The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-19
Why They Felt a Dislike
to Americans.
EXAMPLE OF RACE PREJUDICE
The First Cargo of Ice Taken to
Honolulu = A Beverage That
Pleased the King.
Written for THE MORNING CALL.

with William L. Marcy Secretary OF state.
that the proposition for the annexation of
the Hawaiian group of islands was made by
the United States. Slavery then existed in
the republic. The Kanakas, the native race
Of the islands, were PolyneSians and dark
colOred, many of them resembling ETH
opians in features, the same MS the negroes
of the United States in complexion.
OF the brothers. Princes Lot and Alex
ander Of Hawaii. the first named was elder,
but the younger had been selected by King
Kamehaneha Ill for his successor. The
two had visited the Northern Atlantic
States in 1850. long before the Pierce admin
istration and the annexation project. The
two were barely passed out Of callOw, i'm
pressive years at the time OF their election
from the dining-room, at full table, OF an
Eastern hotel They were con sidered
negroes and treated accordingly. Dr. Judd,
their guardian, was missionary, a native
CT New England, the most influential per-
sonage Of Hawaii. the Minister of Finance
Of the island kingdom, therefore of control
next to the King. He rebuked the affront,
and protested against the indignity His
rebuke and remonstrance were futile. The
two Princes, dark colOred, were commonly
considered as negroes and treated as such in
public.
On their subsequent visit at the British
court and in London the two were the recp-
tents Of royal courtesy. social cordially
and agreeable recognition. The wide diff
ference of treatment in the powerful Eng
lish emporium from that to which they
were humiliatingly subjected in New York
and New England had very natural appre-
citation and contrast upon the Princes.
Lot was the darker; he was nearly six
feet in stature, regular features of good
type, handsome, symmetrical figure Of
flne mold. and in manner he was fairly
polished gentleman of bright mind and
good Intelligence, and generally an agreea-
BILE person in company and conversational
young man of pleasant presence and at
tractive associs ton. Alexander was
shade lighier-like dark mulatto-but OF
negro features. eyes, nose and lips. He was
tall and well formed, digDihed in manner,
reserved OF intercourse and cautious OF as
ISOLATION. He had been tutOred as heir ap-
parent to the Hawaiian throne. He was
naturally of high spirit-the petted son Of
a high native chief and the favorte of the
island kanaKas.
Charles Sumner was serving bis first term
in the United States Senate In 1854, elected
as a Democrat and Free-SOiler to succeed
Daniel Webster from Massachusetts. The
larger portion ana most influential of the
American residents of the Hawaiian ISL
ands we're from Massachusetts, and the mis-
sion aTies were admirers of Sumner as a
noted leader against slavery. On the occa-
sion of the project of annexation of the
islands by the Pierce administration in 1854,
Senator Sumner addressed characteristic,
vigorous and elaborate communication in
tended for the King and native chiefs OF
Hawaii adverse to the idea of annexation.
He labored TO impress upon the natives the
consequence, certain to ensue, that mas
much as the dominant party of the United
States held the negro race in subseryient
condition and as:slaves, the similar humilia-
tiOn aud degradation would befal every race
of dark skin or not of Caucasian blood who
should become allied with or subject to the
Government and such must become the con-
dtiOn of the natives Uf the Hawaiian Islands
in the event Of annexation.
The address reached the hands of Prince
Alexander, and he used it with much effect.
He and his brother, Prince Lot, were indi-
vdual attestants to American indignity
toward people of dark color, ana had
suffered the eXaspeTating modification
which awaited the Hawaiian race should
annexation be accomplished. The address
of Sumner did not affect the old King he
remained disposed TO The annexation. a
young man named Nelson. from New York,
OF high society, family and wealth, had
come TO the islands on a pleasurng jauDt.
He was OF handsome ersOD, attractive
manners bright of mind, and lavishly
sQuandered his stock of money. He and
Prince Alexander were close companions,
ana alike last I'D tue irregular eDJpSmtnLS
Of loose life. Alexander was betrOthed
to Miss Emma Rookie, maiden of IS,
born in Honolulu, the daughter of DR..
Rookie, British surgeon, and a high-caste
native woman. Notwithstanding his be-
trOtha, Alexander maint tanned a corps of
fifty native girls, who danced at the fire.
| qneDt hOolah-h OolahS and Toasted at the
/ loo 0uns-the froiics and orgies of the Kan
akas Nelson and Miss Emma Rookie bot b
were opposed to annexation ard used their
| efforts to dissuade Alexander from giving
the project his sanction. All this had effect
in time. Although Prince Alexander did
| subsequently, promise the King that he
would sign the treaty, his very first act after
| his own coronation was the official notlfica-
ton tnat, as King, he rejected annexation.
Mr. Allen, the Crown Attorney of the
kingdom. was from Massachusetts. He
| had been delegate to the Wing national
| convention in PHILADELPHIA of 1S4S, which
nominated General Taylor for President.
| Allen was Instructed and pledged TO cast
| his vote for Daniel Webster, but dlsre-
| garded his pledge and voted for General
| Taylor. President Taylor appointed him
to represent the United States at the Ha-
| waiian Islands A suggestion came from
| him in 1919 looking to the annexation OF the
| islands. Secretary of State Webster
| promptly put the Quietus upon the scheme.
| On The change OF administration at Wash
| ingtOn and the appointment OF David l..
|
! Hawaii by President Pierce, Mr..
| Alien took Office in the Hawaiian
| Cabinet and strenuousIy opposed an
nexation. Rev. Mr.. Armstrong, likewise
| from New England. conspicuous mission
airy, Minister of Finance of Hawaii, most
| potentially among the American residents
| antag0niZed the project. Rev. Mr.. COaD,
the veteran missionary of the American
| preachers in the islands, Rev. Mr.. Baldwin,
aud every other OF the missionary band,
similarly joined in opposition to annexation.
| They all encouraged Prince Alexander to
| desist from agreeing to the measure. Nine
| tenths of the New England whalers and
merchants engaged in trade with the ISL
| ands sided with them. In strange alliance
| with them also were the British residents
| of the group and the few attached to the
| French legation.
| The social leaders Of Honolulu were quite
| exclusively English. Mrs. D0minis, an
English lady of elegance and wealth. enter
tanned grandly. and the handsome Dominis
! mansion was the highest fashionable rem
| devious of British naval officers, officials of
the British legation of the islands and of the
| best resident society. Hostility 60 an
| neXatiOn was frequent theme there. Mi.
| Bishop, Boston man, was the principal
merchant of Honolulu, the banker of the
| islands His wife was the daughter OF the
| great chief, Pakee. the vigorous veteran
companion of The first King and the Grand
] Chamberlain of the kingdom. Pakee was
| of six feet six inches stature and of heroic
| mold--a mighty warrior and acknowledged
| sage. His daughter was educated In Boston
and bred In good society there. She was
| fair aud of distinguished appearance. Her
| peerless presence in Honolulu caused the
| hospita BILE home of Bishop 10 be favored in
social gatherings. Mr.. Bishop favored the
| annexation.
| kamehameha III was past middle age. of
| portly person, above medium height, digni-
| fled bearing. yet affable in manners and
fairly fluent in conversation. His great good
sense and friendly nature caused him to be
| beloved by his native subjects, respected
and honored by the residents from foreign
| lands. He was habituated to the social
/ weaknesses of his race-was convivial and
| addicted to excuses of the eXhllaratinR cup.
| During the early fall of 1854, an American
ship arrived in Honolulu with a cargo
| partly of ice. 1t was the first ever seen or