The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-16
Hawaiian Annexation.

From the Philadelphia Ledger, Republican, July S.
The United States Senate has passed
the Hawaiian annexation resolution by il
to q. If the pairs and those not voting
had been counted, there would have been
clear majority of % for the resolution,
although not two-t thirds of the whole num-
Der of senators. The resolution has al
ready passed the House, and now goes to
the President, who, having been persis-
tent in urging it, will, of course, give it
his approval. 1t would be assurd to say
that the question has been debated in the
Senate, as outside some running common
tary by Mr.. Teller and short address by
Mr.. Hoar the supporters of the resolution
have remained absolutely mute. On the
other side powerful speeches have been
made by Messrs. White, Pettigrew, Allen
and Gallery. and the argument they offer
ed covered every phase of the proposition.
1t has been shown that the Hawaiians
were unjustly deprived of self government
by handful of American conspirators in
league with the American Minister
Stevens. who overawed the natives by
landing United States troops. The rea-
son for the anxiety of President Dole and
his accomplices to hand the islands over to
this country is their keen appreciation of
the fact that the natives are apt at any
moment to rise and expel the usurpers,
and that they would have SO risen long ago
but for the fear of American intervention
on behalf of Dole
The resolution adopted by Senate and
House is almost word for word the same
text as is found in the treaty of annexa-
ton, which is still pending, but which
could not command the necessary two
thirds vote. Congress may make laws,
pursuant to the Constitution, for the gov
eminent of our own nation, but it has no
constitutional warrant to make any law
binding on "a foreign nation. International
agreements or conventions are properly mat
ters of treaty, to be initiated by the Presi-
dent and to become effective by the con-
sent of two-thirds of the Senate. The
House of Representatives has no authority
in the premises whatever, and yet, in VIC
lation of the Constitution, it has taken the
initiative in the present resolution of an
nexation, which is to all intents and pur-
poses treaty. And if we can annex
| Hawaii by resolution, with the consent of
its de facto Government, but in opposition
to the will of its native population, so also
| H., ,.o,ol,,+;or xya oop onnav Tralapd mi III
or without the sanction of Great Britain OF
the inhabitants of Ireland If plebescite
were held in Hawaii the natives would
quite unanimously vote against annexation.
OF the entire population of 10, 600, white,
brown and yellow, it is improbable that
5, 900 are in favor of the surrender of the
islands to the United States.
The resolution passed by Congress pro-
poses to annex Hawaii as a territory.
There is no precedent for such a course,
and in the opinion of able lawyers no war
rant for it in the constitution. Texas. il
is true, was admitted to the Union by act
Congress. but it came in as State, and
Congress has the power to admit States,
but no power is delegated to it to annex
foreign territory Why did not the adj
vocates of Hawaiian annexation propose to
admit Hawaii as State, and cite Texas
as precedent Simply because they
knew that the people would be appalled, at
the thought of giving Statehood to the
mongrel population of these islands, most
of them pagans and incapable of appreciat-