The Red Cloud chief., 1897-07-09
TO JAPAN.
A FORMAL REPLY TO THE
PROTEST.
Precedewts In Regard to the Effects Of
Absorption on Treaties and Vested
Rights Q~uotcd--The Good Faith Of the
Mikado Not Doubted.

NEW York. July a special TO
the Tribune from Washington gives
the full text Of Secretary Shcrman's
answer to Japan's protest against the
annexation of Hawaii by tho United
Statsa
After quoting the grounds on which
Japan made its protest, the Secretary
OF state says. ''This recital Is OF Itself
proof that your government has mis-.
a~pprehended tho statements and MS
contained In my note, and,
In Its relation to the treaty question
involved, strongly suggests confusion
between the formal stipulations Of
treaties and tho vested rights which
the subjects Of one country may nc
quirc In another under treaty or the
law Of the land.
what the Hawaiian treaty Of an
nexatlon proposes Ia the extension Of
tho treaties Of tho United States to
The incorporated territory to replace
the necessarily extinguished Hawaiian
treaties In order that the guarantees
Of treaty rights to all may DO unques
tionable and continuous. To this end
the termination Of the existing treaties
Of Hawaii Il recited rs q condition
precedent The treaty OF annexation
does not abrogate those Instruments.
II IL tho fact Of Hawaii's ceasing &c
exist rs an Independent contractant
that extinguishes those contracts As
TO the vested rights, IL any be estab-
lished In favor Of Japan or Japanese
lubjects in Hawaii, the case IL differ.
emit, and ! repeat that there Is moth
ing In the proposed treaty projudicial
TO the rights OF Japan
"Treaties are terminable in q vari.
ETY. Of ways; that Of 1886 between ia.
pan and Hawaii, to which your pro-
test Ii supposed to relate, Is rcnounc.
able by either party on six months
notice, but its extension would no
ore extinguish vested rights prev
iously acquired under its stipulations
than the repeal OF q municipal law AZ.
fects rights Of property vested under
its provisions.
AS to the point that the mainte-
nance Of tn status quo of Hawaii Is
essential to the good understanding oil
the powers which have interests In the
Pacific IL Is sufficient to remark that
a. Q fact, through three-quartcrs o.
q century, In which the constitutio
aud government Of Hawaii and tn,
commerce OF the islands with tn,
world have undergone notabl,
changes, the one essential feature o
the status quo has been the predomi
naut and paramount influence Of th
United States upon tho fortunes O
The group, and that the union Of tina
island territory to tho United State,
n often foreshadowed, and at times tat
ing tangible shape. has been recos
uized sas-Ha necessary contingcnc,
drawing nearer year by year with th
passage Of eventa Four years ag,
lrwhsn . similar project of annexatio
followed the Hawaiian revolution, Oh
occasion for maintaining the statu
quo vas rot yer suggested by an
power having interests In the Pacif'
'Thia government cannot be e!
pected TO proclaim or admit TINT an
such occasion has since arisen-just q
1t can neither intend nor admit ths
the projected more perfect union
HaW2u 10 tuo OulteO oJbteS, ny WHO
the progressive policies and depender
, associations of some seventy yea
. have their destined elimination Gu
injure any legitimate interests
other powers in the Pacific. That
will tend TO strengthen, develop an
pe~rpetuate all such commonly ben
fetal interests Is, On the contrary,
!. be expected.
> "In thus reviewing the protest yo
present, IL gives mo pleasure to ST
that I welcome its frank and friend
spirit. So far rs you take occasion
! deny what you aptly call the mi
!" chievous suggestion or report tn
. Japan has designs against the int
y rity or sovereignty Of Hawaii, Ia
! glad to assure you that such deni
= was entirely unnecessary, inasmu'
, as this government has not doubte
: and cannot for an instant doubt, Il
: sincerity and friendliness OF Japan
U all that concerns her relations to u
United States and to the Hawaii,
islands."