Home: The Annexation Of Hawaii: A Collection Of Document
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REPORT UPON THE OFFICIAL RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FROM THE FIRST APPOINTMENT OF A CONSULAR OFFICER THERE BY THIS GOVERNMENT. On September 19, 1820, Mr. John C. Jones was appointed to reside at the Sandwich Islands in the capacity of "Agent of the United States for commerce and seamen." To those functions there was added, as the duty of the agent, a general supervision of American interests in the islands concerning the status of which he advised the Depart- ment from time to time. Other official information touching these interests, and events then current there, was occasionally afforded by officers of the Navy, on visiting vessels, whose instructions permitted their friendly intervention in such affairs of the country as they might with propriety regard as of importance to this Government. In consequence of instructions in May, 1825, to Commodore Hull, U. S. Navy, in command of the Pacific squadron, then at Callao, Thomas ap Catesby Jones, commanding the U. S. S. Peacock, was sent the fol- lowing year to Honolulu on a visit of friendly inspection, to relieve the native authorities of the annoyance occasioned by deserters from Ameri- can vessels in the islands, and to endeavor to adjust certain claims of American citizens there resident. The objects of this visit were suc- cessfully accomplished, and Capt. Jones negotiated a treaty of friend- ship, commerce, and navigation with the King, which was signed De- cember 23, 1826. This was the first treaty formally negotiated by the Hawaiians with any foreign power, and although it was never ratified by this Government, certain of its stipulations appear to have embodied friendly views and purposes of the United States which were considered morally binding by both parties. (A copy of the treaty will be found in Appendix -. In 1829, Capt. Finch, commanding the U. S. S. Vincennes, visited the islands as the bearer of presents and a letter, dated January 20 of that year, from the Secretary of the Navy, on behalf of the President. In that letter Mr. Southard said: The President anxiously hopes that peace and kindness and justice will prevail between your people and those citizens of the United States who visit your islands, and that the regulations of your government will be such as to enforce them upon all. Our citizens who violate your laws or interfere with your regulations violate at the same time their duty to their own Government and country, and merit censure and punishment. From time to time thereafter naval vessels of the United States vis- ited Hawaii and intervened in a friendly way in their affairs. Among them the United States frigate Potomac, with Commodore Downs, touched at Honolulu soon after the deportation, in December, 1831, of the Roman Catholic priests who had been introduced into the country in 1827 by the French, and that officer interceded successfully in be- half of some of their converts, who were undergoing persecution at the hands of the native Government. These persecutions were not 8