The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-03-25
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY. MARCH o,

IN our exchanges brought by the late mails, we
find numerous articles relating to the French de-
signs at these islands, some of which are quite ex-
aggerated. In the San Francisco Chronicle of
Feb. 6 appears the following:
THE FRENCH IN THE PAcIFIc.-sThe Echo du
PacJfque, in speaking of the rumors relating to the
proposed French Protectorate over the Sandwich
Islands, says that they came from the Atlantic States.
Here cur contemporary is mistaken, the rumor orig
Sandwich Islands Government Or. c. Wyllie, Minis
ter of Foreign Relations, we presume) to a friend in
England, and was there made public in the Liverpool
Times. That letter stated that Mr.. Perrin, the
French Commissioner, in accordance with the spirit
of French diplomacy in the Pacific, had for q long
time been engaged in endeavoring to frame a treaty
with the King of the Sandwich Islands, by the terms
of which those Islands were to be placed under the
protection of the French Government; a protection,
as we are well aware would be about the same as that
afforded by the wolf TO the lamb.
sComing from the source it did, and well aware
as we are of the policy pursued by the French Gov
eminent in its endeavors to obtain the control of the
Pacific, we are inclined TO believe that the rumor is
not without a good foundation. The Echo du Paci-
fque, which is said 10 be the organ of the French
Government, processes to be ignorant of any inten-
lions such as has been imputed to It's nation, and we
are led to ascribe such professions to the fact that at
the present stage of affairs it would not be policy for
it to say anything very positive on the subject. The
article closes substantially as follows: I'VE are igno-
rant Oh tue ueSlgns OF the french government IN
relation to the Sandwich Islands; but if it should be
thought necessary by those who preside over the
councils of France to establish a Protectorate over
those Islands, France will very probably do again as
it did when it established a Protectorate over Tahiti,
even at the risk of n war with England
"As we have before stated, England would not
probably stand quietly by and allow such a consum-
nation to take place, although she has not now per-
haps so great interests at the Islands as formerly,
and has other matters on her hands of far more inn
portance TO her. But the United States Government
the citizens of which have such vast interests at
the Islands, that would certainly be sacrificed i'm case
OF French Protection-could not, under any circum-
stances, allow of such a procedure. So far as our
national honor and the interests of our citizens are
concerned, our Government could allow the French
to establish a Protectorate over Washington Territory
with much more ~propriety than to allow it to carry
out its designs in relation to the Sandwich Islands"
The letter written from Honolulu, alluded to
in the above, appeared in our issue of the 4th
inst. The special pleading set up by the govern
ment organ in regard to the alleged authorship
of it, falls to the ground when it is ~emembere
that in reporting words or speeches, the custom
of English reporters is to use the first or third
person Unfortunately, and more generally the
third. Besides, the substance of the letters from
the islands appear only to be given and not the
entire letters. This accounts for the introduce
ton Of the third person, where otherwise it might
appear inconsistent.
A treaty with France has, we understand, been
recently signed. between the Hawaiian Minister
of Foreign Relations and the Commissions of
France. If the treaty has been thus signed it
has been done only with the consent of the King.
Its terms have not yet been publicly made known,
nor will they probably be until the meeting of
of the Legislature. They are, however, under
stood to be substantially the same as those of the
treaty framed three years ago. in which a reduc-
ton of the duty on brandy from SIS, as at pres
emit, to 50 is yielded, and alsoa reduction of duty
on wines. This reduction has been claimed by
France in all her negotiationson the treaty, while
it has been as stsadfastly opposed by this govern
ment, sustained by public opinion.
1t is impossible to say whether French policy
has any definite plan in regard to this kingdom
but we know this, that no one here believes that
that nation intends TO extend its I" Protectorate
over these islands. - The boast Of the Eho that
France would do again here, il she chose, what
she did at Tahiti, is raerely an idle boast. Il
England OF America ever consens to se the IN
dependence Of these isis nds blotted out, under this
pretext that they are iacarable Of ssf govern
ment, or on any other ground than that Of a vel
untary act on the part Of the king, they are uni
worthy ofthe proud Ell inence they claim.