The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-12-30

airh Mr.. Seward. then Secretary Of State, be e-
pressed a favorable opinion Of the principles Of the
Treaty Of Reciprocity, but he said that during the
war, FOR ii was at s. most critical period Of the civil
war. he could not make 4 Treaty, without exceptional
provisions made necessary by the state Of war, and
therefore the negotiation had better be postponed till
the country was at peace, when be would enter upon
it. In this opinion l fully concurred-
Subsequently, Mr.. Harris negotiated q Treaty,
which he advocated with ability, and to which he
gave his personal attention during one session OF
Of the Interior was the next Minister appointed, aud
he rendered able support TO the same Treaty for
another session, without being able 10 bring the
question to an issue. This was diseouraging but
the King and the majority Of bis Cabinet were re-
solved to have q decision on the Treaty if possible.
There were some differences in the Cabinet on what
perhaps might be termed international questions,
which had an adverse influence on the treaty at
Washington. His Majesty expressed 70 me q desire
to have q decision on this treaty, He thought il
due TO the dignity of his Government. and accepted
the mission, although I regarded il as a forlorn hope
after the able advocacy Of the treaty by Mr.. Harris
and Mr.. Smith. I found strong opposition in the
Senate as well as very efficient support But as IN
1867, there was a collateral question which operated
against it. I refer 70 the treaty for the acquisition
of the Dominican portion of the Island OF St Do
mingo.~ This question aroused great bitterness OF
debate on the part Of some of the advocates of the
Hawaiian Treaty against the administration, and as
the Hawaiian Treaty was negotiated by a previous
administration, 1t failed to have that influential sup
port which the present had. A gentleman in the
Executive Department Of the Government said to me
a Z inc limo mat II IN tl5n@u PUT u ~ NaiSAh ~
zeal had been exerted in behalf of the Hawaiian
Treaty as had been against the ST. Domingo Treaty,
it would have passed. 1t failed of a two-thirds vote.
l refer to the history of the several efforts to secure
a treaty Of reciprocity, TO show tcyou that a decision
had never been made on its merits, but was defeated,
as | believe, on collateral issues, which ought not to
have had any influence on the decision of the ques-
ton, and would not have, if another treaty could be
made and submitted to the judgment of the Senate
on its merits, pure and simple. Hence my faith
never faltered in its ultimate success.
After this defeat in 1870, very little expectation was
entertained by the Government or people, that 4
treaty could ever be obtained, and the question re-
manned in allegiance till 1872, when an unsuccessful
effort was made to effect a negotiation here. In the fall
of 1873 1 had occasion to visit the United States on nv
own personal affairs 1 was detained till the following
February, and believing, as L did, that the question
of a reciprocity treaty had never been settled on its
merits. and having an abiding faith in its ultimate
success, 1 made a special visit to Washington to have
an interview with the Secretary of State. l stated to
His Excellency that L had no instructions to nego-
tiate u treaty, but l should like to know his views on
the subject of opening a negotiation, if His Majesty
the King should send a mission to the United States
for that purpose. After some conversation on the
question, he said am in favor of treaties of reci-
procity with our neighbors, and l regard the Sand
wich Islands as one of them."
On my return 1 reported to His Majesty and His
Cabinet the interview which L had with the Seere-
tary of State, and advising strongly that another
effort be made, and His Majesty and Cabinet very
cordially acquiesced in this opinion. His Majesty
gave me the appointment of Minister, and the pre-
sent Minister of Foreign Afsirs-Mr. Carter-that
of Commissioner.
In pursuance OF this appointment we repaired TO
Washington and entered upon the negotiation. Soon
after which, His Majesty tho King most fortunately
arrived in Washington, on a visit to the President,
agreeably to his very cordial invitation The recep-
ton of His Majesty was in accordance with his royal
rank, and the impression which was made by His
Majesty on the minds of the public men of the coun-
try was in the highest degree honorable to him
and favorable to the formation of more intimate re-
lations with the country. His Majesty visited seve-
raj States of the Union, and was everywhere received
with the same honor and cordiality, as he had been
at the Capital. His acquaintance with the President
and the public men of the country, as well as with
many of the people, att. acted attention to the his
tory of the Islands, and their present condition, all
of which was favorable to subsequent negotiations.
Soon after His Majesty's departure from the Capt.
tai, we renewed the negotiation with the Secretary
of State, and q treaty was agreed upon and signed,
and the same was submitted to the Senate by the
President for approval. We made every possible
effort to have it acted upon promptly but without
success, and Congress adorned without action.
The President called an extra session of the Senate
when the treaty was considered, and after some
amendments was approved. You may we'll imagine
the labor Of my colleague and myself in making
known to so many Senators the merits of the treaty,
and in this service l had the very able co-opera-
ton of my colleague as well as in every other duty of
the mission. Our regret was that the House was
not in session, so that immediate action could be had
on the Act to carry the treaty into effect.
I returned and resumed my judicial duties, and re-
NAMED till the next November, when, at the request
of the Government, L returned to Washington and
resumed the duties of my mission. At the time it
was thought that the opposition to the treaty would
not be renewed with much vigor, as the Senate had
approved of the treaty by a large vote of 81 to IL.
Congress convened on the first Monday in Deem
Der, but the Committees were not appointed till the
goth, when a bill was introduced to carry the treaty
into effect, and referred to the Committee of Ways
and Means. No business was done till after the holt
days. This bill was submitted to a subcommittee,
consisting of Messrs.4 Wood, of New York, Hill. Of
Georgia, and Burchard, of Illinois. They requested
me to appear and present my views on the general
subject of the treaty. which L was very happy to do.
There were strong efforts made to defeat a favorable
report, which after some delay was madeszac-
| cOmDanieu by q minority report by four mem bGrs of
the Committee, who were among the ablest and
most influential members of the House. The 'oppo-
sition became very formidable. The House consisted
of two hundred and ninetY-two members. and the
great majority were new members, and there was a
large majority in opposition to the administration
which had made the treaty.
A debate of great interest was had upon the
question at different periods of the session. L think
there were twenty-one speeches made in all, many OF
them very able and carefully prepared. The act en-
countered unusual delay on accout of an accumula-
ton of business, some of which was of unusual cha
racter, which had priority, as q matter of privilege,
or of necessity, like appropriation bills.
The treaty was assailed as injuriously affecting the
treasury that it was a job for the benefit of planters
and rehners, that 1t was injurious to the markets OF
sugar and rice, raised in the Southern States of the
Union and the infamous charge that money had
been sent to the Capital from the coast to make an
improper influence favorable to the treaty. Charges
were also made on our system of labor, all of which
were successfully repealed. This measure was car
ried purely on its merits, but 1t required constant
watchfulness to protect the treaty from hostile at
tacks.
At length the sth of May was assigned when the
last debate should be had on the bill, and a vote
taken. A speech was made by Mr.. Tucker, of Vir-
ginia, a very able and eloquent speaker, and also by
Governor Thomas of Maryland, a very able debater
in the opposition, and replies were made by General
Banks, of Massachusetts,, and MIR. Wood, of New
York, which we're effective and eloquent. Great in
terest was taken in the vote, which resulted in 116
yeas, and 10I nays.
1t was then considered that when the House had
passed the necessary laws to carry the treaty into
effect. which the Senate had approved by a very
large majority, that further opposition would not be
be made. But in this [ was disappointed, for il Il
very few days, Committees from the Chambers of
Commerce of New Orleans, Savannah, and Charles
ton, appeared before the Committee of Foreign Affairs
in the Senate, and made a very energetic o pposition
to the treaty. They took the ground that the people