Warren sheaf., 1898-12-08
scon and, ~
cilities should be granted for: its develop
mar q J. +
sANNExATIoN "a II I Il ~ & OF HAWAII.
The President Recftes the Situation
s.: vithAReferencetO to the Islands.

q 7E<55 :. r.
Pending: the consideration by the senate
of, the treaty. signed June 16, 1887, by the
plenipotentiaFies of the United States and
of the republic Of Hawaii, providing for the
annexation Of the islands, a joint resolution
to accomplish the same purpose by accept
ing the offered concession and incorpOrat-
ing the. ceded territory into the union was
adopted by the congress and approved
July z, 1898. I thereupon directed the
United States steamer Philadelphia to con-
vey Rear Admiral Miller to Honolulu, and
entrusted to his hands this important leg
dent Of the republic of Hawaii, with whom
the admiral and the United States minis
ter were authorized to make appropriate
eighty of the islands to the United States.
This was simply but impressively accom-
plished on the 18th 12tht Of August. last, by the
ton to President: Dole, who thereupon
yielded up to the representative Of the gov
ernment Of the United States the sover-
eighty and public property ofthe Hawaiian
IS Pusuant to the terms of the joint resolu-
tion and in exercise of the authority there
civil, judicial and military powers there
tofore exercised by the officers of the gov
ernment of the. republic of Hawaii should
continue to- be exercised BY those officers
for the incorporated territory, subject to
my power to remove such officers and to fill
vacancies les - The pp7r.esdent officers apd n
oath of allegiance to the United States,
thus providing for the uninterrupted con-
tinuance Of all the administrative and
municipal functions of the annexed terri
tory until congress shall otherwise enact.
Following the further provision Of the
joint resolution. I appointed Hon. Shelby
M. Cullom, of Illinois; John T. Morgan, OF
Alabama; Robert r. Hit, of Illinois; San
ford B. Dole, of Hawaii, and Walter F..
Grear, of Hawaii, as commissioners to con-
lation> concerning the Hawaiian islands as
they should deem necessary or proper. The
commissioners having fulfilled the mission
contided to them their report will be laid
before you at an early day. 1t is believed
that their recommendations will have the
earnest consideration due to the magnitude
of the responsibility resting upon you to
mid-Pacific lands to our home union as will
benefit both in the highest degree, realizing
the aspirations of the community that has
cast it's lot with us and elected to share our
political heritage, while, at the same time,
justifying the foresight of those who for
three-quarters Of a century have looked to
the assimilation of Hawaii as a natural
and inevitable consummation, in harmony
with our needs and in fulflllment of our
cherished traditions.
The questions heretofore pending be.
the alleged mistreatment of Japanese
treaty immigrants, were, I am pleased to
say, adjusted before the act of transfer by
the payment of a reasonable indemnity to
the government of Japan.
Under the provisions Of the joint resolu-
tion the existing customs relations of the
Hawaiian islands with the United States
and with other countries remain un-
changed until legislation shall otherwise
provide. The consuls Of Hawaii, here and
in foreign countries, continue to fulfill their
States consulate at Honolulu is maintained
for all proper services pertaining to trade
and the revenue. It would be desirable that
all foreign consuls in the Hawaiian islands
government