Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1854-11-29
From the London Morning Post
ANNEXA TION OF THE SANDY WICH
ISLA NDS

The acquisition of the Sandwich Islands by
the United States is an event of more import
ance than the public of this country may gener-
ally suppose. In the first place, it shows that
the American government, forgetful of the en-
phatic warning given by Washington, is deter
mined to obtain foreign possessions, and to ex-
tend its sovereignty over places not situate on
the North American continent. fhis policy on
the part of the American government is not new.
Some years ago they attempted to purchase from
Spain one of the smaller of the Balearie Islands,
for the ostensible purpose of having port in
the Mediterranean in which the American squad
ron could reft. Spain, however, very properly
thought that it would be unwise either to sell
or even lease portion of her territory to so 60
ahead nation as the United States, and thus
their first attempt to obtain locus standi, and
right to dabble in European politics, was defeat
ed by the prudence and discretion of the Span
ish government. Very recently it has been stat
ed that the Americans have been in treaty for
the purchase of the small republic of San Mari
no, no doubt with view, some day or other, to
the possible annexation of the whole of Italy to
San MarnO, when Yankee institutions and pow
er shall have been sufficiently consolidated in
that spot. There rumors have been contradict
ed, and therefore, we must content ourselves
ent exclusively devoted to the acquisition, per
fas am netaS of Cuba, and the purchase of the
Sandwich Islands, in the North Pacific Ocean,
The condition of these latter islands can never
be viewed with indifference by the people of
this country. On the principal one of the group
-Hawaii-our great circumnavigator, Captain
Cook, met his DEATH in an atfray with the ma
tives.
In more recent times, English and American
missionaries have succeeded in converting the
heather inhabitants to knowledge of Christi
anity; the arts of civilized life have been intro
duced a settled form of government has been
established and trade and commerce have sprung
up to an extent which hardly could have been
expected in so remote part OF the world. In
fact, the ports of this group have been found to
constitute excellent stations for the large num-
Der of vessels employed by the Americans in the
whaling trade; and American merchants and
American missionaries have latterly exercised
so much influence over the native government
that every one must consider the acquisition ol
the Sandwich Islands by the United States O
most natural and convenient arrangement fol
both parties-the king being pensoned off, and
the group being admitted into the American Un'
ion as sovereign though trans-marine State
Louisiana, at the commencement of this centu
ry, was sold by France to the United States
the Sandwich Islands are now to be sold to the
! same power, by the native government; and we
must congratulate the Americans upon thei
honesty in paying pecuniary consideration
when they might easily have followed the pre-
cedent which was set by another nation in ref
erence to Tahiti, and have obtained them by the
same means. 1t may be asked, if the United
f States have long exercised paramount influence
in the Sandwich Islands, why should the cere
mony of annexation be gone through, and new
State be added to tho Union? This question
can only be answered by reference to the &c
ographical position Of these islands, midway be
tween California and China and Japan-coun
tries which have recently attracted so much 0
the spirit and enterprise of the people of the .
1 States.
: The great discoveries made in the Easter
3 and Pacific Oceans by Quiros, Mendana, Tas
t man and other foreign navigators, were compile
' ted by Captain Cook, and most were taken pos
4 session of by him in behalf Of the British Crown
( At the present time we have under our rul
Australia and New Zealand, ,and the benevolenc
, !, and piety of the people have sent missionarie
to almost every.island, but we have made n