The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-09-19

ling to annexation must be entirely
separate, according as it is viewed
from ono or another point, and per-
haps some of the present confusion
will disappear if this separation be
now made.
Mr. Lyons brings his principle to
the test very quickly when he says:
Hawaii offers to forego her sover-
eighty, and to merge it in that of
the greater power" Now nothing
is more certain than that Hawaii
has made no such offer. What, or
who is Hawaii Hawaii has never
spoken by either her electors, her
legislat ors, or her people; and the
general belief is, that the anuexa-
tionists dare not ask her to speak,
| am not questioning the motives
which actuated those who did speak,
but the result is unquestionable.
The present Government is not the
government of the people nor of the
Constitution. | need not say what
it is, but it will remain what it is
until Hawaii is made to speak,
Several reasons for the revolution
have been advanced, including some
grave charges against the sovereign,
and against a few Of the people Of
Hawaii | do not attempt here
either to assert or to deny these
charges, but for the sake of argyll
ment lot us assume them to be true.
| think these reasons are all COM
prised in the following list:
frhn nI1ornl ,nrrn,t,n IF fhn
Legislature.
2. The alleged corruption of the
Court.
B. The alleged idolatry of the
Queen.
4. The Importance of the com
mercial and agricultural interest of
foreigners.
5. The efforts made by the United
States to Christianize and to develop
the Hawaiian nation.
6. The desire Of the foreigners
for good government.
These allegations and motives are
sufficiently cogent, but venture to
assert that not one of these six mo-
tives gave anyone except Hawaiian
citizens the right to meddle with
the Constitution of the Hawaiian
nation.
There are two questions that must
be answered:
l. Did Hawaii offer to forego her
sovereignty?
2. Had anyone else the right to
make that oifer2
Mr.. Lyons says that Hawaii did
make he offer, and it is for him to
say when and how. 1t is a very
serious question, and | respectfully
ask Mr.. Lyons to give the evidence
! upon which he speaks,
Iglther from the public papers
that the Rev. Stephen Desha, Ha-
waiian Clergyman, and man Tor
whom | have the very highest per
! sonal regard, has sided with the an
uexationists, and against large
part Of his congregation, and against
! his nation. | am not now discussing
the character of the Queen, or of The
Legislature, or even of the nation.
but [ am dealing with the action OF
such men as have named, and OF
many others who have given strength
to cause, by taking up a position
which they are bound now to vindi.
cate. Dare they even define then
position!
/ concede that Hawaii had the
right to change her Constitution
! that she had the right to abrogate
the monarchy; that she had the
right to transfer her nationhood
But | contend that for any Other
authority to attempt the first two
acts would be usurpation, and fol
any other authority to attempt tc
transfer the nationhood would bt
betrayal.
| am firmly convinced that the
chief reason for the rejection by the
United States of the proposal made
to her last February, was that 81
bluntly defined by the New Yorl
Times, she discovered that Hawai-
had never been consulted, and hat
never authorized the proposal! Tt
my mind no greater insult was eve
offered to a great and honorable ma
ton than the pretended offer by
Hawaii of her national independ
cnce. And there are many men up
on whom the ideas of patriotism ant
honor sit SO lightly, that they pre-
tend to think that they have only t.
turn from one honorable nation t
another, to effect the purpose whicl
they have set out to accomplish
Let us follow them for a moment
T if they fail again in the Unite'
= States (as they probably will fail,
we are told that the same offer vii
! be made to England; should she re
| fuse Gas she certainly would do),
: suppose Germany would have tn
. next option; after Germany, pos
| sibly France, aud so on to Russi
: and thence descending in the seal
: of international morality, until W
! reach a point where Mr.. Lyon
J formulm of equity, reason, an
: moral force" will cease to act. Blu
. the Drinciplc Of the present annex;
] ton scheme now represented q
/. Washington by Messrs. Thursto
q aud AieXander) will be as applicabl
{ then to Russia as it is now to tn
] United States; and the scat hin
/ comments Of the New York Time
are q, fitting now, as they would L