The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-11
HAWAIrS ANNEXATION
MOVEMENT IN EARLY sos
How and Why Kamehameha III. and His Cabinet
Sought Union With the Great Republic
.--Poper by Prof. Alexander.


history of the Hawaiian Islands. 1t |!
opened a new market for their produe- !
tions, and brought them into closer |
commercial relations with the United
States. Communication became fire.
quent between them and America, and
capital began to be largely invested
here.
At that time California was resorted
to by numerous lawless adventures,
who planned a number of raids or fill
clustering expeditions into the neigh
boring countries. The notorious Gen.
Walker headed raid of this kind into
Lower California in 1853, and others
into Nicaragua in 1855 and 1851, in
the last of which he was taken pris-
oner and shot.
The Hawaiian government received
many warnings in the fall of 1851 that
a band of filibusters was being organ
lied to invade this. kingdom. At the
request of the Cabinet, the T.. S. S.
Vandalia, Captain Gardner, was kept
at Honolulu, ready to seize any sus-
pieious vessel, and body of 100 native
troops was drilled for several months
by Lieutenant Read of the Eandalia.
About twenty-five suspicious charae-
tiers, headed by Sam. Brannan, came
down from San Francisco in November,
1851, in the ship Game Cock.
During the voyage the mail bag was
rifed by members of the party, and
the letters thrown overheard. They
were under the false impression that
the country was ripe for revolution
and that the King was ready to sell
his kingdom, and to retire from the
cares of state But they soon found
that they had been deceived in regard
to the feeling of the natives, and that
the officers and men of the whaling
fleet were also hostile to them. They
were closely watched, the King declin-
ed to see them, and the expedition
ended in fasco.
During the years 1854 the coun-
try was disauieted by frequent ru-
Inors of filibustering expeditions being
fitted out, and British and American
ships of war We're kept in port much
of the time. as safeguard. Mr..
wyllie strongly advocated the plan of
organizing a force of 5000 militia, to
consist of natives armed with pixies,
and a small contingent of cavalry, to-
gether with 100 regular troops, for de-
Tense against filibusters, but it was
rejected by the Privy Council.
The Political Agitation of 1853.
During the years 1s50-54 a consider
able immigration from California took
place. 1t embraced many restless, am
bilious spirits. some of whom came for
the purpose of exciting revolution.
They found the foreign community al
ready split into factions, between
which bitter feuds existed of long
standing. Many of the newcomers nat
urally Joined the opposition party.
which claimed to be the liberal and
progressive element in the country.
The plan of the leaders of the new
| movement seems to have been TO re-
construct the government. and then to
turn it over to the United states. A
/ secret committee of thirteen was APP
pointed to carry out their designs
! Their first object was to bring abou,
the removal of two of the ministers
viz. Messrs. Armstrong and Judd
The unsuccessful attempt to make Do
litical capital out of the smallpox cpl
dernic of 1858 was discreditable to al
! engaged ia it. At the same time an
| active agitation was commenced in
/ favor of annexation, and the two OBJ
noxious ministers were accused of be.
/ ing an obstacle in the way of it
/ Threats were freely used to intimidats
the King and chiefs into dismissine
/ them.
In August a memorial in favor OIL
annexation was presented to the King
which was signed by seventeen respec.
table residents, who were supporter.
of the Cabinet. This called out a card
! published September 10, 1853, signed
by Revs. E. W. Clark and P. ]. Gu
! lick, declaring that "the Protestant
missionaries at the Islands have never
engaged in any scheme of annexat ton
! 1t has been their cherished wish thar
! the government may remain independ
emf under the present constitution ant
| rulers. Whatever may have been don;
by merchants. planters and others
the Protestant cIergymen at the Is
| lands have neither advised nor signed
any memorial to the King touching
! annexation" In a letter published il
| August, 1854, Mr.. Clark stated that a
TIE dHHudi ConVOcaIlon IN May, 1895
he had frequent conversations will
| other missionaries on this engrossins
subject. Not one of them expressed
an opinion in its favor. but. on tn
| contrary. they did express doubts a!
to its expediency, and grave apprehen
| sions of disaster to the natives from
the influx of lawless and unprinciplet
| foreigners" With this agreed tn.
known views of the French Cathoii
| missionaries
The memorial created 10 little ex
citement among the. British ant
French residents. The representative
Of Great Britain and France solicite,
an audience with the King and Priv.
Council. which was granted Septem
Der 1. when they presented a join
address to the King protesting
against any attempt to annex the Is
lands to any foreign power as in con
travention of existing treaties. as WEI
as unconstitutional. This was reptile,
10 in an able despatch addressed I
the Minister of Foreign Affairs b.
Hon. L Severance. the United state
Commissioner, September 8.
J A few days later the whole Cabine