The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-28
T II Z
Pacific Commercial Advertiser
RECOGNITION DAY.

The Hawaiians to-day celebrate the
anniversary of their recognition as an
independent nation by the great powers
of England and France, and subsequently
by the United States and other Powers.
This formal recognition, signed by Queen
Victoria and King Louis PHILIPPE through
Lords Aberdeen and St. Auliare, on No
yember %, 1S43, stated that their Males
ties taking into consideration the exist
ence in the Sandwich Islands of gov
ernment capable of providing for the reg
ularity OF its relations with foreign
nations, have thought it right to engage,
reciprocally, to consider the Sandwich
Islands as an independent State, and
never to take possession, neither directly
orunder the title OF Protectorate, or under
any other form, of any part OF the terri
tory of which they are composed"
This declaration was preceded by most
exciting events in the earlier part of the
year. On February 18th, Right Hon.
Lord George Paulet with III. B. NJ. S.
Carysfort, anchored off this city, aaad,
complaining of repeated insults" from
the Government authorities of the
Islands to British subjects, demanded
personal audience with King Kane
hameha H., and on the 18th notified
7 C0mnanfler I ar10 of tho 1T 9 & PoStan
also in. port, that he intended to make
an immediate attack on the town ON the
morrow, unless the demands he had for
wiarded to the King were complied with.
The audience between His Majesty
and Lord George Paulet resulted unsatis-
factorily, and on February 25, 1913, Sin
consequence of the difficulties in which
we find ourselves involved, and our
opinion OF the impossibility OF comply
ing with the demands in the manner in
which they are made by III. B. MS
representative upon us, in reference to
the claims of British subjects" King
Kamehsmeha LII. and his premier, Ke-
kauluohi, coded the Sandwich Islands
Professionally to Lord George Paulet, as
II. 3. ID. 3 representatives. This memoir
able act was thus referred to by King Ka-
mehameha in his pathetic speech on that
day: Where are you, chiefs, people
and commons from my ancestor, and
people from foreign lands? Hear yel
make known to you that 1 am in per-
Plexity by reason of difficulties into
which 1 have been brought without
cause; therefore, have given away the
life Of our land, hear We! But my rule
I over you, my people, and your privileges
viii continue, for / have hope that the
life OF the land will be restored when my
conduct is justified"
It should here be mentioned that His
Majesty's representatives, Messrs. Rich
ards and Haalilio, were at the Court of
St. James negotiating a settlement of all
outstanding difficulties, and the procur-
ing Of the declaration of indie pendence
s1len the Provisional Cession was made.
On July IS, 1s43, Rear Admiral Rich
sEd Thomas Trafalgar veteran, and
ne bosom friend of the heroic Lord Col !
gwood- Commander of III. B. NJ. Pa |
tic Squadron, on board the Dublin, cast !
snchor off this port, and requested an /
iaterview with the King in regard to the /
Provisional Cession, which he most thor
tighly disapproved of, as appears in his
declaration informing the King and
principal chiefs that upon hearing the
eWs at Valparaiso in June, he had has
aed to the spot to ascertain ''the mo-
which led to such an unlooked-for
at, :" and whether the difficulties in
safeh His Majesty King Kane
hameha III. found himself involved were
$50 utterly insurmountable as to call
Don him to renounce the sovereignty of
4sse Islands for the time being; like
wise whether the cession was a free, I'M
lliassed and unsolicited act of sovereign
bower" 1t took this noble-hearted and
bRerous Admiral but few days to put
Entirely different aspect upon affairs,
10 relieve the anxiety of all by re-
sing, on July 31st, the Kingdom to its
ereign, by informing him and
5iat he did not accept Of the
II &ssssion of February 18th,
sidered His Majesty Kameha-
q III. the legitimate King of the s
rs. and he assured His Majesty
the sentiments Of his Sovereign /
as him are those of I'M
y friendship and esteem that {