The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-10-24

but l object entirely to The proceeding Of my Houora-
Die trerd, who, a. an independent member, has re-
lentleshly determined that We shall ourselves become
sharers n the responsibility Of the Government-nAy
more, that We shall direct them rs 10 their course,
even withou: their own sanction. CHear, hear.)"
After abiding to the question which would
arise with the United States, and after his expert
ence Of the difficulty of settling matters with that
country, he was not attracted by the vision of
another controversy; and to the matter of slavery
in FIJI, he closed by saying
There ought TO be the most careful and deliberate
examination Of this subject by the Government Of the
country on their responsibility. | say that the en-
ba-rrassnents Of the white planters, and the confusion
Of the native Government, are not reasons why We
should commit the British nation 10 engagements
that are not well defined. and with respect 70 which
We do not see the way CT working them out. 1 own
that I see q phantom stalking across the floor Of the
House Of Commons; / see increased estimates, decia-
ratiOns Of war, transmission Of troops, and other IN
pleasant futuriues; and as we cannot issue a COM
mission De lunatco inquirendo against the Hon. mem
Der for Lambeth IL that phantom should become q
reality, | must urge the resistance Of prudence to the
decisions Of my Hon. friend, and decline TO utter
what would be a gross untruth If / proclaimed my
self an approVer Of the annexation Of the FIJI Isl
ands. (Cheers-)'
But Mr. Lowther, on behalf Of the Ministry,
declared that 1" the responsibility Of annexing the
FIJI Islands rested with Her Majesty's Govern
Mtubs anu no pDILlOn OF IL must De lalu ON lnC
shoulders Of the House Of Commons" Doubt
less among other considerations which have
weighed with British Statesmen, is the fact that
the British possession of FIJI would in the event
Of the independence of Australia-which is a
possibility Of the future-furnish a counterpoise
10 the French possession of Tahiti and New Gale
donia, and the American foothold in Samoa. In
the complicated condition of affairs to which FIJI
has been brought by 'white adventurers,'' it
appeared inevitable that il must pass under the
dominion of q foreign power, and it might become
in the highest degree embarrassing to British in
terests in the South Pacific if that foreign power
should be any other than their own. So Sir Her
cules Robinson was sent by the Home Government
from Sydney to Levuka, empowered to accept an
'unconditional surrender" of the Sovereignty,
which he did, with scant ceremony, on the Both
of September, and thus,-exi King Thakombau.
Under all the circumstances, it would appear
that the British Government had scarcely any
alternative in this matter. Had they refused the
profFered cession, anarchy and bloodshed would
have followed in the islands before long, and
armed Intervention would have become necessary.
AS it is, the native race, though thus donation
allied and Of course to be pushed to the wall by
the ruling race, will be under British law, albeit
- severely administered, - and will have a better
chance to live and prosper than if left to them
selves or TO the tender mercies of the aforesaid
- white adventurers.' So that, however, much
we might regret this early snufing out of the
brief taper of Fjian independence, with which,
patterned as it was attempted to be after our
own, we strongly sympathized, yet our sentiment
must give place to considerations of sound policy
and the best interests of humanity.
The question arises herein what way, if at
all, will the annexation by Great Britain of the
important FIJI group affect the interests of Hawaii
nei? We cannot doubt but that primarily, this
event will have a moral influence, and one that
must operate to our advantage. 1t will enhance
in some degree our Importance, as being the only
independent civilized native government in the
Pacific Ocean, and whatever tends to assure for
us that position must add to the consideration in
which we desire to be held by the great powers.
The next and succeeding mails from the United
States will inform us as to how the news of this
new acquisition to the Empire of Britain is
received in that country. But, coming as it does,
almost simultaneously with Hawaii's request for
closer commercial relations with her nearest
neighbor, its effect should be to ensure us at least
a fair hearing.