Nuhou, Volume II, Number 1, 15 July 1873 — WE ARE OPPOSED [ARTICLE]

WE ARE OPPOSED

To the Poaii Harbor Cession as an umieeeß~ yary nieasure to secure Reciprocily. īt hardly coiT)ports wiih 111e dignity or interests of Amei'iea, to consider it in,the light in whieh it presented; and it isnnworthy of men who ought to lay gome elaim to tlie eharaeter of Hawaiian stateßmpn. America by many deelarations haß the strategic importanee of this Archii)elago to the Continent, and has intimatecl that she wouki regard with an unfrieiully eye any allianee that woukl tend to endanger this strategic relation, theu let her, wliilst respecting our perhaps tempo£ary independenee, foster without eepeeial bonus or eoniplications tlie state of affairs that will tend to harmonize and assimilate the relations between the two countries. Tt is the inter■est of Amei'iea to Americanize us, and sjie needs no bribe to do so. If, owing to want of wise statesmauship, she declines to meet us in our needs, and hopes to carry her point by u masterly inaetivity; ,? we may, l>y a mas> terly activity, secure t-he iinaneial and trade accommodations we need, and make Ameriea eager to take us if she wants us. As we are American, and hail from a nation that is too great to carry its point by indirection or subterfuge, we disdain to take part in a Heheme that professes to work both ways, and makes us appear to beg for dear life when we eoukl win our cause by measures witliin the scope of lntelligent Hawaiian statesmanship. On this question we join issue wilh the Ministers, and dceiare them ineompelenl : ftnd derelict in their duty to the King and the country. i