The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-09-23

eign government with whom we have treaty, fol
its subjects.
ITO sum up all, the treaty recognizes an
open violation of our rights as an independent
sovereignty is partial in its operation exact
ing and unjust in its demands: a burden to the
industry and resources of a weak nation and a
disgrace to the Ministry of Kamehameha ".
Yet this is the document which, we are vaunt-
ingly told, after being s f. turned round and round
looked at inside and out" was ss unanimously
approved by the Privy Council. We say it with
shame and with sorrow, that this treaty will, ON
the sh Of September, 1859, be a Ac Of the land.
We are ashamed of our country that she has been
SO openly dishonored by her Ministry that she can
not appear as a consort in the list of independent
sovereignties. She will be looked at hereafter as
disgraeed by her Cabinet, and lowered from the
proud eminence to which benevolent England and
America have sought in vain to raise her. to the
level ola semi-civilized tribe or fourth-rate power.
In our review of the merits of this treaty we
have not referred to the Additional Article"
technically called an Z" Act Of Protestation, > as
it cannot vet be considered a part of the treaty.
This measure was forced, solely by public opin-
ion, on to the plenipotentiaries, who vainly en-
deavored to pass the treaty without qualification.
Whether the effect of its having been adopted will
be simply that of a subterfugc by which means
a ratification of the treaty itself should be effect
ed on our part, a few months will determine
Some of the Objectionable points are referred to in
that instrument, and are modified by it, but not
wholly done away with. 1t will make in truth
very little difference whether it is finally reject
ed or approved by the French Emperor. We
have good reason to believe it will be rejected by
him. If such be the case, the treaty must go into
force, without it, as it is signed. The French En-
peror signed it without qualification, our King
signed it with objections; and there the matter
must rest during the ten years the treaty is linn
tied to exist.
The treaty is now ratified and must go into
force in 1859. We have endeavored to show its
faults and ambiguity. Time alone can fully de-
velop its working. 1t may work smoothly, if an
honorable and just consul represents French in
terests. or it may he made an instrument of op-
preston to this nation, should one of a G. ntrary
disposition have the Interpretation of its articles.
In case of dispute, and we risk little in predict
ing that twelve months will not elapse from the
date of its enforcement before serious dispute will
have arisen in regard to its stipulations,-we see
no chance Tor settlement other than Dy tnat rule
which is too often brought TO bear on feeble gov
ernments, and of which Tahiti and Pomare are
lasting monuments, that : might makes right"
In vain will it be to talk then of the sympathy
and power of England or America. They will
only point the finger of scorn TO us and tell us that
we willingly employed a Ministry who have
brought ON us all this evil, when fully warned
against it.
And here we leave this treaty. Though de-
signed to be a sslaurel wreath" to bind the brow
of a gallant statesman-a capstone to crown the
pinnacle of hawaiian diplomacy, it will only re-
main and be viewed as a monument Of diplomatic
folly, pointing out to succeeding generations the
day when the glory of Hawaii departed, when a
poor and feeble government, slowly advancing in
science and the arts of industry, was
in its youthful career by burdens and re-
which she could not bear, imposed on
her by a Ministry unanimously condemned by
public opinion.