No. 42.
[Petitions against annexation.]
A.
To His Excellency James H.
Blount,
Special Commissioner of
the United States of America:
Sir: The undersigned residents and property holders of the Hawaiian Islands, beg respectfully to place before your excellency their views respecting the present important question of annexation now pending before this community.
- First. We beg to call your attention to the fact that the main industry of these islands is the raising and manufacturing of sugar, and which business, to be conducted successfully, and in a manner to compete with other cane-sugar producing countries of the world, must have a labor system such as is now maintained here, but which we understand is prohibited by the existing laws of the United States, and would have to be abolished should the islands become an integral part of that country.
- Second. As friends of the Hawaiian race, in whose country we have made our homes, and under whose Government we have heretofore enjoyed prosperity and protection, we must protest against any measure which would deprive them of their civil rights as a race.
Feeling, therefore, that the terms of the treaty of annexation as submitted to the United States Government would cripple the greatest industry of the islands, and that no provision has been made for securing the rights of the Hawaiians, we respectfully subscribe our names as opposed to same.
(Signed by 40 names.)
B.
To the Honorable James H.
Blount,
Special Commissioner of
the United States of America to Hawaii:
Sir:—In view of the fact that the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands is now attempting to bring about annexation of these islands to the United States of America, we, the undersigned, residents, taxpayers, and voters of the Hawaiian Islands, of foreign birth or parentage, do subscribe our names as signifying our opposition to such annexation.
(Signed by 31 names.)
[Page 1150]C.
hawaiian patriotic league, foreign branch.
We, the undersigned, foreign residents of the Hawaiian Islands hereby indorse the sentiments set forth in the constitution of the Hawaiian Patriotic League, for the purpose of perpetuating the independent autonomy of these islands, thereby opposing annexation to any foreign power; and we therefore hereunder subscribe our names for presentation to his excellency Blount, special commissioner of the United States Government.
(Signed by 43 names).
D.
To the Honorable James H.
Blount,
Special Commissioner of
the United States of America to Hawaii:
Sir: In view of the fact that the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands is now attempting to bring about annexation of these islands to the United States of America, we, the undersigned, residents, taxpayers, and voters of the Hawaiian Islands of foreign birth or parentage, do subscribe our names as signifying our opposition to such annexation.
(Signed by 67 names.)
E.
To the Hon. James H.
Blount,
Special Commissioner of
the United States of America to Hawaii:
Sir: In view of the fact that the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands is now attempting to bring about annexation of these islands to the United States of America, we, the undersigned, residents, taxpayers, and voters of the Hawaiian Islands, of foreign birth or parentage, do subscribe our names as signifying our opposition to such annexation.
(Signed by 80 names.)
Recapitulation of signers against annexation.
| Petition A | 40 | less | 1 | signed other petition. |
| Petition B | 31 | less | 2 | signed other petition. |
| Petition C | 48 | less | 1 | signed other petition. |
| Petition D | 67 | less | 8 | signed other petition. |
| Petition E | 80 | 12 | ||
| 261 | ||||
| Less | 12 | |||
| Total | 249 |