The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-10-21

We insert the following communication
from San Francisco, received by the Montana.
The matter In dispute does not concern our
planters here, further than sympathy with
the American Company which has been the
purchaser of their produce. The sugars ex
the Idaho were delivered TO the Refinery Co j,
they giving bonds TO sustain their appeal 10
the Supreme Court The Government has
conceded the point that the sugars may Be
dGrkened. There are technicalities to be ar
gued before the Court, before their decision
will be given:
A curious phase in the case of the Idaho s
cargo of sugar, seized at San Francisco (be-
cause q 900 bags Of light sugar had been in
fentionally darkened), has come up. The
Sugar Company gave bonds TO the value of
the sugar, and took IL. Three appraisers
were appointed by the Q. S. Court TO value
the sugar, consisting of q sugar refiner, Il
merchant, and a broker. They appraised ii
at So duty paid, or so per b. in bond. 1t
was proven that If these Z, 900 bags Of sugar
had not been darkened at all, they would
have been worth ~ cents In bond in San
Francisco, for grocery use. On the 500. .0Oo
lbs thus darkened, there was loss wilfully
made, of s., go. OF course, this disposes of
the question of fraud; mercantile frauds are
prdetieed for profit this was deliberate loss
The files of printed contracts IN the Sugar
Company's Office afford the solution. The
Sugar Company contracts with the Hawaiian
planters for certain portions of their crops,
TO be made into refining sugars not exceed
ing IL 1S In color, and when any come out OF
mill over that color they are darkened 10
come below il, at planters expense. In con-
sideraiion of the planters furnishing part of
their crops al refining sugar prices, the Com
pany agrees not TO sell Hawaiian grocery su-
gars in this market, but to yield il 10 the
planters entirely, SO that they may get good
prices for those portions ofuheir crops which
are not made for the Company. In spite of
their efforts, odd lots of sugar made for the
Refinery come out the color of grocery
grades. We're the planters disposed to yio-
late their contracts, they could ship these
sugars, and sell them 10 grocers; but with
eminent good faith they send them to the
Company at 10 or Is per cent. less price, and
pay the expense Of degrading them TO the
contract color.
that honor which sacrifices profit TO keep
contracts inviolate. The quantities from
each planter are small, but the aggregate az
certain seasons, is of some considerable
amount. The Sugar Company, to assure the
planters of its good faith. consents that upon
every individual grain of light sugar delivered
the brand unsaleable TO grocers" shall be
stamped, while yet in tine place of its produc-
tion.
For two years these contracts, with the
clause for reducing the color of the grades
above No. u, have been in the hands of the
business men at the Islands, have been dis
cussed in meetings, commented upon in the
newspapers, and made so thoroughly public
that everybody has been aware of their con-
tents. They were as fully known TO the Con-
sular officers of the United States as to the
residents. 1t is the duty of these officers to
warn their fellow citizens against any infrac-
tion of the laws, which they may appear about
being betrayed into, whether through igno-
rance or misunderstanding of the same.
Can it be possible that any Consular Of
ticer would certify to the truth of invoices,
according to his knowledge and belief, when
at the same time he was possessed of facts
which, in his opinion, would make such a
certificate a fraud upon his own Government? /?