The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-09-18
Morgan and Hawaii

States Government should seek TO
ascertain the sentiment OF the native
population (of Hawaii) on the ques-
ton OF annexation. We did not
consult the natives Of Alaska when
we acquired that country and an
nexed it to the United States. 1t
has never been our policy to consult
the wishes OF the natives when we
found it desirable to annex territory"
These are authoritative express
sions, entitled to respectful con-
sideration as coming from the recent
chairman OF the Senate Committee
on Foreign Affairs The Senator
adds that 1--WE can give the Hawai-
ians good government" which stands
for the declaration of a national
policy of the right Of annexation OF
any other country to ours, based
solely on our assumption that we
can give the annexed people good
government" regardless of their
opinion OF it.
The Senator decides that we are
to govern the natives of Hawaii
without consulting them. Yet we
began our experiment OF republic
with the declaration that all men
are created equal; that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain
inslienable rights; that among these
are life, liberty aud the pursuit of
happiness. That to secure these
rights governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned. But Senator Morgan says it
is not our policy to consult the gov
erned, nor secure their consent
when we think it desirable to annex
territory.
A distinction may De drawn be.
tween the "natives" of countries,
but the Senator does not draw it.
The native OF Alaska, sitting under
his family totem and alternately
crouching 10 fear before the gods of
the tempest and cringing in graft
tude to the deities who make his
hunt successful and his blubber
plenty, was not consulted; therefore
why should any natives anywhere be
under the shelter OF our own de.
claration that governments derive
their just powers from the consent
OF the governed2
1t is true that our dealings with
our own native Indians is not
worthy chapter in the history OF
National morality, but it is also true
that our volume of treaties entered
into is full OF solemn conventions
made with the Indian tribes for the
purchase of their country before our
Government extended over it the
right of eminent domain, which is
the fnal evidence OF National
sovereignty.
1t is peculiarly the case that in
our dealings with Hawaii we have
recognized the natives. Kameha-
meha by conquest abolished the in
dividual tribes of the islands of the
group and established one nation.
He entered into treaties with for
eign governments, as did Liholiho
and his successors. In all these
treaties the natives were consulted
through government which deriv.
ed its just powers from the consent
of the governed. That government
by the natives founded schools, es-
tablished by law and by judicial
process, and protected the rights OF
person and property. With that
government by the natives we nego-
tiated the annexation treaty of 1854,
which was sought in that filibustero
CONFUSION that was upon the rest
less spirits among us in the period
from the close OF the Mexican war
to the outbreak of our own Civil
War.
In 1912, President Tyler's message