These remarks are important, as they refer back to the very beginning of the troubles in Hawaii which led to the present plan of making the islands a part of the United States.
In saying that the annexation of the islands would be a "complete departure from our national mission," Mr. Cleveland meant that it was the policy of our Government not to go outside of America to acquire territory, but to let other nations alone just as we ourselves wish to be let alone.
This policy is very different from that of England, for example, who has for many years been reaching out to add to her already vast possessions. In other words, our plan is opposed to what is known as the "policy of grab."
By speaking of "our interference" in the Hawaiian revolution as "disgraceful," Mr. Cleveland means that the revolution was not only largely planned by American residents on the islands, but that American marines were called from the harbor of Honolulu to the government building to assist the revolutionists, or, as the revolutionists themselves declare, to protect American interests on the islands.
Now that the question of annexation is before the country, a prominent advocate for each side has appeared.
We referred last week to the visit here of the President of the Hawaiian republic, Mr. Sanford B. Dole. He has recently stated his side of the matter, in an interview.
And the deposed Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani, or "ex-Queen," as she is called, has presented her views in the form of a book, giving an account of her whole life.
Let us first see what Liliuokalani has to say.
In the first part of the book she tells us how she was brought up. It is astonishing to read that, though she was the daughter of one of the chiefs of the island, she was sent, very shortly after birth, to the house of another chief, named Paki, where there was only one daughter, Bernice, and made a member of his family.
This chief was married to a granddaughter of one of the Hawaiian kings, Kamehameha I., so the adopted girl was considered a member of the royal family.