The Republican journal., 1897-06-24
The Treaty signed
For Annexation of Hawaiian Islands to United
States Provisions OF Document Awaiting Rati-
cation. Formal Protest Made by Japanese Gov.
ernment,

WAsHINGToN. D. c.. June Is. In the
great diplomatic room of the state depart
ment, where four years and four months
ago, in the closing hours of the Harrison
administration. the first Hawaiian annex
alton treaty was sig ned only to be with
drawn from the Senate and thrown into d
pigeon hole. the representatives of the
government of the [ nited States and
Hawaii gathered this morning and signed
a treaty by the terms of which, if ratiti d,
the little island republic will become part
of the territory of the United States.
Three persons who stood in the room to-
day were present when the original treaty
was signed, namely: Special Commission
er Thurston and Assistant Secretaries Adee
and Cridler. The first named, perhaps,
took a more sincere personal pleasure in
the ceremony of this morning than any Of
the others, because of the stirring events
of the last four years, in which he was SO
directly concerned.
| 1t was very unusual thing for treaty
of such Importance to be signed early in
the morning. 1t was decided that the
convention be made ready early in order
that it might be submitted to the Senate
on the day of its signature. The docu
ment itself had been prepared carefully
|
pleted at the close of office hours yester-
day, but it was necessary to make close
comparison and the President wished an
other opportunity to 90 over the docu
M emit, probably with a view to drawing up
message with which it will be accom-
panied to the Senate. Therefore, before 9
o'clock the persons who were concerned
in the preparation of the treaty were all
at the State department. For the United
| States, there were Secretary Sherman, As
sistant Secretaries Day, Adee and Cridler,
| Private Secretary Babcock and Assistant
Private Secretary Gaytree. On the Ha-
waiian side were Minister Hatch, Lorin
Thurston and W. A. Kinney, all for this
particular occasion accredited as special
commissioners duly empowered to nego-
| tlate treaty OF annexation.
After the formal greetings the creden-
tials of the plenipotentiaIies were scanned
and recorded. Secretary Sherman alone
represented the United States in the sig
nature Of the convention and it was part
of the ceremony to record his authorize
ton by the President Just as much as it
was the credentials of the Hawaiians from
President Dole.
Then came the reading and comparison
of the treaty. OF this there were two
drafts, one to be held by each, later on to
be changed in the usual form Altogether
it was twenty minutes after O. clock when
all was ready for the signatures. The
Hawaiian representatives had brought
with them gold pen, in plain holder,
and at their request this was used for all
of the signatures.
Secretary Sherman signed first the copy
intended to be held here, while Minister
Hatch signed first the Hawaiian copy of
the treaty. The treaties were sealed by
Assistant Secretary Cridler with private
seal, carried on his watch chain, the copies
were handed to their respective custodians
and the treaty was made as far as the
executive branch of the government could
effect it. There was general exchange
of congratulations between the parties to
the ceremony, and after photograph had
been taken Of the commissioners, the
ceremony was ended.
Before the final signature of the docu-