The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-03-08
Continued from 1st pages

Jue lSlanuS were interrupted, pro-
perry was depressed, the sugar
planters were threatened with bank
ruptcy and the representative Of
the Hawaiians appeared before the
Committees on Foreign Affairs,
pleading for the preservation of the
treaty.
The pecuniary interests are much
larger now than they then we're,
and by those interests any and every
government that may be set up, by
Whatever name called and by whom
soever managed, will be controlled.
The old monarchy had no affection
for the United States, but its policy
was subordiuated to our policy, and
such must be the condition OF every
successor, whether an oligarchy, a
monarchy, or republic.
From these general remarks / turn
to the consideration of the circum-
stances under which we are invited
to accept the annexation OF the Ha-
waiian Islands. We are not so far
removed in time from the events
that occurred in Hawaii in the early
months OF the year 1898, that we
may disregard the political charac-
ter and moral quality of the pro-
ceedings. called a revolution, when
we are invited to accept the terri
tory that was then and thus wrested
from its ancient proprietors.
There is nothing sacred in a mon
archy, indeed there is nothing sacred
in any government, whatever its
form or name. The right of gov
eminent to exist comes from the
will OF the people freely expressed.
This test is fatal to the claim OF
those who now rule in Hawaii.
There are forty thousand Hawai-
ians in the islands and OF those
thirty-one thousand are OF unmixed
blood. 1t is claimed that under the
old Regime there were ten thousand
voters. They owed allegiance to the
old government. There may have
been others who were subjects.
These as a body have never been
consulted. Assume, what | do as
sumo, that the Queen had no rights
except such as may have been de-
rived from the people, and that
there was continuing right in the
people to supersede her in authority
and yet the fact remains that power
in the people has never been ex-
ercised.
Mr.. Secretary Foster, in the treaty
which he prepared in the last days
of President Harrison's administra-
ton, admitted right as then exist
ing in the Queen and beyond her in
the heir apparent to the throne.
BY that project of a treaty the
Queen was to be paid the sum of
$4,000 annually during her life and
the Princess was to receive in hand
from the United States the sum OF
$4,000, provided, however, that
those two women, respectively,
should, sin good faith, submit to
the authority of the government of
the United States and the local gov
eminent of the Islands"
Thus did that project recognize
the personal rights of the Queen and
also the right of succession in the
dynasty Of which she was then the
head
There may be those who favor an
nexation, who will excuse themselves
in the thought that the government
was only monarchy, and that its
overthrow, however accomplished,
was praiseworthy act.
Governments ought not to disre-
gard their moral obligations.
This transaction is tainted with
injustice. Injustice it may be to
the deposed Queen, but assuredly it
is tainted with injustice to the 49,
600 Hawaiians who should be per-
mitted to speak in regard to the
government OF their native land.
And we who have maintained the
doctrine of Home Rule, who have
pleaded for Ireland, who have raised
millions of men from slavery to citi-
zenship, can we either defend this
proceeding or accept the fruit
thereof
Finally, what disposition is to be
made of the present population3 or
the native Hawaiians there are
about 10000, Of Japanese $4,000, Of
Chinese 2l,000, of Portuguese $4,000,
OF Americans 5000, OF British, Ger
mans and French combined there
are 1000, of other nationalities a
thousand. Thus the Islands con.