

this be so. were the islands annexed to the
| United Statesl Believe it who may or can.
have no such idea Admitting if you please,
that some advantage to the United States
would accrue from annexation, and that there
would be some gain to planters at the islands
| but how would it be with the Hawaiiansi " 1t
may be sport to YOU" as the fable puts it into
the mouth of the frogs, addressing the boys
who were pelting them with stones, but 1T Is
death to us" Might not our people adopt
similar language in addressing annexationsts
of the United States at may be gain to you,
but it will be RUIN to u.s. So | honestly think (;
and, thinking thus, | may not neglect using
what influence have in opposing it. there
fore begin with my esteemed friend, the editor
of the National Era, asking him to allow me
to speak freely through the columns OF his
paper for the subject is one of deep import
ance, both to you in the United States and US
at the islands
think the annexation of these islands to
the United States would be the entering wedge
to the introduction of Slavery. In some former
communication, | wrote you on the subject OF
Slavery in relation TO the islands; but am de-
sirous of being a little more definite in speaking
of the danger that the demon of Slavery may
yet gain footing on the soil Of Hawai-, and pol
Lutte with its hateful breath all that Is fair and
lovely on these charming islands, especially
should the doctrine Of annexation prevail.
From what have already said OF the aver
sion TO farming, felt by 80 many at the islands,
foreigners as well as natives you will not be
surprised to learn that there are few or no
farms of 100, $50, or 200 acres, cultivated by
foreigners year after year, sOwn to wheat oats,
barley, and planted with corn, beans and po-
tatoe', or filled with garden vegetables. Only
one or two farms even approximating to tins
can be found on Mani and no other island OF
the group has greater number, as can hear
There are several sugar plantations ON the
islands of Mani and Kanai, and some small
ones, believe, on Hawaii Some of these de-
mand 40 or so laborers, and one on kana, |
believe, has 100 in its employ So you will see
at a glance, that men are in demand to work
the sugar plantations Coffee plantations there
are on Hawaii and on Kanai, and these also
need and must have workmen. But where |
shall they be found! How shall they be OBJ,
tanned? It is not easy to obtain Hawalans. |
Many of these have purchased lands and these
they find it more profitable to cultivate than to
work for such wages as planters can lind 1t
to pay. Some two years ago, the
experiment of employing coolies was begun
and for q short time planters seemed to think
heir troubles were about to end but they fnd1
themselves mistaken coolies do not do well /
They have made their employers q great deal
If trouble. They are an unhappy race OF men,
are passionate and revengeful, and regardless
IF life In some cases they have been treated |
with cruelty, and several of them have COM
mitted suicide On the whole, the employment |
of these coolies has proved decided failure.
Of course, planters will have to fall back upon |
native Hawaiians for the present. They will |
have to employ them, so far as they can sue
coed in finding them, until they can obtain |
'ome other race to till the soil and gather in |
he productions of the field. And to what race |
shall they look, for the right sort of men |
They have heard of one race and another-of |
3elgians and Germans and Danes-but they |
Ire not quite satisfied with the idea Of employ
ng any of these and, if can judge from the
liDts given by some of the planters and would
De-planters, they dislike, Or-in the words of
the fair stakeholder in the story of Mark Suth-
cannot "brook the service of any
who can defy or abandon their service at their
pleasure; +" in other words they dislike free la
borers. ! rejoice to believe that a few foreign
ers and one planter on Mani would deprecate
Slavery as they would the plague, or as they
would the introduction of wild beasts and ser
penis into these fair islands; but to the MAORI
ty, the thought of relief from the perplexity of
hiring and paying and experimenting free
men, by the introduction of Slavery, would be
delightful One-full Of hope for the genera
tons to come on the shores of Hawaii. An
nexation would be the entering wedge to Sla-
very among us, have not a doubt 1t would
be ruinous to the people. 1t would strike at
the root of their happiness. 1t would wither the
arm OF enterprise, which, though still feeble
compared with the giant arm with you, is
nevertheless becoming stronger and stronger.
1t would dig the grave Of the nation, and de-
stroy the Hawaiian race, root and branch, and
do this in an incredibly short space of time
Such being my honest belief, you will not be
surprised to know that daily pray, and shall
continue to pray, from all annexations of the
Hawaiian with foreign nations good Lord de-
liver us." Yours, in the cause of justice
J. s. GREEN.