Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-03-17
TO ANNEX HAWAII.
Committee on Foreign Relations
Prepares Resolution.
Provides for Taking the Islands BY Leg
isation in Open session-Precedent
Found in Annexation of Texas.

tOusy " ItCOHliueiu the tnueNdIlOu u
Hawaii, and prepared a joint resolution
providing that the Hawaiian islands be
annexed by legislation in open session.
This resolution later was reported to
the senate by Chairman Davis 1t was
placed on the calendar.
The following is the text of the mea-
sure:
Section 1.-The government of the re-
public of Hawaii having in due form
slgnited it's consent in the manner pro-
Vlded by its constitution to cede abso-
lutely and without reserve to the United
states of America all rights of SOW
ereignty of whatsoever kind in and to
the Hawaiian Islands and to their de-
Tendencies, and also to cede and trans
fer to the United States the absolute fee
and ownership of all public government
or crown lands, public buildings or edl-
fees, forts, harbors, military equipment
and all other public property of what
ever kind and description belonging to
the government of the Hawaiian Islands
together with every right and appurte-
nance thereunto appertaining, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That said cession is accept
ed, ratified and confirmed, and that the
said Hawaiian Islands and their de-
tendencies be and they are hereby an
nexed as part of the territory of the
United States and are subject to the
sovereign dominion thereof, and that all
and singular the property and right
herein before mentioned, are vested in
the United States of America"
The resolution then adopts the Ian
guage of the treaty beginning with the
second paragraph of the second section
and taking all the remainder Of it. does
not cite it as part of the treaty. These
provide for the disposal of the Hawaiian
public lands, for the temporary govern
ment of the islands until congress de-
cides upon a permanent form of gov
eminent, the abrogation of Hawaiian
treaties and the preservation of Ha-
waiian customs regulations until those
of the United States shall be put in op-
GRAFTON, the assumption of the public
debt of Hawaii by the United States to
the extent of $4,000, 900, the regulation
of Chinese immigration and the appoint
ment by the president of five commits
sioners to prepare a code of laws for
the government of the island.
Section . provides that the commits
sloners provided for shall be appointed
by the president by and with the advice
and consent of the senate. The sum Of
100000 is appropriated by the third and
last section for the purpose of carrying
the resolution into effect, and this sum
is made Immediately available.
Senator Davis said no determination
had been reached as to when the joint
resolution would be called up for con-
sideration in the senate.
The conference report on the agricul-
tural appropriation bill was presented
by Cullom of Illinois, 1t was laid over
until tomorrow.
The amendments made by the house
to the bill granting a right of way to
the Omaha and Northern Railroad Com
pany were agreed to and the bill was
passed
Mr. Frye of Maine presented the re
port of the conferees on the bill provid-
ing for the licensing of mates on river
and ocean vessels, and 1t was adopted.
The senate then, at 1910 p M, on
motion of Mr.. Davis Of Minnesota, went
into executive session.
Senotor Davis submitted with the joint
resolution for annexation of Hawaii an
extended report of the committee. The
report states:
THE joint resolution for annexation
of Hawaii to the United States, here
with reported to the senate by the COM
mittee on foreign relations, brings that
subject within reach of the legislative
power of congress under a precedent
that was established in the annexation
of Texas A treaty of annexation was
negotiated between Texas, as an indie
pendent state and the United States,
which was signed by the agents of the
high contracting powers, April H. 1874
and was submitted to the senate of the
United States by President Tyler, with
a recommendation that it be ratified.
"After mature consideration the trea>
ty was rejected by the senate, June 8,
1874, by a vote of 16 senators for rati-
fication and 30 senators against ratifica-
ton.
"The people of Texas were so indig-
nant at the rejection of this treaty
that a powerful party at once sprang
into existence, in favor of a treaty of
alliance with Great Britain, and Mex
leo was known to be ready to acknowl-
edge and guarantee the independence of
Texas. if she would agree never to
form a union with any other country.
1.-THE people of the United States be-
came greatly aroused at the prospect of
losing Texas, and they demanded inn
mediate annexation by a law that would
speak the will of the majority in con-
gress. Afterwards, and without any
further action by the republic of Tex
as to signify its consent to annexation
to the United States, the joint resolu
ton, containing two alternate sections,
passed both branches of congress and
was approved by the president, March
Z, 1915.
This joint resolution clearly estab-
fishes the precedent that congress has
the power to annex a foreign state to
the territory of the United States, either
by asserting to a treaty of annexation,
or by agreeing to articles of annexation,
or by act of congress based upon the
consent of such foreign government OBJ
tanned in any authentic way.
mo exercise of power could be more
supreme than that under which Texas
was annexed to the United States,
either as to it's scope, or the manner
Of the annexation, or the choice of con-
ditions upon which congress would
merge the sovereignty of an independ-
ent republic into the supremacy Of the
United States.
This act also establishes the fact that
treaty with a foreign state which de-
clares the consent of such state to be
annexed to the United States although
it is rejected by the senate of the
United States. is a sufficient expression
and authorization of the consent OF
such foreign state to authorize congress
to enact law providing for anneXa-
ton which, when complied with. is ef-
fectual without further legislation to
merge the sovereignty Of such indepen-
dent state into a new and different re-
lation with the United States and to-
ward its own people
1T further establishes the fact that
congress, in legislating upon the ques-
ton of annexation of a foreign state
rightfully acts upon the consent of such
state, as the sovereign representative OF