The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-08-05

nrm anything they have done, for
the electorate consists of 1854 Ha-
waiian voters out of a total of 1883,
the remainder comprising 637 Ameri-
cans, sos English, 3S2 Germans,
2,O9l Portuguese Chiefly labourers),
and various other nationalities.
Before either foreigners or natives
on the islands generally had heard
of the revolution, a steamer was
chartered, and five Commissioners
Qour Americans and one English
man, without a drop of Hawaiian
blood in their veins) set out for
Washington to offer the islands to
the United States Government. All
the Commissioners have sworn
allegiance to the Hawaiian Constitu-
ton, and Mr.. Thurston, the chief of
the Commission, is the gentleman
who last year paid the secret visit to
Washington to sound for annexa-
ton. They do not pretend to have,
or to be able to obtain, the vote of
the Hawaiians in favour Of their
mission; and when one tries to think
what would befall Belgian, or a
Bulgarian, or even an Egyptian, who
embarked on such an errand, one
begins to realize the name by which
such ENJOYS would in ordinary
language be described. Some apollo
gists try to draw an analogy between
the Hawaiians and other Polynesian
or Indian peoples, and argue that
the demands Of civilization require
that the white race should move the
other out of the line. But there is
no analogy, because Christendom
has stamped it's recognition of in
dependence on the Hawaiian nation.
1t is conceivable that some foreign
Power (but not an Anglo-Saxon)
should commit an aggressive attack
on Hawaii; it is conceivable that the
United States should resist any at
tempt of another Power to seize
Hawaii; but it is almost inconceiv-
able that company of good citizens
should have come in defiance of
their oath, aud of the electorate.into
which they were admitted to seek to
induce the United States to take
over an unwilling people. 1t is not
my business nor my purpose to
enquire what may have been the
offence of the Queen: l only main
tain that this can be no remedy; for
if this be not treason l do not know
what is treason, and if this be treason
know of no greater crime.
The suddenness with which the
whole question broke upon the
United States Government and
people prevented clear apprehen-
sion of the circumstances which are
now becoming known, and the
course which President Cleveland
has initiated appears to be the plain
and honorable course for a states
man to pursue. The President has
despatched Mr.. Blount as special
envoy, to examine for himself the
natives and foreigners throughout
the islands, and upon Mr.. Blount's
report will depend the future action
of the Washington Government. By
this means the truth will be known,
and it will probably be ascertained
that on one side there have been infat-
uation and obstinacy, and on the side
of the leaders of the revolution an
entire want of consideration and of
thought for the Hawaiians. AS an
instance of this want of considera-
ton, l quote the following lines
from an article in the North american
Review for March, from the pen of
Mr.. Lorrin A. Thurston, who is
described as 'ex-Premier of Hawaii
and chairman of the Annexation
Commission:'
American property interests in Hawaii
have become so great that it is no longer
a simple question of political advantage
to the United States, or of charity OF
justice to weak neighbor, which the
authorities at Washington have to deal
with; but it is a question involving the
fortunes of thousands of their own flesh
and blood, and millions of dollars worth
OF their own property.
-blooded advice was surely
never given by any statesman speak,
J ing for his native or for his adopted
country; and it is not to such advice
that the American Government OF
people will give ear.
The accuracy of this view is fully
: confirmed by the more recently cablec
reports, which show that Mr.. Blount
has already ordered the restoration
of the Hawaiian flag and the with
: drawal of the United States forces
pending the investigation which it
is his mission to pursue.
The recent visit of Princess Kaiu.
lani to Washington was undertaken
} in order that her own rights OF
succession and the unconstitutional
| procedure of the Annexation Com
| missioners might be known to the
United States authorities and people
} The visit could have no officia
!, character, but the sympathy which
it evoked makes it clear that the
J American nation will sanction NJ
} step that is not founded in justice
and equity.