New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-31
FORMER NEGOTIATIONS RECALLED.
THE TREATY OF ANNEXATION OF THIRTY YEARS
AGo-THE VOTE on THE ISLANDS.

AGO-THE VOTE or THE ISLANDS
Tho following article. quoted from The London
Times" recalls the negotiations carried on thirty
years ago by the United States for tho purchase OF
the Danish islands together with the failure OF the
scheme:
At the time of the Civil War the United states
Government became suddenly aware INA, condition
OF all the islands lying OF it's southeastern shores
were in the hands OF a Power regarded as semi
hostile. To remedy this state OF Things me amer
,iban Islands Of ST Thomas St John and santa
Cruz. generally known as the Danish west iiiqles'
tiles at Washington. hut the Conservative Govern
ment at Copenhagen refused TO near "A word apou n
Ministry came into power in Denmark. and the
United States renewed It's suit; bid OF sTiD
was great. Denmark had Just emerged from her
struggle With Germany and was bent on r gett' g
hand without the disagreeabe necessity OF taxa
ton. The Danish Government sac tha IL, me
10 the consent Of France In the case OF santa
Cruz because Of an ANCIENT 5Tsay Tor some
further bargaining the United State offered ana
Denmark agreed TO accept $4,000" for ST. Ihomas
This however was only the financial part OF the
bargain What was to be done WIN ihe mo psopro
lean citizens willy-niliy by The ol
m t had declared from the very beginning of the
negotiations that the consent Of the islanders Was
sine qua non ana stpuaed am ma" bv ' ballot Mr.
Seward. the American Secretary OF state iorgGJ-
ting in his hurry 70 set ,S boe domination Of
his own political system. Mt first refused TO wait
I'll the people ha9 eeen heP old segancc he
said might leave the island within two years aiter
To persist in the demand for plehisci'e might
destroy the chance Of ever touching ma. d =, 49,
mark would not hear OF compelling his fellow sub
jects to become aliens or exles he STOOD nr m
Int~or u
ands Il must ask the islanders. The Washington
Ministers were shamed into consentinS at iast,
popular sanction or dlsspproval. Edward Corte ro
sen formerly Danish Governor on the Guinea
was sf 6 9ei Z Dr. HaWey was the
can Governmsnts H nubshed bV olive
ihc.e details are obtained DR.. Hawleys duty was
simply to give the West Indians any Information
they wanted about the people desiring tneir ter-
rory and not to TSsTGse Amy Who wished to
keep the trade OF the islands as free as before
definitely informed that ths Gona be TOI must
submit 10 the United States tariff.
have been sure in their own mind that the people
OF ST. Thomas would favor the change January
o 1863 vas the appointed polling Ha% ' of re Ts
eral holiday. and the voting was carried on IN the
midst Of great pcpqsr 81. re9Gg must
been discoverable and discovered beforehand me
King n bet6Te the Voting SPOKE hus Wh n
cere sorrow do look forward 10 the severance OF
those Ties which for many years hav" united you
TO US and the mother country and never forgetting
the many demonstrations Of loyalty ana anecuon
which we have received from you We trust that
nothing has been neglected on our SIDE 10 secure
the future welfare Of our beloved and iathtui SUP,
iects and that mighty impulse both moral ana
material will be given TO the HAPPY devc@pHT.It o,
the Islands under the new sovereignty, u" hrn
the votes came to be counted IT was tound that
only twenty-five mad been cast against ahnexatloh
on St Thomas and not one on st John. Inc oe-
cision was practically unanimous.
How then does ii happen that the panish e nag
still waves over 81. Thomas and 81. John, sim
nly because the American Senators laid thH an
nexaton treaty OH the shelf without word OF eX-
Mana ION excuse.