The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-05-31

UNDER the head of :. Hawaiian Politics, - the
Gazette of this week by making a leader out of
a purely sensational story in a late California
paper, gives it an air of Importance that by no
means belongs to it. The whole affair is clearly
and Enthusiastically a newspaper can0rd, and was
so considered by the Alta itself, as is sufficiently
shown by the fact that it is not editorially men
toned by that journal. In its news columns OH
the 18th inst, under a flaming heading of "An-
nexatiOn,' it announced the receipt of an inn
poItant diplomatic fact, discovered by an alta
correspondent to the effect that a special COM
missioner, one Col. \. b. Steinburger, had been
sent out by the American Government and was
now on his way to these islands to a" feel the
pulse" on the subject of annexation to the
United States, and to report thereon to his Gov
eminent. 1t was further stated that the commits
sioner had full authority to use for his mission
any war vessel on the Pacific Coast, which may
be available and suitable for the purpose. The
day following that on which this story appeared
in the Ala, another paragraph appeared in its
news columns, to the effect that Il reporter had
3 interviewed " Col. Steinburger, who was stay
ing at the Grand Hotel, and who declared him
self '' astOuished y to find that the correspondent
of the Alta was able to learn anything about his
movements, as he thought that no one outside of
the Cabinet had any knowledge of his mission.
That he was bound to the Navigator Islands on a
mission for the United States, in accordance with
written instructions, stopping a month on the
way at these islands, respecting which however,
he had no written Instructions. The account of
the interview well illustrates the rcportorial art,
for while the Colonel evidently contradlcted all
the principal points of the story as previously
told, he is made to appear not to have done so,
and to have been very much astonished that the
Alas correspondent was as deep in Cabinet
secrets as himself
1t will be remembered that during the visit of
the L.. :. 5. NarraganSett at the Navigator ISL
ands last year, the chiefs prepared and sent to
Washington an offer of n cession of the sovcr-
eighty to the United States. Nothing in reply to
that offer has ever trauspired, and later accounts
from the islands represent the people as anxiously
awaiting the action of the American Government
thereon. The commissioner above mentioned is
undoubtedly charged with the duty OF ascertain
ing and reporting TO the Cabinet of President
Grant as to the desirability and feasibility Of the
acquisition of the Navigator group.
The Gazette says, IS The facts are these " and
luci SOGo VII - clttt lAiul NOl- CSGlilDuIHeI VIII
probably p" do this and 1" perhaps" do that,
and " report his observations in relation to Pearl
HarbOr,' and include Midway Island so that
the American Government, in whatever treaty it
may make, will act knowingly" The Go@ate's
facts are all surmises, and sufficiently absurd
ones, at that. What observations in regard to
Pearl IIarbor could the proposed commissioner
make in the month he is to remain here that
escaped the observation of Generals Schofeld and
Alexander and Admiral Pennock, during their
heightened stay? Or what could he find out
about Midway Island that the SggiRa10's people
did not learn to their sorrow? As to 50 feeling
the Sandwich Islands pulse on the subject of an
nexation,'' the three high officials just named
had ample opportunity to become cognizant of
the truth that, 10 say the least, it does not beat
very high in that direction. And in view of the
well-known and often reiterated fact that the
Hawaiians themselves have never expressed a de-
sire to abandon their national independence, it is
a very cool operation Of American newspapers to
persist in representing them as ripe for annex
alton"
Whenever the american Government sends a