Evening star., 1893-11-23
When Annexation Was First Talked
of in Hawaii.
KING KAMEHAMEHA'S DESIRE.
The American and Hawaiian Flags
Once Sewn Together.
SOME DRAMATIC HISTORY.

IN HAWAIIAN history. Events have chased
Much of the interesting history has found
each other rapidly in the little ex-kingdom.
its way into the documents which have
been printed for the State Department in
connection with Mr.. Blount's Hawaiian re-
port. Prof. w. d. Alexander furnished to
Mr.. Blount a readable account, dated at
Honolulu July 1S last of the circumstances
attending the uncompleted treaty of an
nexation negotiated in 1854 between D. l..
Gregg, representing the United States, and
r. c. Wyllie, representing the Hawaiian
king
The subject of annexation to the United
States" says Prof. Alexander, was first
seriously considered in the islands in 1851.
M. En-. Perrin had been sent to Honolulu
as commissioner Of France, in the corvette
Serieuse. which arrived at Honolulu De-
cember 13. 1850. and remained in port three
months without exchanging salutes with
the fort. He persisted in pressing again the
famous ten demands. presented by Admiral
De Tromelin in 1S49, and his attitude was
so menacing that the king and p-ivy coun-
Gil were finally driven to seek protection
from the United States. AS is stated in my
Brief History of the Hawaiian People, p.
210. they passed a proclamation, March 10,
1851, placing the islands Professionally under
the protection of the United States. On the
next day a conditional deed of cession of
the kingdom to the United States was
drawn UP. signed and delivered in a sealed
envelope to Hon. l.. Severance, the COM
missioner Of the United States, by two OF
the kings ministers. This was to be open
ed and acted upon only in case of an emer-
gency, the signal of which was to be the
rai icin nf flo Of ha INIT Ito otno
above that of Hawaii over the fort. In that
case the sovereignty of the islands was to be
ceded to the United States, to be held in
trust until q settlement of their relations
with France, compatible with the king s
rights as an Independent sovereign could
be made. and if this should be found to be
impracticable the said protectorate was to
be declared perpetual.
The U. s. 8. Vandalia, Capt. Gardner.
was In port at the time. The deed of ces-
sion was accepted by Mr.. Severance pro-
visionally. and referred to his government.
MIR. w. c. Park, the marshal, was directed
to have the Hawaiian and American flags
sewed together and kept in readiness to be
hoisted at a moments notice. He remained
in the fort night and day, on the watch,
during the 18th and 10th of March. BY
some means, the British consul general
learned Of what had been done, and inform
most obnoxious of his demands: and a joint
declaration, comprising four articles, was
signed by both parties March %.
1T appears, however, that NJ. Perrin used
language in his later dispatches which
threatened to reopen questions that had
been supposed to be closed. An appeal to
the President Of the United States was
therefore drawn up and presented to Mr..
Severance, which was taken to Washington
by Hon. E. H. Allen, then United States
consul, who sailed on this mission April T.
NJ. Perrin left for Paris May "A to obtain
fresh instructions and did not return until
January 8. 1853. Nothing more was ever
heard of the rest of the ten demands. Mr..
Webster, the United States Secretary OF
State made strong representations to the
French government on the subject, but di-
rected Mr.. Severance to return to the Ha-
waiian government the deed OF cession,
which had been placed in his keeping.
"A joint resolution was passed by both
houses of the Hawaiian legislature June q,
1851, confirming the action OF the privy
council, and empowering the king and prfvy
council to place the kingdom under the pro-
lection Of some friendly power, If necessary,
to shield 1t from insult and oppression.
I'm the following year, In framing the
new constitution, a clause was inserted In
article 80, which empowered the King, by
and with the approval of his cabinet and
priyy council, to even ALLEVIATE his kingdom
If indispensable to free 1t from the insult
and oppression Of any foreign power This
shows that the apprehension Of some Inn
pending danger was still present to the
minds Of the king and his advisers.
The Political Agitation of 1853.
During the years 1S5l-54 considerable
immigration from California took place.
1t embraced many restless. ambi-
tious spirits, some OF whom came
for the purpose of exciting revolution.
They found the foreign community alEeady
split into factions, between which bitter
feuds existed of long standing. Many of
Il1y H.
ton party, which claimed to be the liberal
and progressive element in the country.
The plan of the leaders of the new move
ment seems to have been to reconstruct the
government, and then &c. turn it over to the
United States. A secret committee of thir-
teen was appointed to carry out their de-
signs. Their first object was to bring about
the removal of two of the ministers, VIZ.
Messrs. Armstrong and Judd. The unsuc-
cessful attempt to make political capital out
of the smallpox epidemic OF 1858 was dis
graceful to all engaged in it, AT the same
time an active agitation was commenced
In favor of annexation, and the two OBJ
noxious ministers were accused or Delng an
obstacle in the way of 1t.
Threats were freely used to intimidate the
king and chiefs into disnissing them
In August a memorial in favor of annexa-
ton was presented to the king, which was
signed by seventeen respectable residents,
who We're supporters of the cabinet. rms
called out a carC, puDllSHeu SeplcuipeT ~,
signed by Revs. E. w. Clark and p. j. GU
lick, declaring that the Protestant mis-
sionaries at the islands have never engaged
in any scheme of annexation. 1t has been
their cherished wish that the government
may remain independent under the present
constitution and rulers. Whatever may
have been done by merchants, planters, and
Others the Protestant clergymen at the
islands have neither advised nor signed any
memorial to the king touching annexa-
tion" In a letter published in August,
1864 Mr.. Clark stated that at the annual
convocation in May, 1853, he had frequent
conversati tons with other missionaries on
this engrossing subject. Not one of them
expressed an opinion in its favor, but, on
the contrary, they did express doubts as to
its expediency, and grave apprehensions of
disaster to the natives from the influx of
lawless and unprincipled foreigners" With
this agreed the known views of the French
Catholic priests.
The memorial created no little excite
ment among the British and French resi-
dents. The representatives of Greet Britain
and France solicited an audience with the
king and privy council, which was granted
September 1, when they presented joint
address to the king, protesting against any
attempt to annex the islands to any for
eign power as in contravention Of existing
treaties, as we'll as unconstitutional This
was replied to in an able dispatch addressed
United States commissioner, September 5.
A few days later the whole cabinet re-
signed. but were all reappointed, with the
IL. I,,.ll