The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-05-14

I
French residents The rcprees natives
~ Great Britain and France solicited
an audience with the Kinp and Privy
council which was granted sepiom-
her J, when they presented n Joint
address 10 the King. protesting
7 against any attempt 60 annex the L.
/ lands 20 any foreign power NJ In con
| traventlon 81 existing treaties, ne wcil
~ unconstitutional This was replied
I to In an able despatch addressed to
/ the Minister ~ Foreign Affairs by
Hon. l. Severance, the United States
1 Commissioner, September g.
A few days later the whole Cabinet
resigned, but were ali reappointed
with the exception Of Or. Judd, who
was succeeded by Hon. f. II. Allen,
whose appointment gave general sat-
isfaction, and caused no change in
the policy Of the Cabinet The result
was n virtual defeat of the scheme
OF the Thirteen"
Growth Of Annexation Sentiment, 1854.
Hon l.. Severance, the United
states Commissioner, returned to the
United States in December, 1853, and
WAS succeeded by Hon. u. l.. Gregg OF
Illinois. who arrived in Honolulu jan
uary g. 1854.
Meanwhile the sentiment in favor of
annexation seems to have been grow.
ing in strength. Three-fourths OF the
business was in the hands OF Ameri-
cans. and the CHIEF market OF the Is
lands was then as now the Pacific
Coast Of the United States. The hope
| NJ eel 1ut tod 10 1aI
to new enterprises. some of which
We're afterwards abandoned.
The fearful decrease of the native
population Cseveral thousands OF
whom had been carried off by the
fatal epidemic OF 1889, the rapid ex-
|, tinction OF the order of the chiefs
/, who were the natural leaders of their
race: the relapse of the King into
: habits of gross intemperance, and the
perils from without overhanging the
feeble government, disheartened many
true friends of the nation, and leo
them to favor the preliminary steps
then taken toward annexation. TIL,
objections of the missionaries to tha
measure have already been stated
They feared that the rights of the ma
tives might be trampled upon, and
: their interests sacrificed. A new an,
liberal constitution had just beer
adopted lin 1882, and they fondly
hoped that the natives would sooI
learn how to use their newly-grante,
, lands and political rights.
The Ministry. as whole, favored
annexation, but Mr.. wyllie acquiesce,
in 1t unwillingly. and only as las
resort, in the case OF an emergency.
: During the two following reigns h,
developed a decided antipathy I,
a American influence, and American
= ideas.
The King. however, strongly favored
annexation. He had long been harass
. ed by the threats OF foreign powers
ne had once been dethroned by Brit
ish naval force: he had repeated.
9 been compelled to make humilatin;
A concessions at the cannon's mouth: h
v had recently seen his fort dismantled
I and his beautiful yacht carried off
/, and his difficulties with France still
ii remained unsettled. At the sam
e time he was kept in state of alarm
d by rumors of flibusters from abroad
d and threats of conspirators at hom
t to overturn his government. He wa
2 grateful for the constant and generou
Y friendship of the United States an,
: for the benefits which his people hat
n received from American citizens.
Besides, he had reason to expect 70
= himself and his chiefs a sum equa
/ to the revenue of his Kingdom an
= FOR his people all the rights of FIRE
n State in the Union. AS far as
h known. most of the high chiefs agree,
:. with him.
+ The heir apparent. Prince Alexande
o Liholiho. however, was at heart op
:, posed TO the treaty, and interpose,
J. every possible delay to its completion
= II is said that he and his brother
3 Lot Kamehameha, never forgave som
incivility which they had experienced
ON account of their color. when trav
cling in America. He was also move
= by a laudable pride of country, a nat
k ural desire to reign, and a partialit
= to England and her institutions
r The mass of the native population
/. was never consulted, and was indiffer
= ent on the subject. Race antagonist
n had not yet been developed to an,
z extent. A newspaper in the Hawaiian
: language, called the Nuhou, edited b.
;, Mr.. Marsh, was started In February
d 1854, to prepare the native mind 70
annexation, and was continued for si
v months Another memorial on tn
: subject, numerously signed, was pre-
o sented to the King in January, 1856
A 1t is singular that hardly an allusio,
= to the subject can be found in tn
:. honolulu papers at the time, and non
Il in an? OF the official reports of II
= Minister of Foreign Affairs. 81
Negotiation of the Treaty.
/. In February, 1854, the matter too
II more definite shape. On the 9th o
n that month. in view of danger fror
n filibusters and conspra,ors. the Kin
: commanded Mr.. Wyllie to ascertain o
= what terms treaty of annexation
! could be negotiated, to be used as
. safeguard to meet any sudden DANCE
q that might arise. Every propositio
was to be considered by the Cabine
. and Prince Liholiho. and the treaty a
, a whole was TO be submitted to Hi
: Majesty for his approval, modificatio
| m