Evening star., 1898-12-05

I communication OF the latter part OF April,
stated that the permission granted before
the outbreak of hostilities would not be
Withdraw wn provided the United States Gov
| ernment gave assurance that the vessels
in question would proceed direct to a United
States port without engaging in any hos
| tile operation. This Government promptly
| agreed to the stipulated condition, it being
| understood that the vessels would not be
| prohibited from resisting any hostile attack.
| 1t will give me especial satisfaction IL l
| shall be authorized to communicate to you
| a favorable conclusion of the pending nego-
| hations with Great Britain in respect to the
| Dominion of Canada. 1t is the earnest wish
| of this Government to remove all sources of
| dtscord and irritation in our relations with
| the neighboring Dominion. The trade be-
| tween the two countries is constantly in
creasing, and it is important to both coun-
tries that all reasonable facilities should be
| granted for its development.
| The Government of Greece strongly urges
the onerousness of the duty here imposed
| upon the currants of that country. amount
ing to 100 per cent or more of their market
! value. This fruit is stated to be exclusively
Greek product. not coming into competi
| ton with any domestic product. The Ques-
| ton of reciprocal commercial relations with
| Greece. including the restoration of cur
| rants to the free list, Is under consideration.
| The long-standing claim of Bernard
| Campbell for damages for injuries sustain
| ed from violent assault committed against
him by military authorities in the Island
| of Haiti. has been settled by the agreement
| of that Republic to pay him s10,0o0 in Amer
| lean gold. OF this sum 5000 has already
| been paid 1t is hoped that other pending
claims of American citizens against that
| Republic may be amicably adjusted.
GOVERNMENT OF HAWAII.
| Pending the consideration by the Senate
of the treaty signed June 49, 1897, by the
plenipotentiaries of the United States and
| of the Republic of Hawaii, providing for
| the annexation of the Islands. joint reso-
luton to accomplish the same purpose by
| accepting the offered cession and incorpor-
! ating the ceded territory into the Union
! was adopted by the Congress and approved
| July I, 1898. l thereupon directed the L.
| S. s. Philadelphia to convey Rear-Admiral
Miller to Honolulu, and intrusted to his
| hands this important Legislative act. to be
| delivered to the President of the Republic
| of Hawaii, with whom the Admiral and the
| United States Minister Were authorized to
| make appropriate arrangements for trans
/ ferring the sovereignty of the Islands to
| the United States. This was simply but
| impressively accomplished on the 18th of
| August last, by the delivery of certified
| copy of the resolution to President Dole
| who thereupou yielded up to the represent
| ative of the government of the United
| States the sovereignty and public property
| of the Hawaiian Islands.
| Pursuant to the terms of the joint resolu-
| ton and in exercise of the authority there
| by conferred upon me. 1 directed that the
| 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
| until Congress shall provide a government
| for the Incorporated territory, subject to
| my power to remove such officers and to
| fill vacancies. The President officers. and
| troops of the Republic thereupon took the
oath of allegiance to the United States,
| thus providing for the uninterrupted con-
| tinuance of all the administrative and mu-
| nicipal functions of the annexed territory
| until Congress shall otherwise enact.
| Following the further provision of the
| joint resolution. appointed the Honorables
Shelby NJ. Cullom, of Illinois, John T. Nor
| gan, of Alabama, Robert R. Hit, of Iili-
| nois. Sanford B. Dole, of Hawaii, and Wal
| ter r. F'rear, of Hawaii, commissioners
| to confer and recommend to Congress such
| legislation concerning the Hawaiian Islands
| as they should deem necessary or proper
| The Commissioners having fulfilled the
| mission confided 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 give such shape to the relationship
| of those mid-Pacifc lands to our home
Union a will benefit both in the highest
| degree. realizing the aspirations of the COM
| munity that has cast its lot with US and
| elected to share our political heritage. while
at the same time justifyng the foresight
| of those who for three-quarters of a CEN
| tury have looked to the assimilation of
Hawaii as a natural and inevitable con-
summation, in harmony with needs
and in fulfillment of our cherished tradi-
| tions.
The questions heretofore pending between
| Hawaii and Japan, growing out of the al
| legged mistreatment of japanese treaty i'm
! migrants, We're, l am pleased to say, ad-
| justed before the act of transfer by the
| payment of a reasonable indemnity to the
| Government of japan.
| Under the provisions of the joint resolu-
| ton, the existing customs relations of the
| Hawaiian Islands with the United States
| and with other countries remain unchanged
| until legislation shall otherwise provide.
| The consuls of Hawaii, here and in foreign
| countries continue to fulfill their COM
merciai agencies, while the United States
| consulate at Honolulu is maintained for all
| appropriate services pertaining to trade
| and the revenue. 1t would be desirable
| that all foreign consuls in the Hawaiian
| Islands should receive eXequaturs
| from this Government
The attention of Congress is called to the
| fact that our consular offices having ceased
| to exist in Hawaii and being about to cease
| in other countries coming under the
ereignty of the United States the provisions
| for the relief and transportation of desti-
tute American seamen in these countries
under our consular regulations will in con-
sequence terminate. 1t is proper therefore,
that new legislation should be enacted upon
| this subject, in order to meet the changed
conditions.
The Interpretation of certain provisions
| of the extradition convention of December
| IL, 1861. has bean at various times the
occasion of controversy with the Govern