The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-10-29
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
How They Were Regarded by President
Tyler.
CElYlnl Tho PIcb,

From the Richmond Dispatch1
Inc question OF the aGlneX a ton of tho
itNwalian or Sandwich Islands Will oc-
cupy the serious attem;on of the United
STATES Senate next session. How will
our Virginia Senators vote on this in
rere9tinS subject? The appearance, at
This time. of the third volume of TIL.
letters and Times of The Tyicrs." by
Lyon u. Tyler, president of William and
Mary College. rCvtves the memory If
now the Islands were regarded iifty-odd
years ago by Southern stat csmcn such
as PRESIDENT Tyler and Hugh S. Lcgarc
anu Judge y. Z. Upshur. who were his
Secretaries of State at that time. The
period of TSler's administration wne;
Undoubtedly one of great possibilities for
TRe statesman. There was IL d!plomaIic
contest between the United States and
Sfrcat Britain. ana the great question at
ISSUE was which power should rule upon
inc Nihtr!can Continent. Securely orl-
Erenehed along our northern border.
GfoEt britain held the whole line from
Name 10 oregon In dispute and Brit
fsh money ard British agents were. &C
lively at work seeking no establish the
Hrittsh authority on our Southwest and
W est where Texas was struggling for
independence of Mexico, and where
stretched the vast unsettled territory
now occupied by Colorado. New Mexico,
-AflHoEnS Idaho, Montana. WN0ming Ne
Nadn. California, Oregon and Washing
ton. In 1912 the opium war" gay.
england footing In Chira facing
California, while the Hudson iGay com
pany, from tn" side of British America.
pushed men and settlements into Oregon.
IN This game for power the possession
or Tie Hawaiian Islands. midway be-
tween China and the coveted coasts Of
California, would have been a decided
gam 10 Great Britain. She, was known
10 nave her eye upon them, and the
Omnirrcscnt British agent. fpmentlng
disturbances, Was there. Now IL seems
tnlt i<ammchamc7la, one Of the native
chiefs, lTid FOR the first time brought
the islands under enc settled govern
incnt. Still he had received no rccogni-
it3n as an independent sovereign from
tine nations OF the world, President
| i!!"r, seeing the danger of British in
tefNeEtion, played nGl effective card by
sending a message NO Congress on De-
ccmbcr 20. 1872, in which ne recognized
hammehamcha, and argued against the
right Of any European power to colo
ni%e or take posse SSIon or his islands
| IhiS stand was a bold one and taken
! Just in tins In February, 1913. Lord
George Paulct. commanding The British
llcct IN the Pacific, made n descent upon
King kammcllImcha, seized The Is
lands ana ran up the british flag over
Ills capitol. The President was at lii:
country sent in Charles City county Va
whcn appliscd of these occurrences bv
letter from his Secretary Of State,
ituEh :. l.cgarc. lie wrote in reply:
YOU VIII remember tie MESA sc sent
i" Congress by ne duRnE The late scs-
SION, recommending the establishment
"i a consular agency III the islands. in
which | said that we could not witness
iheir "ccuIJncy by amy ether nation,
without entering aEninat it solemn
protest. | had hoped thai. 4 declaration
SO emphatic would have been ruspcCtcd
10y GrCQt Britain, and regret TOW to learn
the Contrary" In the Presidents name,
Mr.. L"raia directed Il strong note to
III" brtiSh Government upln the sub
levt, which was followed by Il disclaimer
! IRON ihrm Of Lord Paulct'.S conduct, and
lha withdrawal Of che British forces
| from the Islands. Commenting urcn
MS the President wrote 10 Mr.. Web
seer: ~ GA Will perceive in the news
! PAPERS the disclaimer Of the British
/ Government as II ihc Sandwich Islands
| II has been hiG'hIy gratifying: Hut mas
! much n there seems To lie an unnyctts-
/ FarE assertion Of right 10 enforce vs.
| claims for indemnity for wrongs c5im-'
! inltica on British subjects. In Mr. Eoy's
! !etIer. Il was considered proper In the
| reply OF Judge lpsNlur (W.l:o succeeded
| L""ai'r rs Secretary OF S;iatr) to guard
! n:El!rss any ambiguous or hii,!sn in
| TENT. The diplomatic situation. as is
| We'll known. finally resolved itself dcSid-
/ @NiN 10 tie advantage OF the United
suites in all directions. The boundary
| lin" Cr the n@Itl was settled by the
! Washington treaty Of 1872. Texas and
! thE. West became n pnrt Of !hc United
STATES. and tn Government assumed
! thc character cf 4 ilnrtcCt0:lta over the.
! hawaiian Islands. This was done with
! The consent Of The whole country. and
! tic ISLANDS, by Ties ,f commerce. have
! q closer connection with this Union to-
/ day than ever before. Tht, qiit stian 81
Ntnc%ing the islands Is now directly pre-
| santrd 81 the public bv PrcElAeir; Nc
| N!nlcN. and what shall tho answer be?
! For one. ann for the dnrs X3tiun. The
| only objection have seen advanced
| the annexation of the islands would COM
/ pei large augmentation Of the navy
and CDnscqucEG expense. But the a2icc-
/ lion is apIlrorF rather than real Ar-
| ccrdin% To Tha policy pun sued by Tyler
ana approved by all his successors. W.
ire bound 10 defend ;lIrs7, islands
! a%a'T#t the aGET assipfg OF any fGi,i..l
| Pom "; and this rc+Is.:fs billy, which no
| "H" denies. requires for It's proper dis
| cha"E' GURr rs much of u fec; as the
| actual annexation. On the other hand
! The possession of the island, would give
| US many advantages W. are move with
| out FROM them wr coull dictiIt, laws
/ - oil thg immense commerce Of the
| Pacific. ana IN their har-hals our fleets
could hnL abundant rcruG" ana prCtcc-
| t'uIT ard opportunities fu1 CoaiiuG
ANNEX ATIONIST.
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| PREJUDlCE.DA AGAINST THE WHITE
MAN.