New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-11
THE HAWAIIAN TREATY POSTPONED,

We have seen that the ratification of
the treaty with the far king Of the Sand
wich Islands depended upon the passing
by the Senate of House bill admitting
the rice and sugar products Of the island
of Hawaii into the United States duty
free.
The House bill was on the first instant
reported back from the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations withou. amend
ment.
Mr.. Morrill,, Republican, moved the
reference Of the bill to the Committee on
Finance. Upon this proposition Mr..
Mitchell, Of Oregon, to whose constitu-
ents free sugar and rice may be supposed
desirable, objected to this reference, and
said in the course of his remarks:
The bill has been before 80 important
committee as the Committee on FOREIGN
Relations, and has been considered care
fully and at length, fully Investigated, and
is now reported from that committee DY
the chairman. It appears to me that it is
scarcely necessary to refer it to the Com
it is 80 late in the session tina. there will
be scarcely any probability that it vii!
be again reported to the Senate.
Mr.. Morrill,, no doubt, contemplated
the question whether the reciprocity
clause in this convention would subro-
gate other nations producing sugar and
rice to the benefit Of its provisions.
Louisiana may therefore expect respite,
during which she may address herself to
the inquiry whether this ssruinous tariff
upon foreign sugar and rice should be
continued or repealed. Attributing due
prudence to Mr.. Morrill, lest such
treaty may affect revenues of perhaps
twenty-four millions derived from du.
ties on sugar alone, we may, with
out disrespect, refer to another pos
sible cause Of postponemert. Lieutenant
Governor Antoine first called the atten-
ton of the Rspubli can Senate to this
great injustice which free sugar and rice
might indict upon the colored laborers
employed in the production Of these
articles, as well as to the premium which
their free admission might give to slave
and coolie grown sugars. This simple
and substantial suggestion first set the
Republican protectiouists to reflect In
dependent Of the injustice to any pro-
tected interest, it was seen that if the
colored people were abandoned to such
injurious competition the political effect
upon them in the impending canvass
might be very serious. The Democracy
would instantly charge the Republicans
with their abandonment, and thus the
whole colored representation, amounting
to ninety-four or ninety-six votes in Con-
gress, would be instantly authorized to
demand from the Republican party some
guanntee Of future faith. The passage
Of that treaty might cost the Republican
party the vote of Louisiana.
Such is specimen Of the value Of the
colored influence il Congress. It has, in
our opinion, checked the imprudent legis- |
lation Of the free trade Democracy in the |
lower house, and it may, when properly
render even greater services
to the Southern people. The fable tells |
US that greatful mouse may gnaw the |
tolls which bind the lion. It is thus
that the modest services of a colored |
representative man have relieved the
State of Louisianan from the meshes
Of treaty that bound her most |
vital resources. Let, then, the planters Of |
Louisiana render justice to the colored |
influence which has contributed to post
pone measure from which they appre-
hended such imminent injury. Let it
aot be forgotten that the arrest Of the
Hawaiian treaty and its consequences
las been due at least in part to the re-
nonstrance Of the colored laborers against
he repeal of this ''ruinous tariff" on
lave and coolie grown sugars of Asia and
America