The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-02-25
ANNEXATION OF HAWAII.
Strong Words of Condemnation from
Iowa.

Iowa.
A resolution yesterday offered in
the Senate by Mr.. Chandler, of New
Hampshire, requests the President
to enter into negotiations with the
Provisional Government of Hawaii
for the admission of the islands as a
territory, and to lay the convention
before Congress for ratification by
legislation. Whether or not this
should be adopted is an open ques-
ton, because there is grave doubt if
the provisional constitutes such a
government as this nation can hon
orably negotiate treaty with. We
have heard but one side of the story
or how it came to be formed. Ac-
cording to the report of the com
missioners delegated to visit Wash
ington, the Queen asked her Minis
tiers to ratify a constitution contain
ing a provision DISTINGUISHING all
the foreigners in the islands. They
refused. Thereupon, fearing or pre-
tending to fear an attack and massa-
ere by native troops, the foreigners
combined, and under the protection
of United States war vessel and
fortified by the presence of marines
who had been landed ostensibly to
preserve the peace they deposed
the sovereign and substituted the
provisional government. The for
eigners who performed this coup d 'etat
are principally Americans having
a pecuniary stake in the islands as
sugar raisers, property owners and
merchants, and it is warranted as
sumption that they resorted to the
revolutionary tactics solely in their
own interest and wholly regardless
of the interests and rights of the ma
tive population. Queen Liliuokala-
nj and her supporters have not been
directly heard from, and until they
have and all the material facts relat-
ing to the present situation and it's
causes are known, it certainly seems
no more than proper that the an
nexation proposal should be held in
allegiance.
1t is reported that just before her
deposition, and when the latter
seemed inevitable, the queen des-
patched message to Great Britain
asking succor from that government.
OF course the United States cannot
tolerate English annexation, protec-
ton or control of Hawaii. For rea-
sons vital to the safety and prosper
ity of our commerce in the Pacific
and to the defense of our interests
at home and abroad, we cannot per-
nit any other nation to acquire and
exercise predominant influence in
this important hating place on the
highway between our western coast
and the orient. If it is necessary to
prevent this, forcible annexation,
which in the circumstances would
be equivalent to conquest, would be
justitiable. But if the Hawaiians OBJ
joct to a union with the United
States, and they are willing to agree
and keep their agreement not to
grant privileges to any other govern
ment which they deny to this, we
cannot in harmony with our polity
or policy use coercion or employ I'M
fair methods to force them into an
alliance There are about 10000 ma
tives and not more than 5000 whites
in the islands, and of the total only
a fraction of the whites ask for an
nexation. 1t is possible that large
majority favor the proposition, but
as this is not known it would be OBJ
viously inequitable and in conflict
with the practice pursued since the
foundation of our government for
the president, with or without the
sanction of congress, to negotiate an
annexation treaty with provisional
government representing very
small foreign element of the
people. We would not attempt
the annexation of Canada in
such circumstances, and what
we would not essay in the case OF
our enlightened northern neighbol
we should not undertake in the case
of weak Hawaii. If at an untram,
meled election held to determine the
matter two-thirds of the Sandwich
Islanders should declare for annexa.
, ton, no good reason would exist why
their desire should not be gratifed
But to annex Hawaii on the petition
of few thousand foreigners who
have usurped the government and
want the islands made part of the
United States for their own selfish
purposes, would be an outrage un,
worthy of the republic. Save tc
4 prevent the country from falling into
the hands of some other power, we
cannot honorably and justly annex
Hawaii without the consent of her
people freely given. Lovers of liber,
ty everywhere despise England be-
cause to protect those of her people
who have invested in Egyptian secu.
rites she has invaded and is holding
Egypt in subsection. How much
more deserving of admiration the
4 United States would be if to CRAFTY
and further enrich few adventures
it should forcibly subject Hawaii to
: its jurisdiction the reader can deter.