THE HEART OF THE PACIFIC. 335 PROTOCOL of Saturday, 22d March, 1851. The two negotiators, undersigned, met at mid-day, as had been agreed upon. Mr. Wyllie presented to M. Perrin a translation in the English language of the Declaration agreed upon, in which the Alternat was clearly preserved in favor of the King of the Sandwich Islands. M. Perrin remarked that before all he had to sign the French and Hawaiian Texts, which were not prepared; that in these original documents he could not grant the Alternat to the King of the Hawaiian Islands, in conformity with the usage of France, Great Britain, and the United States; that from the 15th of January he had announced to the Minister that it would be only after the adjustment of the difficulties actually pending, that he could examine this question of etiquette, referring it to Paris, and then conforming to the orders which he should receive; that until then he could only maintain the statu quo; that this measure adopted for the originals ought necessarily to be in their translation. Mr. Wyllie having replied that he understood the Alternat as allowed to the King both by Great Britain and the United States, and that it was generally granted between the great powers, and even the middling, M. Perrin answered that he did not consider that the Hawaiian Kingdom had attained either of these two ranks. Mr. Wyllie then produced one original of the English treaty of the 26th March, 1846, in which the signature of the Minister was before that of the Consul-general of England. M. Perrin observed that the only original published by the Hawaiian Government placed the signature of the agent of Great Britain on the same line as that of the Minister. To cut this discussion short, the undersigned have agreed from this time to follow the precedent of England, under all the reserves of the rights of both Governments. It was agreed that the resolution of the King of the Sandwich Islands, containing the promise to refer to the decision of the President of the French Republic the question of indemnities reclaimed by the Hawaiian Government in consequence of the events of the month of August, 1849, shall be (subject to the King's pleasure) transmitted in an official note, to which the Commissioner of the French Republic will reply, accepting that offer, in the name of the Prince President. The undersigned, at their separation, agreed to meet again on Tuesday next at mid-day. Le Commissaire de la République Française, EM. PERRIN. R. C. WYLLIE, Minister of Foreign Relations. PROTOCOL of Tuesday, 25th March, 1851. The undersigned negotiators met this day, as had been agreed upon at their last conference of the 22d instant. Before proceeding to the exchange of their respective powers, the undersigned employed themselves in comparing the French and English texts of the PROTOCOLS of the 15th, 18th, 19th, and 22d instant, and afterwards affixed thereto their signatures. Mr. Wyllie remarked that after having hastily finished translations of M. Perrin's dispatch No. 18, of the 22d of this month, and of his " VERBAL NOTE" accompanying it, he desired to revise them with the French Commissioner, so as that when rendering an account thereof to the King and Council, he might be sure to convey the true meaning of M. Perrin. This verification was immediately made. Mr. Wyllie then begged permission of the French Commissioner to read to him the notes No. 22, 23, 24, and 25, dated this day, all drafted in haste by him, but which it had been impossible for his Secretary to copy. After reading them, the Minister expressed his strong hope that the French Government would consider all the points upon which a solution was deferred till after their Commissioner had referred them, as insignificant compared with those which had been settled; the Commissioner of the French Republic manifested a different opinion, and the two negotiators then agreed to give a new proof of their sincere desire to arrive, as soon as possible, at the re-establishment of relations between the two countries, by continuing to discuss, officially, and in a conciliatory spirit, in a series of new conferences, the divers points remaining to be settled, but that no new Declaration shall be made, till after the arrival of the instructions asked for of the French Government, by their Special Commissioner. Mr. Wyllie asked M. Perrin's leave to call his attention to a claim which he had completely forgotten, at the moment of making out the Schedule of indemnities. The undersigned then exchanged their respective powers, signed and sealed three originals of the Declaration agreed upon in French and Hawaiian, at 5 o'clock P. M., making mutual reserves in regard to the right of" Alternat." The undersigned then adjourned their sitting, sine die. Le Commissaire de la République Française, EM. PERRIN. R. C. WYLLIE, Minister of Foreign Relations. THE HEART OF THE PACIFIC. 337 DECLARATION. THE President of the French Republic, and the King of the Hawaiian Islands, animated by an equal desire to terminate the adjustment o pending difficulties between the two countries, and to prevent their return for the future, by assuring the just and complete execution of the convention of the 26th of March, 1846, in regard to the points in controversy, through a new official act, destined to interpret it, have chosen, for this purpose, the undersigned Commissioner of the French Republic, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the signers of the Treaty above mentioned, who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in good form, have agreed to the terms of the following declaration: 1. The Treaty of the 26th of March, 1846, will be faithfully adopted and interpreted in the two texts, French and Hawaiian, the only ones officially signed. It remains agreed in all the cases where the foreign judges not understanding French have to decide, the texts of the English treaty, officially declared identical, under reserve of the III. article, shall be considered as an exact translation. 