The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-06-09
correspondence pac. Commercial Advertiser.
The French Treaty.

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Mr.. EDITOR In the last number of your salua-
bic paper | read certain representations made to thu
world regarding a document bearing the signature Of
two Sovereigns. You have often made similar repre-
sentations; but over Jealous in your duty, or over
partial in your likings and your dislikings, you
allow yourself to lose sight Of the true side of the
question. and strike at random. right and left. and
all in consequence of your having mistakenly sup
posed that you had given to the subject o fair and
impartial consideration.
l now invite you to a really fair and impartial con-
sideration of the treaty-the first fruit of seven years
connection between the Plenipotentiaries of the two
high contracting parties. Let US look at it article by
article, taking :" Vattel on the Law of Nations and
the Hawaiian Laws and Constitution for our guides
to a correct conclusion. Let us see where the adj
vantage has been gained, and where the infringement
lies, and let US express our opinions on the subject
freely and honestly. For my own part 1 confess to
you that 1 have analysed this new convention with
no little care, and the more I have looked into it,
the more l have been surprised at the expressions
which you have made use of iii regard to it. More
than that, l am surprised that a practiced -diplo.
matist, after seven years of painful exertion-his time
and his faculties having nothing but this same treaty
to occupy them-should have secured for his Govern
ment, after all, nothing more substantial than an
impossibility in one section, and an improbability in
another. I allude to the French.language being put,
even so far as appearances 60, upon a footing with
the English, and to the supposition that any one of
the six Frenchmen who live in Hawaii and who are
likely to have any property to leave, (for-I exclude
the Priests,) will die i~ntestate. Such a thing might
indeed happen, but I am inclined to think that the
Commissioner of France will only exercise the privi-
lege of putting his oficialseal on the property of
those Frenchmen deceased ho had no property to
beqneath.
ARTS. l and 2. Forty-one lines form the two first
articles of the Notwithstanding on the French side
what That which is, and always has been, ac--
corded by this government to every citizen of every
nation. Can you discover more.
ART. 8. Is imperative on the point that a French
man may put in a document in French, if he is self.
sacrificing enough to do so for the honor of his coun-
try, and that translated documents shall sometimes
bear the revision and certifcation of the French
Consul. What harm in that!
ART. 4. What is demanded here. That which, as
in the two first articles. has been ever granted to cit
liens CT all nations by the laws and constitution of
the country. The courts of justice are, and always
have been, open to all.
ART. 5. You, my dear Editor. as well as myself,
reside in the immediate neighborhood of churches of
our respective denominations. : Do you not hear the
bells in the early morning-noon of day-and close
of evening-calling their congregations to worship .
Where then is the necessity for the introduction of
this article!
ART. 6. Every one here enjoys the privilege of buy
ing and selling land according to his desire, property
being protected both by law and the constitution.
ART. Z. Which God forbid! The law of nations
and common humanity hold out protection to all
under such circumstances.
ARTS. 8 and 9. These give to the goods and vessels
of France and Hawaii, reciprocally, whatever is given
to other nations. and no more.
ART. 10. The liquor question-the great question. |
lou must be fully aware that for a long period past
the Hawaiian Ministers have seen the expedieDcy. |
and had in contemplation, the reduction of the Tariff
on spiriD and wine, and that while allowing the
French Consul the appearance of having gained a
point, they carried out a measure they themselves
had originated; proving themselves not quite so blind
as you gave them credit for being.
ART. IL. Nothing but what is granted to the most
favored nation.
ART. Il. Is OF no value, as the government has
opened several ports of entry in this archipelago.
where vessels OF every nation, without distinction.
'an land their cargoes and not be made liable to ex-
ira charges.
ART. IL. If in your power. be so kind as to inform
ne on what occasion the Hawaiian government has
interfered with the affairs of vessels coming here
n distress, or with their consuls or agents in the dis
charge of their duties. OF what use is this article
ART. IA. Your own judgment will tell you that
Article IA cannot stand long without an infringe
nent on the part of the French-not a single French
hip arriving. at or leaving this port, having more
han a quarter, or at very most half, of her crew
eOf so little importance is this article; that.
eft to itself, it will soon die a natural death.
ARTS. 10, l6, II, 16, 10. I throw down the eaunt-
ct to any man Of sound Judgment, in defiance of his
.oiiity to point out to me one instance in the above
rticles where the Hawaiian Ministers have sacrificed
ne dignity Of their Sovereign.
ART ~. Admitted that here the French Consul
aims q trifiing advantage, in case such and such a
hing should happen, but an advantage Of which NO
ne would be ~covetons.
ART. Il. 1t has always been the duty Of the French
'onsul, since the establishment of the French Con-
ulate at these islands. to charge himself with N.
Internal order on board vessels u his nation. On tbi,
ONT he gains nothing. as it has always been admitted
y this government as recognized by the Law Of
Iations.
ART. -. Deserters have always been apprehendea
2 this goseenment. On due claim being msds by the
This article, therefore. i but anothsr %nulisy
Ann q. n. rs. "a No privileges are here :,
orded to tAe French nation dove those ersntsd Isl
fhess rnSfks w,nt ne rossnd;&v S