The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-08-09


To The Editor Of The Pacific Commercial ADVERTISE:
Sm:-I have read with sorrow and surprise
much that has appeared in the columns Of news
papers during the last few months and to n stran-
ger it would seem that there is scarcely a hand la
he held mp against the proposal TO ALLEVIATE u part
OF this land If any nation can be found /" generous
enough 10 pay for H. But | am glad 10 know that
there are some here who will never consent TO en-
dorse such a proposal and. much as | dislike tab
ing part in newspaper discussion. ! feel that this
is n time when every true friend OF Hawaii should
be ready to speak n word for what be- believes Ia
be her good.
One writer in your own columns, whilst admit.
ting that the opponents of the measure are not to
be despised nor regarded with contempt, is yet
shocked at the unscrupulousness " they have 30
clearly shown. Sir, We can bear this tnunt and
leave to others the happy consciousness of having
without one faltering step done their best to VIC
late the hospitality which has sheltered them but
too well.
The great points to be attained, as [ understand.
are these:
]. A higher price for sugar, and viii. IT, II yon
will, general prosperity.
2. a guarantee of Hawaiian independence.
If Hawaiian independence were at stake. /
would say God help its defendcrsl But there is no
danger threatening the national independence.
The great nation, whose name is az | think 50 un.
justly mixed up in this question. is too great and
too noble TO ask poor Hawaii fer one pearl out of
her little coronet. No, the danger and the threat
are not from abroad. Hawaii may truly say " IL
was not an enemy that reproachcd me then |
could have borne IL neither was IL he that hated
me, then | would have hid myself from him. But
it was thou. a man mine equal, my guide and mine
acquaintance"
| believe, sir, that the point OF independence IL
introduced TO aid the real reason, for no one would
seriously argue that Hawaiian independence ex-
isted one day after the basis of its formal recogni-
ton by the three powers had been destroyed. one
Of the truest utterances | have read on this subject
is from the pen of the Hawaiian Consul General in
London, and / commend 1t 20 the study of some
who know Hawaii better, and who ought not to
love her less.
One future for Hawaii ! deprecate, the allowing
those central islands to exist under the protecto-
rate of a single nation. To 1--we under protection
is neither safe nor respectable-witness Tahiti.
thoroughly agree with the French maxim that a
door should either be shut or be quite open. Bet
ter Annexation than Protection. Better than
either that the little ocean constellation should be-
free, independent, self-governed opening its ports
with an equal hospitality TO all peoples L" a cyno-
sure of neighboring (aHd distant) eyes"
] am therefore forced to the belief that the point
to be attained is
A higher price for sugar, and with il, rs is az.
serted. general prosperity. / do not stop to ask
whether this will be attained, but | do ask If this il
all?
After our years Of missions and civilization are
we to bow thus before the god of wealth? Is this
what a Hawaiian is TO learn of patriotism? After
3G years of missionary residence n writer speaking
in tue name of his brother missionaries says :" They
went out TO labor for the Characterization and civil
ization OF the people. They naturally thought
such a step would be followed by an influx of
border population, whose influence would be detri-
mental to their work but the condition OF things
has changed. The certainty Of the extinction Of
the Hawaiian race at an early day has become 10
their minds a fixed fact and to no other country
do they desire a union. but TO the United States.
the land they most love"
TrHly the condition Of things has changed, when
such a statement can go uncballenged by any Of
those in whose names it was written, and must II
not have taken some Of the heart out Of our seryi-
ces on the 18th Of July to think that the men we
prayed for were so lost to all hope? that even those
from whom they had learned their very language
had no better word of comfort than the fixed
fac" Of their coming destruction?
What about the influx Of border population.
with its detrimental influence on Christian work.
now? What about the constant influence Of naval
forces, lodged within an hours ride Of our city,
upon the city's morals-an influence which all good
men in other countries dread, and which taxes so
f~earfully the morality, in contributing TO the /" gen
eral prosperity F" of the nation!
If men say TO me on this subject why do you
oppose what would make you richer and improve
your prospects," / feel disposed to answer az
Paul did to Demetrius, thy money perish with
thee :" 1t is enough for me that the instincts God
gave me He gave also to the the Hawaiians, and
that chiefs and people tremble as they listen to
those who would teach them to " eat and drink, for
tomorrow they die" Numbers, influence, success
may be against us, but, sir, Of one thing / am de-
termined it shall never be said that i had any
hand in tearing from the Hawaiian brow one leaf
of the wreath / love to see there. Those who hope
to reap the reward must do the deed l want to
share in neither.
There have been many attempts to quote paral-
lei cases but, sir, / believe there is no parallel.
The cession of the Ionian Islands to Greece may be-
come a parallel, but that will be when the United
States in her generosity and sympathy shall hand
back to poor Hawaii the useless, barren, unsightly
waste of water that is yet part of Hawaii's home.
Let us remember, sir, that small as is the sphere
in which we can act, the record Of our acts Will
live when we and all the golden prosperity with
which we would bribe our brothers TO partition
their land shall have persisted.
Thanking YOU for the fairness with which you
have afforded me a hearing, | am, Sir, &c,
WAIALUA