Template:482-483 - Revision history

Jere Krischel at 03:25, 27 December 2005

2005-12-27T03:25:58Z

Ken Conklin at 05:13, 25 December 2005

2005-12-25T05:13:40Z

Jere Krischel at 04:38, 9 December 2005

2005-12-09T04:38:15Z

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because the sea is the world's great medium of circulation, From this
necessarily follows the principle that, as subsidiary to such control, it
is imperative to take possession, when it can righteously be done,
of such maritime positions as contribute to secure command. If
this principle be adopted there will be no hesitation about
taking the positions—and they are many—upon the approaches
to the Isthmus, whose interests incline them to seek us. It has its
application also to the present case of Hawaii.
There is, however, one caution to be given from that military point of
view beyond the need of which the world has not yet passed. Military
positions, fortified posts, by land or by sea, however strong or admirably
situated, do not by themselves confer control. People often say that
such an island or harbor will give control of such a body of water. It
is an utter, deplorable, ruinous mistake. The phrase may indeed by
some be used only loosly, without forgetting other implied conditions
of adequate protection and adequate navies; but the confidence of our
nation in its native strength, and its indifference to the defense of its
ports and the sufficiency of its fleet, give reason to fear that the full
consequences of a forward step may not be soberly weighed. Napoleon,
who knew better, once talked this way. "The islands of San Pietro,
Corfu, and Malta," he wrote, "will make us masters of the whole Mediterranean."
Vain boast! Within one year Corfu, in two years Malta,
were rent away from the state that could not support them by its ships.
Nay, more; had Bonaparte not taken the latter stronghold out of the
hands of its degenerate but innocuous government, that citadal of the
Mediterranean would perhaps—would probably—never have passed
into those of his chief enemy. There is here also a lesson for us.
It is by no means logical to leap, from this recognition of the necessity
of adequate naval force to secure outlying dependencies, to the conclusion
that the United htates would for that object need a navy equal
to the largest now existing. A nation as far removed as is our own
from the bases of foreign naval strength may reasonably reckon upon
the qualification that distance—not to speak of the complex European
interests close at hand—impresses upon the exertion of naval strength.
The mistake is when our remoteness, unsupported by carefully calculated
force, is regarded as an armor of proof, under cover of which any
amount of swagger may be safely indulged. Any estimate of what is
an adequate naval force for our country may properly take large account
of the happy interval that separates both our present territory and our
future aspirations from the centers of interest really vital to European
states. If to these safeguards be added, on our part, a sober recognition
of what our reasonable sphere of influence is and a candid justice
in dealing with foreign interests within that sphere, there will be little
disposition to question our preponderance therein.
Among all foreign states it is especially to be hoped that each passing
year may render more cordial the relations between ourselves and
the great nation from whose loins we sprang. The radical identity of
spirit which underlies our superficial differences of polity will surely
so draw us closer together, if we do not willfully set our faces against
a tendency which would give our race the predominance over the seas of
the world. To force such a consummation is impossible, and, if possible,
would not be wise; but surely it would be a lofty aim, fraught with
immeasurable benefits, to desire it, and to raise no needless impediments
by advocating perfectly proper acts, demanded by our evident
interests in offensive or arrogant terms.—(A. T, MAHAN.)

