The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-05
Texas and Hawaii

The proposal to bring the Hawaiian ISL
ands into our Union by virtue Of an ordt
nary act of Congress, instead Of by treaty,
recalls An interesting epoch Of our history
dating back half . century.
On Dec. 2. 1874, the last session OF the
T~wenty-eighth Congress began In his mes
sage to hat body President TYLER re
viewed the condition Of the republic OF
Texas which desired admission to the
Union. and expressed his opinion that IL
was the will Of the American people that
Texas should be annexed to the Union
promptly and immediately" He added that
this course would help to extend our trade
and to make our frontiers safer. We have
interposed no impediments in the way of
such acquisitions OF territory. large and eI-
tensive as many of them are, as the leading
powers of Europe have made. from time to
time, In every part of the world. No intrigue
will have been resorted to. or arts Of diplo-
macy essayed, to accomplish the annexa-
tion Of Texas Free and independent her
self, she asks to be received into our Union
1t Is q question for our own decision,
whether she shall be received or not"
The words Of President TYLKR certainly
apply very we'll to the question now before
the American people. And we may add
that Texas owed her Independence %
largely to Americans who had gone there
and settled that BENTON called the step
about to be taken "re-annexation-"
After some discussion, the plan suggested
by the President for receiving Texas was
adopted by Congress. On Jan. 90. 1s45, by
the adequate majority of 12S against %,
though far from t~wo-thirds, the House
Of Representatives declared that Con-
gress consented to the erection Of Texas
into . State of the Union, under = republi-
can form Of government, to be fixed by .
convention, mt with the usual oession OF
public property to the United States On
Feb. 81, 1s+5, the Senate. after amend
ing the resolutions somewhat, and appro-
priatinS $1,000 o for negotiating the
final terms of cession, which were TO be
either by treaty or by articles submitted to
Congress, as the President might direct,
passed them by a vote of % against IS.
On March l, they received the signature Of
the President
1t will be observed that n comparatively
close vote Wa secured In both houses fol
this step, q vote much closer han w
should expect in the case OF Hawaii Al
that time, too, the relations Of Texas
with Mexico were totally different from
those now suhsisting between Hawaii and
any other Government Indeed, as soon
as those resolutions were signed by thu
President, although the final annexation
details had vet to he determined. Mexico:
representative at Washington called 70,
his passports and took his departure
IL the present case there is nothing but
plain sailing in prospect Still, whethe,
the decisive act shall take the form of III,
Senate's ratification Of the pending treat,
or the passage of 3 bill or Of resolutions, i
not Yet clear. But if the latter plan should
for any reason he desired, il is evident tina
the case of Texas forms q complete prece
dent for it
We may add another interesting fac
which pushes further the parallel betwee.
Texas and Hawaii. When the former. il
April, ls44, applied for admission TO tn
Union, her plea was al first unsuccessful be
fore Congress But the mex: election
showed unmistakahly that the people o
the country favored annexation, and sc
cord;nsly Congress at its nex; session
passed the resolutions Just spoken O:
Texas promptly accepted the provision
thus made for it, through q coaventio,
held in July, lS+5.