New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-21
3atw41ark Daily Gibm,te
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
The ANNEXATION QUESTION.
Frors The Hs..ebee JournaL

20oO, to 5000 natives nearly all the Americans are
IN favor Of annexation. So, also, are some Of the
Germans and Engisb French and Scotch. More OF
the three latter are Indifferent. The greater part of
them arr from Australia But ell the influence the
British and French Commissioners can bring 10 bear,
" against annexation 10 the United States. SO, il Is
presumed is that Of the Catholic priests who have
about onehfth Of the natives under their instruction
They get their portion Of the public native school
fund 10 support separate Catholic schools. This hey
probably would not do, if the Islands were state Oh
the Union; for the MormOns, too, who have more
mission aries than the Catholics, are demanding their
ehsre for separate schools. French ships-oi~ar, In
the event Of annexation, would rot then dictae sa
ties, force the people 70 take French brenoy Inc
number of French residents, and the amount OF
French commerce at the Islands, are very small Inc
Germans otDumber them three or four to
one. The leading motive 10 annexation on the
part Of the Americans II not dissatisfaction with
The present Government, but mercantile and
commercial The Illsnds are importing than
they can pay for. They have hitherto imported all
their -four and all their manufactures. The latter
they will continue 10 import for long time, but they
will soon supply themselves with -four, and have
soms for the whale-sbips. They have great staple
for export except sugar and in this they have TO
OF China the Philippine Islands, and other places in
the East Irdes where the soil is richer and labor is
almOst nothing. Yet few Americans have perse-
veIed and have now extensive sugar plantations
Several Of the original proprietors have however
failed and their estates passed into other hands In
the event OF annexation to the United States, these
planters will longer have TO pay 80 per cent duties
In San Francisco bat will have the benefit Of 30 per
cent protection against the sugars Of Central Amer
ca Mexico and the East Indies. 1t vii bring them
right side Up at once and induce many others to
bark in the came business. There are lands enough
adapted TO cane culture TO supply the American coast
from San Diego 10 Puget Sound, with sugar for half
CENTURY rapidly Dcre esDg as this demand will be.
This will make quick demand for these lands, and
raise the value Of all other lands Hence English
and other foreigners who already own lands have
no great aversion to annexation themselves Neither
have the chiefs, who own large tracts which now
bring them but little income, the compulsory Ia
Dor Of the common people being nearly abol-
isbed, and the Kuliana rights of the Kama
kas established by land commission, whereby
every native obtains fee simple title to the grass
house where he has lived and few acres, including
bis tsro patch, bananas, &c. This has been enacted
within few years, since Representative govern
ment was formed. 1t was opposed by the chiefs in
the House Of MOBILES, but favored by the King, and
carried through in measure by the great influence
Of Judge Lee, assisted by most It not all the white
men in authority So that now every native If he
has not already sold out, is landowner himself in
stead Of being the tenant of his chief working three
days in the week for his liege lord. 1t may seem
somewhat sgrarian TO take the lands Of the hereditary
sristocracy and dispose Of them in this way. We do
not expect the British House of Mobiles to consent to
any such arrangement, the Canadian Seigniories, or
the PATRONS Of the manor lands on the Hudson. But
IL may be remarked that the titles TO lands in the
Sandwich Islands are not very well defined The ma
aries went there in 1920; of course no written laws
or recorded titles TO lands any thing ese The eau
tboIity of the King was paramount lie gave his
chiefs ard warriors what he pleased and there being
no money, and little property of any kind, the King
the chief and priests exscted mats tapa LABOR, pigs.
dogs and tarO from the common people, OF whom each
chief had his retainers.
Whom Tamebameha l. conquered all the Islands,
and put All end to the that bad long prevailed
between rival Kings he assumed the absolute own
ership Of oil the lands, and divided them among his
adherents and favorites William, the Norman, did,
the lands Of the conquered Saxons; or Cromwell the
lar Of the feuda lords Of the conquered Irish who
had rebelled against Esglish authority. Tame
hameha, however, left some chiefs in possession,
who bad originally opposed him, bat submitted in
time for ho avery s1gaciOus and liberal savage.
But in awarding to his subjects, he always NAM
tanned his own title as paramount Hence 1t fol-
lowed that the sovereign authority, then vested Iii
the King but subsequently in the King and Hawaiian
Parliament could with the consent of the King take
these lssos of the chiefs and give them to the com
mon people; ard this has been done, but leaving stu
large tracts in the hands OF the chiefs and extensive
domains az the private property OF the King. But
there lsst have been greatly reduced by the voun.
tsry act of the King, who few years ago renquisded
about three. ourths of his lands the Hawaiian Gov
ernmtnt. These constitute the public lands of the
king In cense quence, the Parliament confirmed
him personally in full aodial and perfect title TO
the remainder Of bis lands. They are valuable and
are bis private property He is without children and
having adopted Prince Alexander Liholiho as his
heir the latter will inherit them well as the throne
by special appointment OF the King confirmed by the
Mobiles.
R.fore 1876 there was no Office for the record of
deeds When one was established by the Legislature
in the act TO organize the Executive Departments II
was required that all deeds mortgages, &C., should
be recorded in ninety days and that those brought
in afterward should not hold in preference to those
then on record. This promulgated in English
and Hawaiian. suppose the time was considered
long enough because then foreigners could not hold
lands in fee simple. They could only Obtain Leases
before 1850
happen to know of the case of a gentleman in
New. York who in 1870 bought half Of sugar plana-
ton and paid sl2, 500 in each for It. He took war
rsnty deed daily executed. He had an agent IN the
Islands 10 represe his interests and he supposed his
deed was recorded in Honolulu and in Washington;
believe also, in London. But there was then no
record office in Honolulu, and when one was estao-
hshed his agent being there did not get the deed re-
corded nor make known the fact that there was such
a deed. The plantation was mortgsged 10 Others by
the came parties who had sold il contrary to law and
has passed into the hands of third parties holding
corded titles.
This will serve at least to show the value OF apub-
he registry of deeds if not of faithful agents
M Charlton. q former British Consul, by the in
hn.nce of his Government obtained possession OF lsnd
in Honolulu now worth more than $780, 900, for
which be gave little nothing to an old chief, who
the natives ssy did not own II, but who made ms
NAH ON s.pece of paper, with witness Charlton
did not produce the paper till more than twenty
vesrs after it's date, make any claim OF the lana
from the natives who lived on IT, nt after the deasn
Of bis grantee and witness. Nobody knew he bad
such grant. Many still be&eve the paper was aior-
gerry. ,. o-,.,
grant or promise without scrap OF writing either IN
native or English. Hepce the necessity OF lsod
commission, as in California, To adludge Gus ou.ea
claims and settle kuliana rights. Ibis COMMISSION
OF hcb Judge Lee is the principal, has not!e' con-
cluded its labors.
By the Hawaiian constitution the Government Is