XII. ALSO THE FOLLOWING EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF HON.
JOHN QUINOY ADAMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN
AFFAIRS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ON THE MESSAGE
OF PRESIDENT TYLER, DECEMBER 30, 1842.
" I t is a subject of cheering contemplation to the friends of human
improvement and virtue that, by the mild and gentle influence of
Christian charity, dispensed by humble missionaries of the gospel,
unarmed with secular power, within the last quarter of a century, the
people of ihis group of islands have been converted from the lowest
debasement of idolatry to the blessings of the Christian gospel;
united under one balanced government; rallied to the fold of civilization
by a written language and constitution, providing security for the
rights of persons, property and mind, and invested with all the elements
of right and power which can entitle them to be acknowledged
by their brethren of the human race as a separate and indeiiendeut
community. To the consummation of their acknowledgment the
people of the North American Union are urged by an interest of their
own, deeper than that of any other portion of the inhabitants of the
earth—by a virtual right of conquest, not over the freedom of their
brother man by the brutal arm of physical power, but over the mind
and heart by the celestial panoply of the gospel of peace and love."
XIII. ALSO THE FOLLOWING, A TRANSLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT OF 1840.
" In the Hawaiian bill of rights, the chiefs endeavored to incorporate
in few words the general basis of personal rights, both of the chiefs and
common people, and to guard against perversion; and this they have
accomplished with, perhaps, as much precision and consistency as the
Americans, who affirm 'that all men are born free and equal, possessing
certain inalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'
" With distinguished and commendable care do the Hawaiian8 of
1840 acknowledge the paramount authority of God, in which Kaahumanu
had set them a noble example, and the importance of an unwavering
purpose in legislation not to controvene his word,"
The following translation I have made with care from the original,
published at the islands as the constitution of 1840:
"God has made of one blood all the nations of men, that they might
alike dwell upon the earth in peace and prosperity. And he has given
certain equal rights to all people and chiefs of all countries. These are
the rights or gifts which he has granted to every man and chief of correct
deportment, life, the members of the body, freedom in dwelling
and acting, and the rightful products of his hands and mind; but not
those things which are inhibited by the laws.
" From God also are the office of rulers and the reign of chief magistrates
for protection; but in enacting the laws of the land it is not
right to make a law protecting the magistrate only and not subjects;
neither is it proper to establish laws for enriching chiefs only without
benefiting the people, and hereafter no law shall be established in
opposition to the above declarations; neither shall taxes, servitude,
nor labor be exacted without law of any man in a manner at variance
with those principles.
" PROTECTION FOR ALL.
" Therefore let this declaration be published in order to the equal
protection of all the people and all the chiefs of these islands while

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 {{p|483}}
-XII. ALSO THE FOLLOWING EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF HON. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ON THE MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT TYLER, DECEMBER 30, 1842.
+==XII. {{sc|Also the following extract from the report of hon. john quincy adams, chairman of the committee on foreign affairs of the house of representatives, on the message of president tyler, december 30, 1842.}} ==
 "It is a subject of cheering contemplation to the friends of human improvement and virtue that, by the mild and gentle influence of Christian charity, dispensed by humble missionaries of the gospel, unarmed with secular power, within the last quarter of a century, the people of this group of islands have been converted from the lowest debasement of idolatry to the blessings of the Christian gospel; united under one balanced government; rallied to the fold of civilization by a written language and constitution, providing security for the rights of persons, property and mind, and invested with all the elements of right and power which can entitle them to be acknowledged by their brethren of the human race as a separate and independent community. To the consummation of their acknowledgment the people of the North American Union are urged by an interest of their own, deeper than that of any other portion of the inhabitants of the earth—by a virtual right of conquest, not over the freedom of their brother man by the brutal arm of physical power, but over the mind and heart by the celestial panoply of the gospel of peace and love."
-XIII. ALSO THE FOLLOWING, A TRANSLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT OF 1840.
+==XIII. {{sc|Also the following, a translation of the constitution of the hawaiian government of 1840.}}==
 "In the Hawaiian bill of rights, the chiefs endeavored to incorporate in few words the general basis of personal rights, both of the chiefs and common people, and to guard against perversion; and this they have accomplished with, perhaps, as much ''precision and consistency'' as the Americans, who affirm 'that all men are born free and equal, possessing certain inalienable rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.' " With distinguished and commendable care do the Hawaiians of 1840 acknowledge the paramount authority of God, in which Kaahumanu had set them a noble example, and the importance of an unwavering purpose in legislation not to controvene his word,"
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 From God also are the office of rulers and the reign of chief magistrates for protection; but in enacting the laws of the land it is not right to make a law protecting the magistrate only and not subjects; neither is it proper to establish laws for enriching chiefs only without benefiting the people, and hereafter no law shall be established in opposition to the above declarations; neither shall taxes, servitude, nor labor be exacted without law of any man in a manner at variance with those principles.
-"PROTECTION FOR ALL.
+==="PROTECTION FOR ALL.===
 "Therefore let this declaration be published in order to the equal protection of all the people and all the chiefs of these islands while