New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-21

disgusting and deporsble drupksnness prevailed for
several yeap. Brandy w1 especially included, and
IFS sale could not be prohibited La Place had just
come from Tahiti, where be had demanded 900 Of
Queen Pomare a. security against aggressions on the
French az alleged. She could not raise the money,
and he took possession. At Honolulu be demanded
t20 COO b. sides the treaty Contrary TO his expects
tons the King made out to borrow il at two per cent
a month The French returned it ak years after
ward wiihou; interest The Hawaiian Government
continued 10 remOnstrate against this treaty and AJAX
for their money for several years and TO beg for
treaty which should permit them 10 check the sale Of
Intoxicating drinks. Mr.. Richards and Haalieo went
10 England and France, in ls43 and finally succeeded
in calling the attention Of the British Governmen TO
the subject the result of which was tha, the Brt.h
and French Governments agreed to the form of 8
treaty with the Hawaiians each Of them in the same
terms, which was carried out by Mr.. Perrin TO the
Islands, and agreed to the Goth Of March. 1916.
These two treaties provided that British and French
products, excepting wines and spirituous liquors
should be admitted into the Sandwich lsla 1ds
at five per cent. duties, and that the Hawaiian
Government might impose any duties on these
excepted articles not amounting to actual
prohibition. The Hawaiian Government there
upon laid duty of e. per gallon on brandy and
other distilled spirits and lower duties wine por
ter, ale, beer, &c. But soon after the British Con-
sui General re demonstrated against this law as viola
ton Of the new treaty nasmuch "a there ives clear
well known commercial distinction between beer,
&C., and spiIitUOus liquors. The Ha~anans repned
that malt liquors contained alcohol az well a. distilled
and were in fact spirtuous and intoxicating: that
they could be made very strong by an Infusion OF
spirit and might become as miscbevous az any
others But the Consul persisted and contended that
IL il had been the intention Of his Gov ernment TO
except malt liquors, they would have been named In
the treaty. The Hawaiisns yielded the point, and
reduced the duty on beer to 5 per cent Then came
Mr. Perrin again. He said that beer, ale, &c. were
the products of England, wine of France and that if
one was admitted the other ought 10 be- that many
Of the wines Of France were no more Intoxicating
than ale, porter &c. II was in vain that the Hs-
waiians pointed to the very words OF the treaty,
which excepted wines. Mr. Perrin persisted and
the Government yielded again, reduced the duty on
wines Of over Is per cent. alcohol and dropped the
weaker down TO 5 per cent. With this construction
OF the treaty the matter still stands. But the French
have since been demonstrating against the high
duty on brandy, and demanding reduction al
though the duty so far from operating pr0htbi-
hon, serves probsby to increase the amount Of
brandy sold by excluding rum, gin and whisky
which would be imported in great quantity if the
duties were low.
The aggression Of Admiral de Tromelin in lsio
based on soue old trumpery complsints, was slto'
ee,her waDtOD, and nstigsted, no doubt, by Dllon,
then French Consul. He destroyed the guns in the
fort though resistance was offered, and he carried
off the Kings yacht which now lies rotting at Pap
etc. Tahita. No redress has ever been made for the
outrage.
Our present treaty with the King was ratified Dec.
90 ls49. 1t acknowledged the sovereignty oil mis-
TO shape it, own tariff Of duties. Similar treaties have
since been made with Belgium and other powers, and
the Hawaiians have since constantly urged noon
Great Britain and France TO do the same. The bnt.
isb Government has complied, and, by the treaty OF
10th July, 1851, left the Hawasns to impose what
duties they please. But the French not so ibe-
raj They hold on and enforce the treaty OF lsib;
and so long as they do so, the Hawaiian Government
cannot Excepting brandy, &c j lay more than per
cent duties on the products OF countries with which
they have treaties binding them 20 admit the produce
of such cOuI tries the terms OF the most favored
nation. This includes England, the United States,
Belgium and several German States, and south Amer
lean Republics. The King has no such treaties with
Spain China and the Legislature mas therefore, re-
Gently put IS per cent the sugars, coffee and man
ufactures of China, Manila, &c.
When Mr.. Perrin returned TO Paris In lsJl Lite
alarmed with the idea that the King about 10
make if he had not actually made an offer OF trans
fer of his kingdom 10 the United States. it sad
he had gone for fresh instructions. He was gone
nearly two years, when he returned with assurances
that he had new treaty which would make all right.
But the new treaty had not tranpred at the last ac
counts In the beginning Of the session, in May last,
Mr.. Allen, the Minister Of Finance, reported bill to
reduce the duty brandy and increase the duty on
other articles. This last could not be done without
the consent Of France and the inference is that
France will withhold the treaty till the duty on
brandy is reduced. The Legislature, chiefly natives,
was not disposed to yield. though Strengthened for
the means Of revenue The Legislature was pro-
roQued Aug l2 and though have dates TO Sept. ?,
DO not see oct 3O that such bill has passed, or
that any new treaty has been made Perhaps the
members felt safe in showing some grit while they
have such alternative as annexation TO fall back
upop To be sure the proposed reduced duties on
LIQUOR s3 per GALLON are more than four times higher
than the 100 per cent. duties IN the United States
tariff; but then the Islands, under State govern
ment' would be free to adopt the Maine Law and
stop The sale of intoxicating drinks altogether. This
would prevent the sale of large amount OF liquor to
the of whae-ships at Is cents gis but they
would spend as much nearly for warm clothing books
and the real comforts of life, and have INFINITELY less
trouble with their captains Few OF them get any
liquor at sea. !.
There is no State in the Union OF a community
anywhere in which larger vote would be obtained
for an utterly probibitory law The French treaty OF
1886 alone prevents Il now. The white brandy
drinkers in Honolulu and Lahans could show but a
very small vote TO balance the great mass of the ma
tves. They "aeitate" and get up schemes OF
fllbusteripc, bat their influence over the native
mind is not great. Knowing this, it is not mproba-
bic that some people at the Islands encourage Mr.
Perrin in keet ing his treaty back, If, indeed II "
like the English ard American treaties, as 1t may
not be.