The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-21
MORE FROM H|LO
Cocoanut Island Squatter
Holds His Ground
Humane Work Under DIsadvanta-
ges-The Schooi System-Some
Business Depression.

by Sheriff Andrews c. D. Pringle has
written the following letter:
Hilo, Hawaii, Nov. IL, 1893
Hon. LCrrin \. Andrews, Sheriff OF
Hawaii, Hilo, Hawaii, H. l.
Sir: l have the honor to acknowledge
your favor Of the 18TH inst in which
you say III part:
u. am instructed by the Attorney
General TO require you TO remove your
lumber and other effects from Cocoanuc
Island, Hilo Bay, and to treat you en-
tire!y as a trespasser without right"
In reply, l have TO inform you that |
deny your right or the right of the act
ing Attorney General OF the Hawaiian
Islands TO modest me or in any way in
terfere with my residence upon the
Homestead which ] have taken on land
formerly known as Cocoanut Island, in
the Bay Of HilO and to invite your
attention TO the opinion Of Attorney
General Griggs, Gated September 9th,
1899, in which he says in part:
1T is only necessary to refer TO the
language Of the resolution referring
10 the Newlands Resolution and to the
well understood principles Of public
law which govern the subject of terri
tory coded by one government to an
other to reach the easy conclusion that
the public lands in the Hawaiian ISL
ands, upon the approval Of the Joint
Resolution OF Cession, became the prop
erty Of the United States, and could
! thereafter be disposed Of only in ac
rordance with such special laws as
Congress might hereafter enact. The
preamble to the resolution declares
That Whereas, the Government of the
Republic Of Hawaii having in due form
! signified its consent in the manner pro-
vided ny its Constitution to cede abso-
ed States of America ell rights of SOW
ereignty Of whatsoever kind in and
over the Hawaiian Islands and their
dependencies, and also to cede and
transfer to the United States the abso-
lutte fee and ownership of all public,
government or crown lands, public
buildings or edifices, ports, harbors,
military equipment, and all other pub
lie property of every kind and descrip-
ton belonging to the Government OF
the Hawaiian Islands, together with
every right and appurtenance thereunto
appertaininS.
And the resolution following this
preamble resolves:
THAT the cession is accepted, ratI-
fed, and confirmed, and that the Ha-
waiian Islands and their dependencies
be and they are hereby annexed as
part of the Territory of the United
States, and are subject to the sovereign
opinion thereof, and that all and singu-
lar the property and rights hereinbe-
fore mentioned are vested in the United
States Of America"
The Attorney-General continues:
This language expressly recites the
cession and transfer to the United
States CT the absolute fee and owner
ship Of all public property OF every
kind and description belonging TO the
Government Of the Hawaiian Islands.
Concluding, tho Acknowledgement
says:
| Il have the honor to advise you that
the local head OF the existing Govern
ment in the Hawaiian Islands, should
he notified that such Government has
no power to make any sale or DISPOSE
ton Of the public lands in the Islands
and that all proceedings taken or pend
ing for such sale and disposition should
he discontinued" etc.
You are also referred to the entire
opinion Of the AttOrney-General IN con
naction with those portions above
quoted, which was duly published III
tho Honolulu Bulletin of September 80
1899.
Won will observe from the decision
~ Attorney-General Griggs. that the
acting Attorney-General for the hawai-
inn Islands has no power whatever te
declare against my right to hold ina
land. unless especially authorized OS
tho President Of the United States Wh>
nv the terms of the Resolution mas th'
right to control and manage the aHaIF
IF the Hawaiian Islands until such tim
AS Congress shall otherwise proVid
for it's government.
You are therefore advised that l re
fuse absolutely to yield TO any au'hoF
inv respecting my Homestead entry eA
cont it emanate from the President Q
the United States or his duly author
ized representative, and any attemp
on the part of the Attorney-General {
, the Hawaiian Government to usurp m
rights thereon will be met by sue
! means as may be necessary to enforf
! the sovereign dominion Of the Unite