The San Francisco call., 1897-10-21
THE APPEAL OF THE EAwAIIANS.

THE memorial of the native Hawaians, published in THE
CALL yesterday addresses the American people and hei
legislative representatives in which cannot tai
to make deep impression Read in the light OF the events
which have preceded its appearance makes clear the ac
that, bottom the proposition the Hawaiian Islands
proposition steal themto steal them, not by the ord
methods which prevail among persons who make pac
e of appopatng the property of Others but to steal them
by force and against the the helpless people to whom
they belong.
What could be pathetic than this memorial? Who
peruse without feeling that should the annexaonsts
succeed in securing the ratification of the Mckinley treaty.
great historical crime will be committeda Every word of
breathes of the heessnes of ororn and deserted people
every line appeals the magnanmiy of nation which every
last of the memOras has probably heard heraded as the
land of the free and the home of the bave every paragraph
wet with the of declining race. who still love their
country and whom the expiring embers of exalted patriot
ism have not yet been exngushed Gould printed words
strike deeper into the American heart than these:
"That your memoriasts humby but fervently protest
against the oonsummaon of this invasion of their political
rights and they earnestly appeal the President the Con-
and the people of the United States to refrain from fur
her participating in the wrong proposed and they invoke
in support of this memorial the spirit of that immortal nsu-
ment the Declaration of American independence and es-
peay the truth therein expressed that Governments derive
their just from the consent of the govenedand here
repeat that the of the people of the Hawaiian Islands
the form government imposed by the socaed Republic
of Hawaii and said proposed treaty of annexation has
been asked by and not accorded either to said government
or to said project of annexation"
This memorial settles thing beyond the possibility of
doubt namely Annexation take place with the
consent of the Hawaans The question: ten stripped of all
its pepeng difficulties not the least of which is the question
whether the Chinese coolies at the islands enter the United
States resolves itself down this VIII the Senate ratiy this
treaty and the islands against the wishes of the native
HawaanS? We have thus presented tmomentous subject
for discussion involving the national HONOR the nteg
ry of history and the mercu preoepts of the Almighty him
SELF How the United States the Islands in opposi
ton the protests the natives without committing the awful
crime of national grand larceny?
1t may be said that the interests of the Hawaians will
be best subServed by making them American otizens but
that argument scarcely be advanced defense
charge that the United States has taken advantage of the
weakness of declining to steal their country Nor it
any to the point urge that Americans their rights
will be maintained by the Government of the great republic
Undoubtedly the slaves liberated 1868 by Abraham Lincoln
were better off in American bondage than in African freedom
but that urged for keeping them chains
We do not think the most enthusiastic of the annexaonSs
will advance the probable improvement in the condition the
natives under Am can rule taking the islands
from them by force
The American republic, as the Hawaiian memorasts
we'll exists by and through the of the governed
Senators OF
people is their duty to obey the popular WILL control
and direct it. What could be frghtfu from historical
standpoint than for such nation whose starry emblem
throughout the world the luminous beacon toward which the
weary of the bondsmen OF every cline with sup
plant tears and heartfelt ongng and in whose generous soil
liberty, equality and justice flourish with magnficence un
known to any civilization that has exsed-what could
be more terrible repeat than for such nation take
by orce for commercial purposes the loved country of weak
and protesting people The would deserve and would
probably receive the of mankind to the end of time
1t to be hoped that the family of the