The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-12-07


opia stretched forth her hands unto God As
our country has become 20 deeply involved in the
SIN # African slavery, l deem the facts 70 which
! have alluded, not unworthy of recognition on
this day Of national Thanksgiving.
! speak the honest conviction of my heart,
when asserting my belief that America mas vet
a noble work 70 perform in the history OF a
worlds redemption. Whoever listens 10 = the
footsteps Of Providence along the line of centu-
rics = will learn that during the last two hundred
and fifty years, there has been gradually maturing
a nation in America, now stretching from the
lakes 10 the gulf, and from the Atlantic 70 the
Pacific. which Is 10 WELD an influence not only I'm
political, civil and commercial affairs, but also In
those Of religion and the Bible, second 10 no
other on the globe. Our country speaks out in
the Annual Meeting of the American Board of
Foreign Missions, indicating that she is following
the lead Of Apocalyptic Angel having the ever
lasting Gospel to preach among the nations OF the
earth.
HAWAIIAN INDEPENDENCE.
Let Us bear in mind that this is not only the
day for celebrating our American National
Thanksgiving, but also, that of Hawaiian indie
pendence. Twenty-nine years ago to-day, in the
City of London, Eng, the Hawaiian Commits
sioners-Messrs Richards and Haalilio, obtained
n joint declaration TO the effect. that the Queen of
England and the King of the French would recip-
rocafly acknowledge the Sandwich Islands as an
Independent State, and that neither England or
France would ever take possession Of any part of
these Islands Z" under the force of a Protectorate
or any other form" This was an important con-
cession ON the part of those Governments when
both were sending their fleets into this ocean to
take possession of islands and groups Of islands
in a manner not altogether creditable TO great and
enlightened nations. L need only allude to the
seizure of the Marquesas. Tahiti and Caledonia
by the French and New Zealand by the English.
] need only refer TO what France threatened to do
at these Islands and what England refused TO ac-
knowledge as having been done by Lord George
Paulet. We ought to be thankful to-day that the
Hawaiian Islands unquestiOnably secured their
final independence in good part through the
sharp jealousy Of those two great nations. We
would honor those nations, so far rs their Govern
ments and Rulers merit our commentator, but
let it not be forgotten in speaking of Hawaiian
Independence, that IN our humble opinion, the
3lst of December would have been fully as APP
propriate a day for celebrating Hawaiian indie
pendence as the 18th of November, because it
was on the 31st of December, 1912, that the
President of the United States TRANSMITTED to
Congress a message fully recognizing this King
dom as independent. Mr.. Tyler was then Presi-
dent, and Daniel Webster Secretary of State.
The United States, acting in conformity with this
declaration, appointed on the 3rd of March,
l843, George Brown, Esq, Commissioner to these
Islands with diplomatic powers, thus America
antedates her declaration eleven months prior to
that of Great Britain and France. 1t should also
be remembered that the United States Government
was the first of the Great Nations to negotiate a
treaty with this people. Considering the efforts
of American Missionaries and merchants before
and since these events to build up and perpetuate
this Kingdom, might not every Hawaiian, from
the King to his humblest subject, echo the senti-
ment of Livingstone in the heart of Africa g
can trust Americans, for they are good and gen.
erous friends" 1t is a singular and noteworthy
fact recorded in letters bold and uneffaceable on
the page of history while two great and monarch
r 49, II
native Kings and chiefs of Polynesia and under
mined their governments, that Americans and
their Government, known as Republican and
Democratic, have uniformly sustained and upheld
the Kingly or Monarchical Government Of these
Islands. This is a most remarkable anomaly in
the history of nations and no one can but say
that it is highly creditable to Americans with all
their Republican or Democratic principles, ten
denotes and prejudices, that they should have
uniformity and persistently upheld the Kingly
form of Government on the awaiian Islands.
Under the circumstances they regarded the old
form of Government as the best for this people
and all those who came hither to cast in their lot
among them. 1t is also a most noteworthy fact
that Uawaiians, Americans, and the subjects of
other nationalities, have all dwelt in peace to-
gether under the mild reign of the Kamehamehas.
There may have been temporary alterations and
differences, but no collisions resulting in open
war and bloodshed during the last seventy years.
1t is not now my object TO enquire for the causes
of this long reign of peace among various races
cast together on Hawaiian shores, but the historic
fact is most significant and calls for devOut Thanks
giving on this day of American Thanksgiving
and Hawaiian Independence. All born on these
Islands, all coming hither from other lands to
reside permanently or temporarily among this
people, may join in the sentiment of the Psalmist
David, surely the lines have fallen unto us in
pleasant places, yea, we have a goodly heritage,
Tor all of which let us 3 offer unto God Thanks
giving"