Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1854-04-29

politician may say, We should either abso-
lutely deliver sovereigns from the authority
Of the Law Of nature or agree that they are
not allowed to oblige, without just reason.
the weaker states to submit to them their
dignity, much less their liberty by an unequal
alliance. Nations owe to each other the
same assistance. the same respect, the same
friendship, as individuals living in Il state of
nature. Far from seeking to humble the
weak, and to despoil them of their most pre-
maintain their dignity and their liberty, if
they are inspired by virtue more than pride;
if they are more moved by principles of in
tegrity than by mean self-interest; what do
| say? if they have such degree of UNDER
standing as to know their true and real in
terest. Nothing more firmly secures the
power of great monarch than his regard
to all sovereigns. The more careful he is of
offending the weak, the greater esteem they
will have for him; they love power who
makes them feel his superiority only by his
benefits they fix themselves to- hlm as to
their support and he becomes the arbiter of
nations. Had he behaved with pride he
would have been the object of their jealousy
and fear, and perhaps have one day sunk
Under their united efforts But as the weak
ought, in their necessity, to accept with
gratitude the assistance ofthe more powerful,
and not to refuse him the honors, the respec,
that fatters hiE who receives them without
degrading him by whom they are rendered;
so nothing is more conformable to the law of
nature than assistance generously given by
the more powerful state without requiring
return, or at least an equivalent
I)ulv irnnreSSed with SpuSa of' tho uic
dom of the above maxims, and conscious
that had made every possible effort, first
of all, to substitute another treaty for that
of the 26th March, lS46, before it should
be ratified in Europe; and afterwards through
moral arguments, and the conioint influence
of the good Offices of foreign friendly states
and of their example. to persuade France to
give up that treaty and adopt one precisely
similar to that with the United States, or that
with Great Britain, and all without success,
replied to the Plenipotentiary of France,
on the 2>th March, in the terms which you
will read in the copy, which ] annex, marked
No 96. / felt it to be my duty, under the
circumstances, to take advantage Of the high
opinion expressed by him, Justly, Of the
Kings Chancellor and Minister of Finance.
to promote an amicable conference between
them and Monsieur Perrin, upon those fiscal
obstacles to new treaty to which he at
taches SO much Importance. What have
ever been ambitious of, is the greatest pos
sible success, in the Kings service, be that
success obtained through my humble me-
dunn, or that of men wiser and more inf
uential than myself.
On the 30th March, received from Mon
seur Perrin, the reply, marked No 81, of
which | append translation, courteously
accepting my suggestion for conference
with the Minister of Finance and with the
/ Chief Justice
/ Referring you 10 enclosures Nos 9, I0and
III to my report of 1853, considered from
what / could gather of the views of Mon
sieur Perrin, that | was justified In enter
tanning the expectations expressed in my let
ter of the 18th May, 1852 to the Honorable
George NJ Robertson, of which append
copy, marked No. 97i By referring to
that letter YOU will see the scale of differen-
tial duties that had thought of proposing
The assurance given by Monsieur Perrin,
on the 3lst May, 1853, (see enclosure No.
~ led me to believe that he would not OPP
pose tariff so framed, provided that for that
relaxation on the part of France, in regard
to our revenue, we should reciprocate, by
.ture. But the Minister of Finance, with
greater knowledge has framed in his tariff
another scale, which may deserve your pre-
ference.
\ On the same day Monsieur Perrin ad-
dressed to me another despatch of which
annex translation, marked No. 93, enclos-
ing extracts from report ofthe Commander
of the Moselle,' giving description of
an Hospital established at Tahiti, and stating
the important fact that depopulation had there
ceased among inc natives. Believing that
both subjects will interest you, | append a
translation of these extracts, marked No. 80
/ | append, also, marked No. 100, copy
of the reply to Monsieur Perrin, of the 3lst
of March, assuring nim that such statistics
and all others from Tahiti would always be
well received by the Kings Government.
The fact of the rapid decrease of existing
Indian races, almost everywhere, is one
which has excited much interest, both with
: christian Missionaries and other philanthro-
pists. The King called the attention of the
Legislatures of lSi5 and 1850 to that de-
crease in this Kingdom in His speeches from
the Throne for those years. This subject
has had my own serious consideration, az
YOU NAV see from enclosure 80, to my report
for 1853, and the table prepared by me, pub
lished in the Polynesian, No. 81 of 18th JAM.
1850, and therefore, am all the more glad
to know that, in some localities throughout
the Islands, the births of late have exceeded
the deaths.
In connection with the extract from Mon
: sieur Commander Belland, (see enclosure
No. 99), YOU will read with interest the fol-
I lowing extract from Mr. Benefits narrative
of voyage around the globe from 1888 to
1886, viz
'.The population of uncivilized countries