100	HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS.
them, it was not seeking to promote any peculiar object of its own 
What it did, and all that it did, was done openly in the face of day, in 
entire good faith, and known to all nations. It declared its real pur- 
pose to be to favor the establishment of a government at a very im- 
portant point in the Pacific Ocean, which should be able to maintain 
such relations with the rest of the world, as are maintained between 
civilized states.
From this purpose it has never swerved for a single moment, nor is 
it inclined, without the pressure of some necessity, to depart from it 
now, when events have occurred giving to the islands and to their 
intercourse with the United States a new aspect and increased import- 
ance.
This Government still desires to see the nationality of the Hawaiian 
Government maintained, its independent administration of public af- 
fairs respected, and its prosperity and reputation increased.
But while thus indisposed to exercise any sinister influence itself 
over the counsels of Hawaii, or to overawe the proceedings of its Gov- 
ernment by the menace or the actual application of superior military 
force, it expects to see other powerful nations act in the same spirit. 
It is, therefore, with unfeigned regret that the President has read the 
correspondence and become acquainted with the circumstances occur- 
ring between the Hawaiian Government and M. Perrin, the commis- 
sioner of France at Honolulu.
It is too plain to be denied or doubted that demands were made upon 
the Hawaiian Government by the French commissioner wholly incon- 
sistent with its character as an independent state, demands which 
if submitted to in this case would be sure to be followed by other de- 
mands equally derogatory, not only from the same quarter, but prob- 
ably also from other states, and this could only end in rendering the 
islands and their Government a prey to the stronger commercial nations 
of the world.
It can not be expected that the Government of the United States 
could look on a course of things leading to such a result with indiffer- 
ence.
The Hawaiian Islands are ten times nearer to the United States than 
to any of the powers of Europe. Five-sixths of all their commercial 
intercourse is with the United States, and these considerations, to- 
gether with others of a more general character, have fixed the course 
which the Government of the United States will pursue in regard to 
them. The annunciation of this policy will not surprise the governments 
of Europe, nor be thought to be unreasonable by the nations of the 
civilized world, and that policy is that while the Government of the 
United States, itself faithful to its original assurance, scrupulously 
regards the independence of the Hawaiian Islands, it can never consent 
to see those islands taken possession of by either of the great commer- 
cial powers of Europe, nor can it consent that demands, manifestly 
unjust and derogatory and inconsistent with a bona fide independence, 
shall be enforced against that Government.
The substance of what is here said has already been intimated with 
sufficient explicitness to the Government of France, and we have the 
assurance of his excellency, M. Sartiges, minister of the Republic of 
France near the United States, that that Government has no purpose 
whatever of taking possession of the islands or of acting towards them 
in any hostile or aggressive spirit.
A copy of this letter will be placed in the hands of the French min- 
ister here; another copy will be transmitted to Paris; and another copy

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