New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-31
DISCUSSING ANNEXATION.
\ SENATE RESOLUTION ASKING THE PRESI
DENT 70 CPEN NEGOTIATIONS.
IT LOOKS TOWARD ADMITTING HAWAII AS A
TERRITORY-NO PRECEDENT IL OUR MS
TORY For Just Such \ COURSE.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

on TIE request brought ny IN" u'H-dleS vi iI'
Hawaiian Government for annexation TO the
United States. Mr. Chandler. though not mcm-
ber of thc Committee Foreign Relations, is
one of the most active members of the senate
in all matters affecting tie relation of the United
States with other countries and the resolution
he offered to-day will be found TO be most op-
portunc and important. in that it may serve TO
demonstrate the feeling and opinion of Congress
on the proposition of anncXation. By tho terms
# Mr. Chambers resolution tho President Is
requested to enter into negotiations with IN"
Provisional Government of Hawaii for the ad-
mission of the Islands as a Territory of the
United States, and to lay the convention before
Congress for ratification by legislation.
II will bo observed, on reading MIR. Chambers
proposal that it is exceedingly general In It's
language, and embraces in il, scop' all possible
method, of executive legislative procedure look
ing toward the requirement of Hawaii ny the
United States As tho Ncv-lTampshirc Senator
said this afternoon, the resolution was not diaWh
with the purpose of committing this Government
to any particular course of action in is dealing
with the request Of the Hawaiian delegates. It's
only object was TO excite discussion and to crystal
lie sentiment in Congress- that when the
Iawaiiaa Commissioners arrive in Washington
there may hr some definite plan of action deter
mined on, if possible, by Congress, and tn En-
ccutivc Mr. White, of Louisiana, objected 10
consideration of the Chandler resolution this mora
ING. and it went over under the rule TIL To-
morrow when i; will either no voted upon or
referred for further consideration 10 the COM
mittce on Foreign Relations
As said above Mr. Chambers resolution il cN-
rrcmcy general in its character and covers several
possible methods of procedure in dealing with IN"
p.ohl,m of anncxation The President is requested.
in the first place, enter into nc1otlaton, WIN te
Hawaiian Commissioners tor the admlttance ol
the Sandwich Islands part Of the territory
# the United states By the wording of the
Chandler proposition, Hawaii Is 10 be admltt"1
as a Territory" This language, Of course II
purposcly made rather vague, - as 10 CIV" as
much latitude ms possible to the Administration
in IFS pcpotiations. and yet to stpulate on tho
par, Of Congress that the newly acquired islands
hall not come into the Union at once as n STATE"
an the same terms and with the same powers aS
uthnr admitted States. Strictly Speaking, or
course the United Sta'c' cannot " limit a fo'cl-h
country "as Territory" The central Govern
mcnt can acquire and govern foreign territory
and subsequently give it, or any portion OF H. sell
government a. State. There Is no pr"celeht'
however for the admission OF foreign country
Tx Congress as n Territory that in dealing
with the Hawaiian proposal of annexation th'
Administration will have 10 be- left largely 10 It's
own Judgment rs TO the manner in when mo
islands are to be acquired, and Congress IL IL
adorts thc Chandler resolution, will simply he
STIMULATING a. a definite condition that IN" new
territory shall not come an ful-iedSed state.
As To- the coui,e 10 bc taken after the con-
| cluson Of a convention Of anncN"tion, Mr 'hahu-
| .rs scheme oilers two alternatives The PrcSI-
| dent NAV send the treaty of annexation TO tho
| senate and ask it, ratification, thus acquiring
| possession Of the island. by the exercise oi 'he
| treaty making power alone. On the otl'f han''
| hc may conclude general agreement WIN 'he
| Hawaiian commissioners for the approval oil tl'r
provisional government. and then ask '"h-rN''
| through both branches. TO pass such legislation
49, ,,iu r,,if- il and at the same tim" fix the
| conditions on which the n"wly acquired lNlah's
| are 10 bc accepted rs part of Tia" ihi''d H'",''
TIcrc are nrrcedcnt- which woLli justify either
course of action, though in some respects the con
ution Of Hawaiian annexation din"r materially
| rom those attending the acquisition OF LousAna'
Florida and Alaska and the admission oi l'N's
Ioui.iana. Florida and Alaska were acquired
| h,. c.->ion on tine pirt of foreign powers WIN
,,bom treaties of purchase wcrr made ny TINS
| Govcrnmcut The territory bought was he'll 70
IN. ,ncrocd i'm the general territory owned py tU'
Federal Government, out OF whlch H." o'''''
were aftcrward 10 he admitted To tue Ohio"
| The ACQUISITIONS Of territory by purchase N'i''
Of course accepted as legitimate eA'rclS" ol ''e
rrcaty-making power and in each cas-" the f''',S
-, c-.;.n ,yo. submitted for ratification to the
senate Congress thereafter aHop"" P7i''''
ia carry thc provisions of the treaties mo c'i,c"
| I'm the ease of Texas an indeP'hdcht hePu'n''
| the trcaty-maliing power WIS also lhNoN'" 'o'
| annexation, but 1t broke down uh"cr '"' 'Pf
,i,ion of = strong minority Of the Senate. ana
| limit L
"a , mcr, addition to the general t'fri'or! VI
~. rritod States by the use of the treaty power
which ucouircd Louisiana, Florida ana AaS"i'
| hut ~ a fuI,-ncdgcd State, by AN enabling "''
| (which oriciuatcd in Congress and had 10 pas
both houses. ,,.;; =,
The Texas precedent fits the case oil hawaii III
,h,t Hawaii like the Texan Republic, Is an
| indopcndcnt forc.n power, applying Oh H' o"'
motion and by its own authority Tor ahn'N"'i0'i'
and is not simple colony or fragment oi o'ii-
tory offered for alienation by another Government.
r,t ,bc rexa. prccclcnt will not it if tn" Ihteu
S,.tns il 70 acquire Hawaii not a. state pu' "'
AN addition to the general territory .'' yr. u,,
, "rt ,f congress would be- inappropriate, ap
n,rnntly and quite unnecessary. r.. ,,i
Texas, il will br r"lnelprfe,'' & altnI i,soIf ~,
m +, nrnvincr of McXico ami declaring I'Tli az
','Innu,l,nt Republic. entered INTO H'sOtIduo.l'
| ,yith thc United States for admission mo 'tr h
I,uinu An annexation convention was SiSH'' -
lli,ai, ,nntntiycs of the Texan Republic ana oi
,hc TIiar administration, but le Senatc rrinS,i ,n,
+" ratiy it, the Northern Senator s"HtraIS S,ynn1d pl
n. that the admission Of the new r n,mr Vs. Snv'
| 'il too much to the existing slave power '''h
ni i S"utIrrn states Threatened secession II al
MISSION were denied to IcA1s anG @4f@s T sc
=" iio", tLnn hrnr Secretary OF state, the House
of REPRESENTATIVE, which favored annexation
pas.cd an enabling act to admit I"A9" w.th0nt
| TTi?! ,orm thr Senate accepted this bill, alter
| ayycn,ng il 80 a. to leave the incoming Frlk ,rl
| ADMINISTRATION free to ma kc new treaty line
| ,ssurancr had been given that the Iyler Admlni'
| .,;a, ,,ouId nnt attempt to carry out The pro-
visions of the enabling bi but on March ;, ~
secretary Calhoun sent the act to the lcAan o1n
| 'rc.s II was subsequently ratified by the people
| ~ Tnxa. md the indepondent province hccalne