The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-03-13
The Treaty

ultimate success. Tie friends To-: the Canadian
Treaty are working diligently l1r the passage OF
their treaty. being aided by a powerful - lobby ="
and other Influences. which viii doubtless be un-
der-tJoi hv some members ofthe recent Assembly.
The passage Of the Canadian Treaty viii be OF
some advantage 70 the friends of tie Hawaiian
Treaty. The Hon. Justin ;. Morrill, of Vermont,
in a speech against Reciprocity Treaties, delivered
in the Uuitci States Senate, January fourteenth.
uses the following language from the tenor OF
which it Is evident that de opposition are a little
timid OF tie senate. and would prefer 70 sc it in
tie hands OF the Representatives. where its doom
j. sealed. We confess that we have but little
faith ia the passage Of the Treaty. His Majesty's
Ministers NAV thank themselves for the defeat of
this very desirable measure.
Mr.. Morrill,. Of Vermont. Mr.. President, the res
buttons u the legislature Of the State Of Vermont, l
believe, only expires the opinions Of some OF the
rig,s; statesmen II the country IN times past and the
present scu;iments q the aErlculturists u nearly the
entire nation.
have sought the opportunity TO submit some re-
marks upon the reference II these resolutions Tor the
came reason that most likely induced the action Of the
LEGISLATURE q. Vermont. because Of . disposition
manifested ~ some 4uaricr>| nope II may he limit
ci-tc revive AL unfortunate example IN cur history
q negotiating more OF that class Of treaties, sometimes
callel reciprocity treaties, whereby cur foreign trade
j. o. b. regulated by the usual and accustomed laws
81 Cou.ry>s-lc.ieying Is / DO. that such treaties
are contrary 20 the practice Of the Government, con-
tTary e. tie Constitution. and contrary to the inter-
ests % the whole country. such a treaty, if made,
has 90 le uTst considered IL secret session Of the
senate. and the people at large have no light or
knowledge touching tie nature 81 the treaty itself.
nor u the ftcts or arguments which are supposed to
control the action Of the Senate. until that action be-
comes irgyyocablc, AM the only debate in public is
when the action of both Houses OF Congress happens
O. be required by the treaty 10 modify the revenue
laws according TO the terms proposed. At such a
L. .ur.H sH.s n-usv fuNr- boon ruafa l- ia. ~
ecutIye ami by the consent II the Senate, II i alto
g,ihcr too late 90 consider its merits exclusively, and
to the House only the poor privilege remains Of pairing
and Clipping tLe revenue laws, upon tine compulsory
argument u necessity, 10 make them conform to the
new treaty. The unbiased opinion Of the House is
out II tire question. IL has been fUrestallei. Upon
a subject where the House Of Representatives Is euti-
tlei 10 have tine initiative, or the paramount lead, It
j. forced 10 accept Of "a subordinate position and resign
some share Of the functions conferred 10y the Cousti-
tuition ia that provision % article one, section seven,
which declares that all bills for raising revenue
shall originate in the House OF Representatives,
Excluded here from the lead, the claims OF the House
grow fainter as II = showed into the background.
According To some parties, IL j an act Of grace to
submit an appropriation contained in "A treaty 10 the
consideration u tie House II all, on the ground that
a treaty j. . lUw ~ It's own NiEur, and the supreme
law, which brushes Cu- the vitality Of all other laws,
although IL would seem 10 he apparent that a treaty
cannot ice, and never could have been intended 10 be,
any more supreme than the constitution under which
~tr,.fiys are made, or than the acts Of Congress. The
supremacy intended scarcely rises above more than
Safe or local laws.
Il mus; Le conceded that these are subjects Of too
great Importance TO be disposed Of in a half hours
secret debate, whether III regard to our organic law
or - 20 the advantages or Disadvantages commercial
Is q any particular treaty had in view, and therefore
| venture To invoke the Judgment Of the Senate in
open session to the consideration Of the general merits
Of the questions involved.
l remember that the learned Senator now so prop
erly at the head IL the Committee on Foreign Aitirs,
IN earlier years, but when Lis voice in the country
was hardly less potential than it Is to-day, was a 70
bust defender Of the rights and privileges Of the
House III relation TO treaties, following in the Senate
then the lead % the present astute Secretary Of State,
and / hope he a. al men will not 20 back upon his
record. Let il not be sail now, when no longer liza
bic TO be charged with belonging 70 an unhealthy or
gIuizItion Of "a minority, but holding a commanding
position among thc majority, that that Is a sufficient
reason for IelGlustiug constitutional opinions clabo
rIte.y considered aud recorded. Liberals long re-
tliucl in high official stations in other countries often
Lcconc what j called conservative, but the Republic
can Senate Of the United States Is s~upposimg to be a
school not so favorable 90 the training Of that class of
statesmen, and the distinguished chairman most un-
promising material for such a training.
Such flvors as prom1tc national interests. cnlight-
ened by the liberal policy Of the age, are made by
general statute laws, not upon the application fsup-
plants, and are applied universally but such flvors
a. cannot lie open e. 20 wide an application are
entirely withheld from any narrower or more exclu-
field Of operations Once these fayors, secret
precious, were the brides Of offensive and defen-
ti4llilte., uui slcN 9liililcc= nave proved OtluuS.
II not Improbable, 10 al mankind. Once they were
terms extended or withheld by victors TO or from the
yauqui~heL. But now it must be either a nation
conscious q It's weakness and DESTROYS of leaning
upon q stronger and more opulent power for support,
or one sadly lacking spirit 10 stand toward all the
world in the attitude oiCrect and broad Independence.
which can st0up even to those exceptional arrange
Inents called reciprocity treaties, although they are in
point Of fact only reciprocal IN words and never re
iiproe1l in effects. 1
II has been family argued that such reciprocal
treaties would still leave 10 the House Of Representa-
the privilege Of originating revenue bills at its y
but tins does not rise TO the dignity Of a
sOphi-m. Il does not even wear the ap- /.
lelrance Of cauior. Il i 4 mockery. Whatever !
iriOr or subsequent legislative euactments there may l.
Jc, a treaty, being according 20 executive interpreta-
ion always the supreme law Of the land, overrides
hem. and wherever such euactments come in con-
iict with q treaty they are practical utilities, as has
proved, AMI viii be 50 long - the Executive Is .
he s.le arbiter Of the question. The House may fling Y
= net for revenue AMI toll all night, but they viii II
atch nothing. When tie revenue has been seQucs-
by force of treaty stipulatious for the benefit of
Drciguers the House win find itself in the old attitude 4
{ ben. forced 10 make brick without straw. The I
reieuse that such a try-ty l. not an invasion Of the
ights ii the House, ii seems to me, adds 10 the injury
contempt for the intelligence and s~ensibiity Of that &
II the tariff : too high let it be reduced if too low
Z IL De increased but solely with reference to the
'elilre Of our own people, and IN a manner that viii
% c~pmpliclte our engagements with all foreign ma
uus. by opening the dor 20 the wool Of Canada
e leave the door aiar as 70 the wool Of Buenos Co
yre- and If the low grlies Of Hawaiian sugars he
limited the better grades Of Cuba cannot be resisted
r.. If they can be, then the Executive and the Senate
III have become the architects OF 4 mCttlel tariff
here and black there, and riug-streakei every
Bran, Cats. Wheat,
list + PER Rank COMET -