The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-11
AN IMPREssIyH PROTEST.

AN IMPRESSIVE PROTEST.
 A great many people in this country don't see any good reason why Cuba, the Hawaiian Islands, or any other is- lands should be gobbled up or "annex- ed'' by the United States. These people will be much interested in the protest against annexation which Is to be made by some Hawaiians who will arrive in Washington early next month. What the delegation will say is indicated in a memorial adopted at mass meeting of Hawaiian citizens at Honolulu. This memorial, which is addressed Ito the President, Congress and people of the United States" recites that a majority of the menorialists are aboriginal Ha- waiians. qualified voters under the con- stitution that existed prior to the over- throw of the monarchy by few for eigners in January, 1893, but now dis franchised and held in subjection" by the armed forces of the alleged ''repub- lie of Hawaii" that they have never yielded and do not now acknowledge willing allegiance to the said repub- lic;" that the government of the said republic ''has no warrant for it's exist ence in the support of the people of the islands" and now exists and
 maintains itself solely by force of arms against the rights and wishes of almost
 the entire aboriginal population of these islands"
 As to the real nature of the existing
 regime, it is held that the alleged re- public lis not founded on a basis of popular government or republican prin- ciples. Its constitution was adopted by
 a convention majority of whose mem-
 bers were self-appointed, the rest hay ing been elected by an insignificant
 minority of the white and aboriginal
 citizens" The majority of those who
 voted for the members of the conven- | tion, according to the memorial, were aliens, without property or social ties in the islands" The constitution adopt | ed by this self-constituted convention
 has never been submitted to a vote | of the people, but is maintained by 1 force of arms against the will of the vast majority of the population. The | oligarchy existing under this constitu- | ton "assumes," it is complained, the right to extinguish the Hawaiian na- | tionality and cede rights of sovereignty to the United States" And the memo-
 rialists "learn with grief and dismay | that the President of the United States
 has submitted to the Senate a treaty
 whereby it is proposed to annex our | territory"
 Having been accustomed for fifty
 years to govern by majorities," the Hawaiian people, it is said, protest against this invasion of their political
 rights" and ask the President and Congress to refrain from the proposed
 wrong. Governments" we are re-
 minded, "derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and the
 Hawaiian people have never consented either to their existing government or to the proposed annexation. Accord ingIy they submit that they ''have the
 right in the forum of conscience to be l heard'' in opposition to annexation. Hitherto, they say, they have been 'de-
 nied the privilege of being heard" In view of these facts the President and 1 Senate of the United States are asked to "take no further steps" toward the | ratification of the treaty of annexation until such of the Hawaiian people as
 were "qualifiedto vote under the consti- tuition of 1887 shall have had the oppor- 1 tunity to express at the ballot box their
 wishes as to whether such project of annexation shall be accepted or reject ed" If annexation carries on a fair
 vote of the people the memorialsts of
 declare their readiness to asquiesce eheerfully.
 This is very reasonable, and it is
 evident that the voice of nineteen
 twentieths of the population of the | islands ought to receive attention. i There is no need of hurry in this mat | ter, and it is to be hoped that congress | will take pains to know what it ought 1 to do before it does anything.
 ] Mir Ashn1,v Penners-"Then vnn