The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-11


which led to the opening of negotia-
tons by Kamehameha III. and his
Cabinet In 1854 for annexation to the !
United States. it is necessary to go
back several years and review the
history of those troubfous times.
The Application for Protectorate In
1851.
The subject of annexation to the
United States was for the first time
seriously considered by the Hawaiian
Government in 1851. The proposition
was forced upon the attention of the
King at that time by the unsettled
difficulties with France, which had
been fomented, if not created. by NJ.
Patrick Dillon, in 1889 1t is not nee
essary here to ecapitulate the history
of the affair of 1S49, of the famous
ten demands drawn up by NJ. Dillon,
and of the "reprisals" taken by Ad-
rniral De Tromelin.. An embassy had
afterwards been sent to Paris, which.
from no fault of Its members. proved
unsuccessful. After the return of this
embassy, NJ. En-. Perrin was sent to
Honolulu as Commissioner of France,
in the corvette Serieuse, which arrived
at Honolulu. December Is. 1850. and
remained in port three months. with
out exchanging salutes with the fort.
To the surprise of all. he persisted in
pressing the Identical ten demands,
presented by Admiral De Tromelin in
1S49, and his attitude became so
menacing that the King and Privy
Council We're finally driven to seek
protection from one of the great Pow
ers. On the 10Th of March. 1851. they
passed a proclamation. placing the Is
lands Professionally under the protec-
ton of the United States of America.
They had, however, previously APP
piled to General Miller, the British
Consul General. who reluctantly adj
mitted that the convention between
France and Great Britain of Novem-
Der IS. 1913. effectually debarred his
government IIOAI dNNCplin6 pioSGC-
torate over the Islands.
, On the next day, conditional deed
of cession of 1.-THE Kingdom to the
United states was drawn UP, signed
and delivered in a sealed envelope to
Hon. L. Severance, the Commissioner
of the United States, by two of the
Kings ministers. This was to be act
ed upon only in case of an emergency,
the signal of which was to be the
raising of the flag of the United
States above that of Hawaii over the
| fort. In that case, the sovereignty OF
| the Islands was to be ceded to the
| United States. to be held in trust until
a settlement of their relations with
France, compatible with the Kings
rights as an independent sovereign
could be made. and if this should be
| found TO be impracticabie. the said
| protectorate was to be perpetual.
| The u. S. S. yandalia. Captain Gard
ner, was in port at the time. The
deed of eession was accepted by Mr.
| Severance Professionally, and referred
| to his government. Mr.. W. C. Parke
the Marshal. was directed 10 have the
Hawaiian and American flags sewed TO
gether, and kept in readiness to be
hoisted at moments notice. He re
manned in the fort, night and day, or
/ the watch. during the 18th and 16tf
of March. By some means, the British
| Consul General learned of what had
been done, and informed NJ. Perrin
who thereupon withdrew the most OBJ
noxious of his demands, and a joint
declaration, comprising four articles
was signed by both parties, March 25
1t appears. however, that NJ Perrin
used language in his later dispatches
| which threatened to reopen question;
| that had been supposed to be closed
| An appeal TO the President of the Uni
i ted States was therefore drawn up ant
presented to Mr.. Severance, which wa
! taken TO Washington by Hon. E. Fl
| Allen, then United States Consul. VIII,
sailed on this mission April 4, 1851
NJ. Perrin left for Paris May "a, II
obtain fresh instructions. and did no
return until January s, 1858. NOTHING
more was ever heard of the rest of tn
ten demands Mr.. Webster, the United
States Secretary of State. made strong
representations to the French Ggovern
ment on the subject, but directed Mr.
Severance to return to the Hawaiian
government the deed of eessien, which
had been placed in his keeping.
A joint resolution was passed b,
both houses of the Hawaiian Legisla
ture June 81. 1851. confirming the ae
ton of the Privy Council, and empow
ering the King and Privy Council t.
place the Kingdom under the protee
ton of some friendly power, If neces
sarv s'to shield it from insult and OF
preston. -
In the FLOWING year, in framing tn
new Constitution, clause was inserte'
in Article 50, which empowered tn
King BY and with the approval OF hi
ICabinet and Privy Council, TO evel
ALLEVIATE his Kingdom ''if indispens
liable to free it from the insult and OF
preston of any foreign power - Thi
shows that the apprehension of som
impending danger was still present t
the minds of the King and his ad
visers.
Filibusters.
| The discovery of gold in Californi
in 1913. which led to the speedy SET
Element OF that State, and TO the open
ling of new routes across the America