Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 161, 12 Iulai 1894 — HAULING DOWN THE FLAG. [ARTICLE]

HAULING DOWN THE FLAG.

[7rom th« 5an ] The refusal of Presideut CleveJ land to annex tbe Hawaiian Islj ands to the United States has been the oeeaaion of more adverse criticism upon tbe administration than any other incident. The rejection of the protfer to treat with a coterie of plotters and conspirators to thrnst into the Union a semi-civilized people without asking their assent or giving thera an opportunity to j express tbemselves has been denonnced as an infamy, as hauling down the fiag, as a national humiliation. All possible poliiieal capital has been made out of it. In doing this tbe Hepuhliean party' appears to have lost sight of an event whieh occurred some twenty’-five years ago, for whieh that party was solely responsible, and whieh, if the Hawaiian matter is an infamy, then the great party of loy T alty r and morality will have to rise and explain. This was the rejection by r the ! United States Senate, when almost unauimouslv Eepublican, of the treaty providing for the annexation of the Islands of St. Thomas and St. John. Negotiatious with Deumark for this annexation were opened by’ President Liueoln shortly before his assassination. Convinced by the experience of the war of the necessity for a coaling or naval station in the W T est Indies. Mr. Liueoln and Mr. seward summoned Vice-Admiral Porter to a consnltation. The Admiral strongly’ advised the acquisition of these islands. St. Thomas, he said, lies in the track of fessels i trading between many countries. ! It is the central point from whieh ! any or all the T\’est Indian Islands ean be assailed, while it is impervious to attack. * * It is a small Gibraltar itself and cou!d not be attacked by a naval force. Its harbor and that of St. John and the harbor formed by Water i Island wonld eoniain all the ves- : sels of the iargest navy in the | world. It is,” he added, “the keystone to the arch of the West Iudies. lt commands them all. | It is of more importance to us j | than to any other nation.” The lsland of St Thomas was decribed as raost beautiful, and its inhabitants “industrious. prond, | peaeeahle and high-spirited.” Their moralstandard was bigb and they were well-edacated plant1 ers, merchants and seamen, with a fine system of free schools. 1 In January, 1865, President Lineoln communicated to Denmark the desire of the United States to acqnire these islands. i After a great deal of bargaining and a visit to St. Thomas by Secretary Seward and a mission to Copenhagen by' Senator Doolittle terms were finally agreed npon. Tbe United States waa to pav seven and a half million dollars for the Islands of St. Thomas and St, John, subject to the assent of the people. Denmark had entered in tbis arrangement with great reluctance. lt was made a party question in Copenhagen, the liberals advocating the treaty. The negotiations were dragged along throogh near!y the entire term of Andrew Jackson. King Christian issued his proclamation to the people ot the islands settiwg fozth his regret at the proapect ol partmg wiih his faithlol

• subjects. The people of St Thomas were eager for information concerning the United States and an agent was sent : from Washington to answer tbeir inquiries. The vote was taken on the 5tb •of Janoary, 1868. The day was made a puhlie bo!iday in St Thomas. Gnns were nreii. bells rung and processions marched through the town. Tbe dag of the United States floated from every tower and from every roof, and the people sang “Hail Columbia” as they marched i shouting through the streets. The vote was practically unanimous. On the īslands of St. John tbere was not one dissenting vote, and in St. Thomas but twenty-two. When the official return of the vote reached Copenhagen on January 31 the Rigsdag promptly ratified the treaty without debate, and did not doubt , that favorable action at Washington would be equally prompt. In the Senate of the United States the treaty remained pigeonholed for months. The time in whieh it could be ratified expir- ; ed thrice, and thrice Denmark assented to extending it. Early in 1870 President Grant sent a special message calling attention to it. But in March of that year the Senate committee on foreign relations indorsed the word “adversely” upon the treaty, returned it to its pigeon- } hole and there it remains to this day. Thus the plighted faith of the government was violated and the star and stripes bauled down. , ; Does it become a party responsi ible for this to eall the rejection of Hawaii an infamy? ,