New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-05
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

subyertng the independence Of the Hawaiian Kingdom,
we Do decide but the story though sendery or not
at all supported derives cOuntenance from the past
treatment Of that Kingdom by France and the immeasu-
rabe vilsny Of Louis Napoleon He surely cannot hsve
lees pTete1t for ensaving the Sandwich Islanders hanhe
bad for crushing the liberties Of Rome or for his per-
iured usurpaon Of despOc power in France, through
the butchery incarceration exile Of all who resisted
the consummatiOn Of his crime And beside, the chief
remaining prop of bis throne is the modified and eau
tious support still lent il by the Roman Catholic priest
hood whose influence over the French Peasantry Is stu
very great and whose feeling toward the Protestant Mis-
sionary influences which bear sway IN the Hawaiian
Islands is not illustration Of Christian charity. The
first CATHOLIC Missionary demonstrations on the native
popuafion Of those islands were repealed and defeated
under Protestant Missionary guidance, by means which
were at best summary and which have left Of in
Justice ard persecution ranking in the heart of Jesuit
ism throughout the world That the Catholic Priests
would like nothing better than resume and extend
their proselyDg operations under the absolute rule of
French PrOcOnsul and the guns Of French fleet, is
proposition not fairly disputable
And yet we must doubt that there is any present
and tangible obstruction interposed to Catholic Mis-
onsry effort on those Islands for, if there were the
French Government ever eager to exhibit itself in the
prominently on that, and not present as ire main
grievance the Hawaiian duty French Brandies. On
this point the rightfuness of the Hawaiian position is
60 manifest and the injustice Of the French demand 30
fragrant, that we marvel how even the triple brass
of diplomacy can keep in countenance the French
envoy who makes IT,
The case is briefly this The Aborignes Of the SAID
witch Islands are rapidly porshing from the vices which
too generally flourish in rank uxuriance among savage
people, especially in mild attitudes, who have been
brought suddenly into contact with Civilization and es-
pecially with its pernic0us influences, such as too
commonly attend large congregations of seamen. The
chief seaports OF Hawaii have long been sinks OF de-
baucheIy and vice. in defiance Of the most determined
efforts of the Missionaries who really bear sway there,
and no have no difficulty in tracing to the free sale
and diffusion OF Alcoholic Liquors much Of the sexual
and other depravity which they End general and 30
irresistible They, therefore years since Induced
the King 10 impose import duty of 50 per gallon on
Foreign Liquors-and this duty is chief pretext for
the outrages consummated and those meditated by
France on the independence and rights of the islanders
The brandy manufactures Of France have undoubtedly
suffered in their trade fron the heavy duty imposed By
King Kamehsmeba and his Minister'S on their staple
but then the Islanders would suffer intellectually more
from the absence Of that duty experience has amply
shown and the question involved is one OF which
Hawaii is properly the sole arbter Yet IL is mainly
on account of this duty Brandy, and the refusal oil
the King TO repeal it, that France made her former
ray on the Islands and subjected them 10 heavy losses
and injuries by her hostile demonstrations The final
adjustment of the difficulty has been postponed TO this
time when IL is rumOred that French fleet is already
in the Pacific on its way to Honolulu bearing the ult
matum of the perjured assassin of the Liberties Of
France. which amounts in substance to this" Admit
.our Brandy at nominal duty, and allow our Priests
all tie privileges you award TO their Protestant rivals,
with pro rata share of your Public School Money
orwe viii subjugate and annex your entire country
Against these strocious demands the King has no re-
source but in an appeal to the United States Great
Britain, and he has accordingly appealed TO both, soil
citing support and willing to accept Proteetorate or
even 10 surrender his territory absolutely into our
possession rather than pass under the yoke OF Louis
Napoleon.
Young America" has ready and easy solution for
the problem here presented Let Us annex the ISL
ands take possession of and defend them against all
'gainssyersn is its sovereign panacea ave can dog
Louis Napoleon and al his satellites Who AFRAID ~
But, We suggest man may have a reasonable share
Of courage without choosing act Ike fool So long
as We NAV assert al maintain the iaaepsaleaee of the
Sandwich Islands We shall naturally have the world on
our side as against any nation attempting seize themi
but if ace clutch them no matter under what preeXt,
We shall naturally have all the world against Admit
that the acquisition Of those Islands is desirable il
absurd for us to seize them while wise and mastery
inactivity is gradually and steadily setting them into
our hands Long before our flag permanently waved from
any spot of earth within thousand miles Of the Pacific
our Missionaries our Wbaers, our Commerce acquired
predoninanee in the Hawaiian councils, ports and
towns and their influence has gradually outsrpped all
others TIL il is nov virtually without rival Ameri-
cans now guide the National Councils least nine
teuths of all Hawaiian Trade and Navigation is in
American hands: while American settlers are rapidly
acquiring all the lands and directing al the industry Of
those Islands. II but keep their external rela-
tons unchanged their population vii be almost entirely
American in blood and feeling before the close Of the
present century
What we would have oar Government do, then, il
to unite with Great Britain and al other willing na-
tons in = determined protest against any invasion Of
the rights of Hawaii BY France and in making the re-
qusite demonstrations TO give that protest efficiency
Such protest. coupled with disclaimer of al selfish
designs on the independence Of those Islands, could
hardly fail Of its intended effect And whatever action
is advisable can hardly be consummated too soon.
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vRsrsIA-Hou Thomas S. Bocock was re nominated
for Congress by the Democratic Convention held Pitt