The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-01

| short of the acquisition of California
| Cf that were possible), would be suffi-
cient indemnity to US for the loss OF
these harbors."
(Rep. Sen. Com. on For. Rel, con-
eerning Hawaiian Islands, Vol. 2, p.
921.)
SECRETARY OF STATE JAMES;
! BUCHANAN.
On the Sd of September, 1s49. Secre-
| tary of State Buchanan sent dispatch
| to the United States Minister resident
at Honolulu, TenEyck, concerning the
relations between Hawaii and the
United States. in view of the then
| threatening conduct of the French
I against Hawaii in which the following
words are used:
I'VE ardently desire that the Hawai-
ian Islands may maintain their indie
pendence. It would be highly injurious
to our interests if, tempted by their
weakness they should be seized by
Great Britain or France; more espe-
cially so since our recent acquisitions
from Mexico on the Pacific ocean,
(voI. 2, Rep. Sen. Com. on For. Rel,
concerning Hawaiian Islands, p. s97.)
SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN NJ.
CLAYTON.
In dispatch from Secretary Clayton
to U. S. Minister Rives at Paris. July
5, 1850, referring to the differences be-
tween the French and Hawaiian gov
ernments he made the following state
ment:
1.-The Department will be slow to be-
Iieve that the French have any inten-
ton to adopt, with reference to the
Sandwich Islands, the same policy
which they have pursued in regard to
Tahiti. If, however. in your judgment
it should be warranted by circum-
stances, you may take proper oppor-
tunity to intimate to the Minister for
Foreign Affairs of France that the sit
uation of the Sandwich Islands, in re-
spect to our possessions on the Pacific,
and the bonds, commercial and of 9TH
er descriptions. between them and the
United States, are such that WE
COULD NEVER WITH INDIFFER-
ENCE ALLOW THEM TO PASS IN
DER THE DOMINION OR EXCLU-
SIVE CONTROL OF ANY OTHER
POWER,
(yol. 2, Rep. Sen. Com. on For. Rel,
concerning Hawaiian Islands, p. 1857
WEBSTER'S VIEWS IN 1851.
Secretary of State Webster on June
Is, 1851, addressed u. s. Minister
Rives at Paris, instructing him to i'm
mediately inform the French govern
ment that the further enforcement of
the French demands against Hawaii
would be tantamount to a subjugation
of the islands to the dominion of
France. A step like this could not fail
to be viewed by the government and
people of the United States with a dis
satisfaction which would tend serious
ly to disturb our existing friendly rela-
tions with the French government
And he is further instructed to make
such representations to France tas will
induce that government to desist from
measures incompatible with the sover-
eighty and independence of the Ha-
waiian Islands, and to make amends
for the acts which the French agents
have already committed there in con-
travention of the law of nations and
of the treaty between the Hawaiian
government and France
(Vol. 2, Rep. Sen. Com. on For Rel,
concerning Hawaiian Islands, p. 905-6.)
Secretary of State Webster, replying
to u. s, Minister Severance at Homo
lulu, on July Il, 1851. says, after reeit-
ing that the demands of France were
improper, and could only end in rem
dering the islands and their govern
ment prey to the stronger CONNER
cial nations of the world
1T cannot be expected that the gov
eminent Of the United States could
look on course of things leading to
such a result with indifference.
1.-The Hawaiian Islands are ten times
nearer to the United States than to any
of the powers of Europe. Five-sixths
of all their commercial intercourse is
with the United States, and these con-
siderations, together with others of a
more general character, have fixed the
course which the government of the
United States will pursue in regard to
them. The annunciation of this policy
will not surprise the governments of
Europe, nor be thought to be unreason-
able by the nations of the civilized
world, and that policy is that while the
government of the United States, itself
faithful to it's original assurance, scru-
pulously regards the independence of
the Hawaiian Islands, it can never
consent to see those islands taken pos
session of by either of the great COM
mercia1 powers of Europe
CVol 2, Rep. Sen. Com. on For. Rel,
concerning Hawaiian Islands, p. 90S.)
"a copy Ol the ABOVE letter from sec
rotary Webster TO Minister Severance
was, simultaneously with its dispatch,
furnished to all the members of the
corps in Washington. in cir
cular form, which caused offense to the
French government. but it never
theless acquiesced in its terms, and de-
sisted from the course of aggression
which it had been following
(Vol ?. Rep. Sen Com on For Rel