The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-11-26
The Common sense view orIt.


Locking a. what We believed to be the true
Interests Of this cooa,ry, We have earnestly ad'
voeaied The proposed Treaty Of Reciprocity with
tbe United States. ard have deprecated the oP-
position which has been raised to il on account
Of the concession Of Pearl River Tor naval sta
tioa. and have recommended that Judgment
against it be suspended until it was known
WHISTLER the Uoited States Government declined
to entertain the subject or not, when it could
with more piopriety have been laid before the
country. or dropped altogether. But now that
! the bitter hostility aud Misrepresentation OF u
few partizaus against the administration, have
been successful in operating on the minds Of
chiefs aod natives 10 such degree as 70 compel
ii to abandon the policy which it had adopted,
common sense and common honesty indicate that
all further negotiations should be suspended. No
oos could desire to see 50 important measure
carried into elect, against the sIrOug opposition
OF even a minority. nor DO We think that The
United States would wish to see it accomplished
under any such circumstances. Unaninity in
such case is il possible mos; desirable.
A renewal Of reciprocity negotiations was
talked Of during the last year Of the late Kings
reign, bat nothing was done, until the accession
Of his present Majesty, which seemed to offer
favorable opportunity. Early after General Scho-
fields visit in January, the subject was brought
forward. and the fact that all previous efforts had
only resulted 10 failure, % account Of its not be-
ing reciprocal measure, it was suggested that
Pearl Harbor, entirely useless to Us, might help
TO secure the treaty. Before the Government
had considered the measure. Mr.. Phillips uttered
4 viOleat blast against the proposition, which be
called annexation 10 disguise, and avowed himself
10 favor OF open annexation. This alarmed and
excited the native population 10 DO good purpose.
The foreign element, led by the Chamber OF
Commerce. spurred the government to adopt
without delay, some measure which would lead to
reciprocity treaty, even if it went SO far as to
embrace the cessiou Of Pearl River. In July,
this proposal was formally made to the American
Minister, and every one will remember the feel /
ings Of satisfactiOOIwhich prevailed on its pebble
Nearly five months have since elapsed, during /
which public meetings have denounced the pro-
posed measure Of the government, and money is
said to have been freely contributed by govern
ment officers for the avowed purpose of defeating
the administration. Native sentiment and pre-
iudiee has under such violent stimulus, been fully
developed against what natives have been led to /
believe would result ia entire alienation of their
and rendition 10 a state Of serfdom /
So active and so diligent were the opponents in
seeking to prejudice the minds of the common
people
During all this i've months, there has been no
public endorsement of the ministerial action, al
though every one mast have known that, after
he country was enlisted against it, legislative
approval could not honestly be obtained The
act is, 10 one has risked or invested anything
Dat talk on Pearl Harbor. Those in favor Of the
MEASURE were unwilling to risk their popularity
y calling or otherwise aiding in public meetings
o support it, or else they regarded its pubic ad-
-ocacy as hopeless. And now there are not
wanting some who are fierce to denOunce the
ministry. when they might at least have made an
fort to support them, and obtain public endorse
nent Is it not folly, nay. wrong. to continue
regulations for measure which has not brought
u; the hearty cooperation of its professed
riends