Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-02-21

Hawaiian IN ..tis0i- ; ..-.sii.--i g..
Presid .n;- NJ ssa%c---''suu,c' Gio-
ry" Coveted.
1t is little more than 4 year since
President Harrison insulted the good
sense of the country, if not the dignity
of Congress, by sending in his famous
Gillian message. The transmission of
this precious document was, as all the
world found out before the end of the
week, hurried because if another day
had been lost it could not have been
transmitted at all; in other words. the
F., favorable reply OF Chit to the uiuma-
tnm OF this government, for which the
President had taken good care not To
wait. would have rendered ii mere
impertiuence. The funny speech in
the House of Representatives of Pr
waite Allen" of Mississippi, his story Of
The man who was in such a hurry Ia
get under cover before the ram ceas.
ed. and how IN irrevcrcnt public
made merry over the ridiculous atti-
tude before the country Of its chief ey
ecutivc are still fresh in remembrance
would, fortunately for the President.
be easier to forget it all, il that hieh
funclionary had not again challenged
serious criticism in the treaty looking
10 the annexation of the Sandwich Is
lands which ON the 18th inst. be sub
mitted to the Senate for ratification.
and in the message accompanying it.
This message is one Of the most
unique communications ever laid before
Congress. 1t bristles with papablc
misstatements pervelsions of fact and
short rs il is, includes enough "beggiugs
of the question" to supply examples to
class in logic for a week. For rea-
sons adequate, or inadequate, thequeen
has been deposed, the old constitution.
al monarchy Of the islands has been
oyerthrowu, and em;ssaries from the
revolutionary government have come
: to Washington to urge annexation.
There is little reason to think, still less
ground for knowing that they certainly
represent the wishes Ola majority even
OF the foreign population, exclusive Of
Asatics. of whom, of course, 10 heed
is taken one way or another WMci
is certain that the natives are over
whelmingly opposed to the surrender
of their independence, and they who
unquestionably have The best right To
BE consulted, are about four times as
numerous rs the foreigners OF Caucasian
blood. But these Representatives ola
successful rebellion against a sovereign
with whom five weeks ago the United
States were in friendly relations have
been recognize I. conferred with al eur
capital and, without hearing ibeo.her
side. treaty has been patched mp and
sent in to the Senate by the President,
although he knew commissioner i,om
the fallen queen were on their Say 20
law her case before him and were ol,y
late because the emissaries Of the reyo-
lutionary government would aol Per.
| init them to come III the ship that
, brought them. lie says, or rather ihc
Secretary OF State says, that NE queen
had made :" formal submission where
rs in her proclamation Of january l1she
declares expressly that she yields I'M
; der protest to superior force aud pend
ing an appeal Of her case to the United
States
The President assumes that interests
; of CORNER citizens of this country III
Hawaii, which were safe under the IN
3 dependent monarchy, would NOT be aie
under an independent republic. Ills
sounds queer from The head Of democ-
racy. He a!lirms ut IS esseutia, That
none of the other great powers shall ,c'
cure these islands" Perhaps il is.
} though some people cannot see If: iut
why should any great power secure
them instead of letting them continue
independent if they wish il, and u Ae-
cessary. uniting with others to sUaun-
ty that independence? That such
possession would not consist with cur
safety and with the peace OF the world
seems too utterly absurd 10 notice
But, even il ali else in the message be
admitted, why, in the name Of reason,
is prompt action upon this treaty very
dcsir4be?p Why not wait to know
what the Hawaiians want and what our
own people want? Everything is quiet
under the provisional government at
Honolulu and no interest would suffer
by due delberation. Why such un-
sccmly haste? Is there any reason for
it but the ieverish desire OF poor Mr..
Harrison to win some credit for his dis
credited self, to impart "a sort of sunse,
glory to his dying administration" by
hurrying the country into annexation
and radical departure from precedent
her tofore established
As to the treaty itself there is SPACE
to add little. Except the Oppressive
restriction as to the Chinese, il would
do as well as any other instrument
perhaps, for the accomplishment OF this
extraordinary project, though iisyaeHe-
ness is remarkable. As to lis ratii@-
ton during the present session Of Con
gress and the getting possession BY us
in this way ofthe Sandwich Islands, it's
not too much TO say that Napoleon Inn
self in his utmost arrogance and power
never committed more unjust. msa
handed or tyrannical act Of apIopua-
ton. i. NJ. i.
Fairfax County, Va, Feb. Is i'.5.
TOO Many
to print that is why we never use 'er-