The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-02-02
Armstrong Relates His Experiences
With Kalakaua.
BREATHING A CURE FOR EVERY ILL.
Frank Godfrey Thanks the Councils
Correspondents Air Their Views ON
Various Themes - kaiakaua Com
pared to the King Of Dahomey-Etc.

my conference with Mr.. Phelps
and Mr.. Blaine on the subject of
annexation, while | was with the
late King Kalakaua in Europe,
certainly requires some exp,ana-
ton.
1 often talked with the King on
the subject of the future of his
country, including the matter of
annexation. After the "Moreno +"
affair, he feared more trouble with
the whites, l suggested annexation
or protectorate, with large reven-
ues for himself, but he suspected
the white races. l always assured
him that no change of any kind
could or would be made without
his consent so long us he main
tanned good government. re-
peated to him my conversations
with Mr.. Phelps and other converse
tons about "closer union" because
believed in open diplomacy. In
my conversations with Mr.. Phelps
and Mr.. Blaine, there was no sug-
gestion of any immediate action,
and it was assumed, without hest
tation, that the king should be a
party to any move in the direction
of "closer relations" The king
asked me to consult Mr.. Eugene
Schuyler on the subject of customs
union" and this brought on a dis
cussion about annexation. Mr..
Schuyler asked the king: Has
the reciprocity treaty any other
object than ultimate annexation ?"
The king said he did not under
stand it. Mr.. Schuyler replied that
the American statesmen who made
the treaty did so understand it, but
that he tSchuyler) thought that a
customs union" would be better
for some years. Mr.. Schuyler also
said that he was somewhat sur
prised that the king had consented
To reciprocity when it was perfectly
clear that the drift would be toward
annexation and the end of the
dynasty. The king made no reply
to this. Subsequently, and while
on our travels, l told him that he
had mortgaged his country to the
United States by reciprocity" in
order to put money into his own
pocket, but that it would end his
dynasty that he was like the King
of Dahomey, who was too greedy.
At a missionary meeting in Lon
don a traveller spoke of his ex-
perience in Africa. A venerable
listener rose and meekly asked if
the King of Dahomey would take
religion! "Yes" said the traveller,
che will lake that and everything
else he can put his damned hands
on" He, King Kalakaua, said he
would "euchre" the United States
by diplomacy. l replied that no
diplomacy would ever get rid of
his own direct move towards an
by his signing the treaty,
that in making reciprocity" he
had plastered annexation" on
every fence, mountain and rock in
Hawaii.
That while that treaty was the
best thing for the country, it put
him in constant peril, and ne could |
only save himself by good govern
ment, and when annexation came,
by making good terms for himself. |
/ wish to add this; had many |
radical disputes with the king, but |
there was always good temper, and |
there was no friction whatever. On |
office in 1882, | told him
that he had invited me to return
to my native land, in the interests |
of good government, but | haG dis |
covered that it was simply impos-
sible to have it, and | should leave
him. / did not blame him he
was controlled by his surround
ings, that the whites wanted one
kind of government, and the ma
tives wanted another, and it made |
an 'irIepressible conflict" but that
as the natives were in a large ma
jority, they had the political right !
of ruling in their own way, aud
the whites could not object only
that this meant revolution in a
few years; that the white races
always drove the weaker races to
the wall, as he would discover if he
read English and American history,
that the weaker races had no sense,
and always cut their own throats f;
that the white races were cruel,
dominant and would not trust the
Ueaker End fouOht like tigers for