The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-03-25
National Honor.

The honor of a great nation is now inn
p%erilled by some of her NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
and Representatives of the United States
are proposing in their Congress a gross
violation of national good faith. They pro-
pose TO abrogate an international compact,
when no violation of treaty stipulation can
be shown and without any regard for the
rights and wishes of the other contracting
party. The discussion in Congress now
reported to us, looks only to policy, and is
utterly regardless of honor. And yet it ig-
nores the policy of the Congress that
prompted the ratification of the treaty.
The House Committee of Ways and Means
of the Congress of 1876, of which Hon.
Fernando Wood was Chairman, declared
the following opinion in its report
" But supposing that there were no re-
cipTOcity of commerce i'm this treaty, that
the commercial advantages were largely
against us, and that we were to lose 800
600, and much more per annum, yet there
are political reasons of sufficient magnitude
to warrant us to make il. We should OH
slider it as u question comprehending in
terests beyond the mere free exchange of
the articles enumerated in the schedules"
And are not those interests, which are
" beyond the mere free exchange of articles
far more apparent and weighty at this day,
than in 1876? Surely they are, when Il Secre-
tary of State, Blaine, declares to the world,
that this kingdom falls Within the scope of
American continental policy, aid must not
undertake to pursue a course in contTaven-
ton Of hat policy. And the views enter
tanned by Congress I'm 1876 are more sig
n~ificant in 1852. The statesman who de
termined the ratification of the tre7ty then
said d. When we take into consideration
not only the present, but the prospective
commerce of the Pacific it cannot be dis
puted that it is of much greater advantage
to us, than to the other party To- the treaty
And yet we are sorry to say, that after al
these well-cOnsidered views in the tOTma'
ton of a national compact, there ar, mel
to be found in the American Congress, who
affected by Il newspaper cutlery, or influ'
enced by a lobby, propose the abrogatior
of a solemn treaty without the consenr
ola cosignatory party. The notable dis
honor of the proposition consists in thu
fact that Representatives. of a nation o
fifty millions, propose this action toward
a nation of sixty thousand. After Il treaty
has been made in accordance with the re
quirements of the constitution of the Unite,
States, the House OF Representatives of tn,
American Congress, cannot with any show
OF honest or decency, repudiate the obliga
ions assumed. As we'll might the Presi
dent OF the United States refuse to enforce
a law he does not like.
But we feel assured that the Presiden
and the true statesmen of the United States
who study an international question thor
oughIy in all its import and bearing, will
not for one moment allow the buncOmbe, o
discussion in Congress for p%artizan effect
have any weight in the consideration of tn,
Hawaiian Reciprocity Treaty. We ma.
rest assured about the result of this Con
gressiOnal discussion. u treaty UiU no
not be D1Ofested. The United States canno
commit such a political blunder as To clos
by her arbitrary act the present reciprocal
relations with this kingdom. 1t that grea
nation did so, she would lose an influenc
in the Pacific, which could not otherwis
be maintained except by unjust coercion
which would dishonor and endanger he
own national life.