Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-09-01
r, THE THEFT OF HAWAII.

On the 18th of August, the ceremony
OF the formal transfer of the Hawaiian
Islands to the authority OF the United
States government took place at Hono-
lulu. 1t was a memorable occasion and
the circumstances attending the cere.
monies are we'll calculated to impress
the American people, even those who
have given the sub ect little thought
thus far, with an idea of the enormity
OF the offence perpetrHted by this
country against the people of the Sand
wich Islands. The story OF the transfer,
aa told by special correspondent, con-
tains the following:
Tbs sight was most impressive, not
because of the size of the crowd, for 1t
was not large; not for tumult for
there was little noise; not for length OF
ceremonial, for the exercises were as
simple as they should bs when one ro-
public absorbs anuther, but because one
nationality was snuifed out like spent
candle, aud another was set in itH
place. 1t was but another roll Of this
iuggerpaut car in which the lordly
Anglo Saxon rides to his dream of
universal empire. 1t was as joyous an
occasion as far of America may
imagine. When it was over, women
who wore the American emblem wiped
their eyes, and men who have been
strong for annexation, said with thr0b
in the throat, How sad il wasn'
As for Hawaiians, they were not
there. 1t was self denial on their part.
for the Kanaka dearly loves crowd
and that invisible fluid that floats
from man to man and which we call
excitement, but on this day of days
the HawHiians were clusely housed.
They we're not on the streets. they were
not at the stores. They we're shut up
in their houses, and from the Queens
stately home to the Iueanest shed. the
open windows and closed shutters ware
lonely and sonibre as places of Heath.
Those who were obliged to be abroad
slipped by through back streets and
narrow lanes. They wore on their bats
| the twisted golden lima that tells Of
love Of royalty, or on their breasts
Hawaiian fiags and badges.
So fow uawaiians were In front Of
the executive building that it might
have been almost any capital except
| Honolulu. There we're Americans,
Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese in
numbers, nut no Hswaiians. About
| tbs ceremonies thers was all the
tension of an execution. 1t was more
funeral than fets, more a solemn cere
mony than a gay event. There was
something fine and strong 10 the re-
straint the annexationists put upon
themselves in thu hour of their tri.
umph. There was little Of blowing OF
horns and footing of whistles. Only
one man drove about in a carriage
groaning under load of rod, white and
blue, and he was not IN American, but
Greek.
There was absolutely no spsechmsk-
ing, except a few dignified words from
Minister Sewall; no spread eagleism,
no procession and no cheering.
There were Six Hawaiians on the
platform reserved for distinguished
folk, where diplomats aud cabinet
ladies and ministers' wives were seated
IN order of their husbands prom nence
One of these native women ia the wife
OF prominent native lawyer and poll
ticiao. He came for business reasons,
and she came because he required her
to. In facial characteristics she la not
unlike the ex-Queen, and many people
mistook her fur Liliuokalani. She
came In on her husbands arm, very
proud and dignified and stately, 10 a
floating holoku OK black ami violet, bel
hat plumad with royal yellow. She holc
her head very high among her lighter
neighbors. and she bore up very well
until the Hawaiian band began to play
Hawaii ponol" for the last tim 9
the national anthem. Then she covered
her eyes with her fan and wept.
She did not raise her eyes again and
she did not see the Hawaiian flag as il
tloated and then sank for the last time
Other natives who we're forced to be
there covered their eyes, and an ole
: woman who stood Near never moved hel
eyes from the flag as it droppsd, hut 0
, rain of tears fell on her cheeks
Hawaiians in the ranks of the Nationa
Guard covered their faces and hSeC
, their eyes on the ground. Whel
Hawaii Ponol," which means Sou
! very own Hawaii" came to be playet
it was a weakly strain. for all th,
3 natives had thrown away their instru
nents and had fell round corner, on
J of sight. Only ten men, none OF then
BawaiiHns, were left to play. Men hal
: begged their leader TO be relieved frou
3 playing what Yves TO them oiirge, an,
8 he had consented.