2. Without admitting that by the establishment of a Custom-house duty of $5 per gallon upon spirits, the Hawaiian Government have gone beyond the exclusive power which France herself had granted to them, through the means of the wording of the VI. article of the Treaty above mentioned an assertion, in regard to which, the undersigned French Commissioner makes all reserves-and after having proved that the effects of that duty have been profitable to France, and hurtful to the English and American trade in spirits-the King of the Sandwich Islands declares himself disposed to submit the question of the reduction of duty to $2.50 cents per gallon, as a maximum, to the legislature, which is to assemble next month, as a measure of political economy, which the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu have recommended on strong grounds. 3. The government of the king cannot recognize, on the part of any foreign nation, the right of dictating or prescribing laws to them, on matters which affect only the religious belief or secular education of the native subjects of the king; nevertheless, disposed to admit the third of the demands presented by M. Perrin, on the 1st of February last, as a friendly suggestion, destined for the examination of the legislature which is to assemble this year, the Hawaiian Government will place these assemblies in a position to decide, if the equality between the Catholics and the Protestants, under the protection of the Constitution and the Laws, of which numerous proofs have been furnished, do not yet require something for its perfect application. 4. Documents presented by French citizens, in their own language, will be received in all the cases in which documents in the English language are received; but, in the cases where the employees whose duty it is to make use of these documents do not understand French, it shall be incumbent, provisionally, on the party interested, to furnish a translation of the document produced, which, to prevent all error and discussion, shall be certified by him as true. Honolulu, 25th March, 1851. R. C. WYLLIE, Minister of Foreign Relations. Le Commissaire de la République Française, EM. PERRIN. From the foregoing papers it will be seen that the controversy of the Hawaiian government with the French is in the way of adjustment. "All that is wanting is for France to restore harmony; for, on behalf of the king's government, they have never for one moment deviated from their policy of treating France, her citizens, and all their interests, on the footing of the most favored nation. That this wise and unresenting policy will be duly appreciated by the French government, is not to be doubted. But, to crown all, King Kamehameha III., with a magnanimity worthy of a sovereign, refers his claims for indemnity for severe losses sustained, without requiring the punishment of the authors, to the President of France himself; thus proving to the world alike his confidence in the justice of his own cause, and in the justice of Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, in whose hands he places it." In his speech at the opening of the Hawaiian Parliament, on the 10th of May, 1851, the king uses the following language: "Diplomatic Relations have not been fully restored with France, but having, on my part, referred certain claims for indemnity to the Presi THE HEART OF THE PACIFIC. 339 dent of the French Republic, I hope that he, meeting me in a corresponding spirit, will issue such instructions as to put an end to an attitude of hostility towards my kingdom, taken by France, which I have ever regretted, and have never sought, in any way, to retaliate. I am not conscious of any act of my government, of which France has any reason to complain" The simple utterance of the above sentence by His Majesty, says the Polynesian, felt, as it is, to be the simple truth, has more force than a thousand volumes` of subtle reasoning, in convincing the judgment, and in nerving the heart. And the sentiment is not confined to the breast of His Majesty; it is entertained by every member of his government, and is the universal sentiment of the world. Its truth calls forth the sympathies of all his subjects, and unites the opinions of all classes upon his shores. It is understood that negotiations are in progress with the United States, at Washington, through an authorized agent of the Hawaiian kingdom, which have for their end either the establishment of an American Protectorate at the Sandwich Islands, or their annexation to the American Union, in the event of the non-establishment of permanent friendly relations with France on a satisfactory and independent basis. Certain significant events of Providence, and the fact that the Hawaiian Islands are already a virtual colony of the United States, a missionary offshoot from the stock of New England, together with the "manifest destiny" view of the extension of American institutions, |