The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-10-29
THE TREATY QUESTION.

Chronicle gives the following sue
cinct account of the whole matter:
In the year 1912 a British naval
officer, Lord George Paulet, had
taken forcible possession cf the
Sandwich Islands for Great Britain.
In December of the same year the
President of the United States ad-
dressed message to Congress advo-
eating the recognition of Hawaiian
independence and intimating that
this country would make a decided
remonstrance against the adoption
of an opposite policy by any other
power In November, 1S43, fellow
ing this remonstrance, the English
and French Governments united In
a declaration IN the following terms:
Her Majesty, the Queen Of the United
kingdom OF Great Britain and Ireland,
and His Majesty the King OF the French,
taking into consideration the existence
in the Sandwich Islands OF q govern
ment capable of providing for the regu-
larity OF its relations with foreign nations,
have thought 1t right TO engage recipro-
cally to consider the Sandwich Islands
as an independent state, and never TO
take possession, neither directly nor
under the title OF protectorate, nor under
any other form, OF any part OF the terri
tory OF which they are composed.
The undersigned, being furnished
with the necessary powers, hereby de-
clare in consequence that their said
Malesties take reciprocauy that engage
ment.
In witness whereof, the undersigned
have signed the present declaration and
have affixed thereto the seal OF their
arms.
Done in duplicate at London, the 2Sth
day OF November, in the year OF our
Lord, lS4S.
ABERDEEN (L.s.)
ST. AULAJRE lL.S.)
With this declaration the commits
sioners from the Sandwich Islands
returned TO the United States in the
spring of 1874. and on the 9th of
July they received q communication
from John c. Calhoun. Secretary of
State. asserting to this declaration
and confirming ''the full recognition
on the part of the United
States of the independence
Of the Hawaiian Government"
1t is true that this is not a tripartite
agreement. in the technical sense of
the term, but it is equivalent to one,
as is shown by q semi-oficial leader
in the London Times of August Goth,
1913. which made the consent of
France and the United States TO Ha-
waiisn autonomy a condition prece-
dent TO giving up the control of the
islands which Lord George Paulet
had secured. That agreement has
never been rescinded, and the United
States is as much bound by it now
as in 1884 This should dis
pose Of the historic question, and
put to rest any idle fears of our at
tempting TO assume a protectorate
over the Hawaiian Kingdom. For
forty-hve years now We, IN conjunc /
ton with England and France, have /
protected the independence of the |
Hawaiian Government, and what /
more Is necessary or could be asked? 4
That the above remarks embody
the general feeling in the United |
Ststes there can be no question; and |
that the exact position is delineated |
above, is equally certain.
OF course, many changes have
taken place in the interests which
the protecting powers have in the
French interests. if they
have not decreased, have certainly
not kept pace with the greatly in
creased interests of either the United
States or Great Britain; and while
Hawaiian commerce with France or
her colonies is very small. German
with the islands has in
creased largely during the forty-fve
years that have elapsed since the
agreement Of the United States. !
Great Britain AMI France was en-
tered into; yet Germany has no
political pledge in the matter of
Hawaiian autonomy or protection,
though she has now considerable in
terests in the Hawaiian Islands.
So far as real and practical pro-
lection Is concerned, that must now
devolve upon the United States and
Great Britain-the former chiefly
upon commercial grounds, and the
latter having more political than
commercial interests to serve.
From present appearances there is
not the slightest hope or fear of
political alliance with the United
States; but America must continue
to control the commerce, neverthe-
less, because Of proximity and in
sfording the only market for Ha-
Eaiian productions. Although not
joined. in every other
sense the islands are American. In
deed any nation that controls the
commerce Of another has all the
moral and material control needed.
without the expense and risk of poll
tical responsibilities. In this in
stance the United States coyern-