{"1": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3959", "width": "2654", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "L^^^/^-rS^ y^CP\\nE 713\\n9.\\n9f\\n.D25\\nCopy 1\\nANNEXATION OF HAWAII.\\nSPEECH\\noif\\nHON. JAMES H. DAVIDSON,\\nOI^ \\\\VISCOMSIN,\\nHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,\\nTuesday, June 14, 1898.\\nW^VSHirsiOXOM.\\n1898.", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "t-7/3", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "y r E E G n\\nOF\\nHON. JAMES H. DAVIDSON\\nThe House Laving iiiidev consideration the ,ioint resolution (H. Res. i50) to\\nlirovide for annexing tlie Hawaiian Islands to the United States-\\nMr. DAVIDSON of Wisconsin said:\\nMr. Speaker: The subject under discussion, the annexation of\\nHawaii, is not a new one. For fifty years it has been before our\\npeople in one form or another, and during this time the leading\\nstatesmen and the best military and naval authorities of our\\ncountry have expressed themselves in favor of the proposition.\\nIn 18o3 Secretary of State Marcy said:\\nIt seems to he inevitable that they [the Sandwich Islands] must come un-\\nder the control of this Government.\\nPrior to that time Webster, Buchanan, and Clayton had each\\nexpressed similar sentiments, while in later years Seward, Fish,\\nand Blaine were of the same opinion. President Harrison was\\nstrongly in favor of annexation, and there is no question concern-\\ning the views of our present Chief Magistrate on this subiect.\\nCaptain Mahan, the well-known authority in naval affairs, says:\\nFrom a military point of view, the possession of Hawaii will strengthen\\nthe United States. It is not practicable for any trans-Pacific country to in-\\nvest our Pacific coast without first occupying Hawaii as a base.\\nChief Engineer Melville, of the Navy, says:\\nPearl Harbor is the sole key to the full defense of our western shore, anO\\nthat key should lie in our grasp only.\\nAdmiral Dupont said:\\nIt is impossible to estimate too highly the value and importance of the\\nSandwich Islands, whether in a commercial or military point of view. Should\\ncircumstances ever place them iu our hands, they would prove the most im-\\n]3ortant acquisition Vv-e could make in the whole Pacific Ocean, an acqui-si-\\ntion intimately connected with our commercial and naval supremacy m those\\nseas.\\nGeneral Schofield, of the Army, says:\\nIt constitutes the only natural outpost to the defenses on the Pacific coast.\\nI have likened that harbor to a commanding po.sition in front of a defensive\\nline which an army in the field is compelled to occupy. The army must oc-\\ncupy that advanced position and hold it at whatever cost, or else the enemy\\nwill occupy it with his artillery and thus dominate the main line. If wo do\\nnot occupy Pearl Harbor, our enemy will occupy it as a base from which to\\nconduct operations against our Pacific coast. One of the greatest advan-\\ntages of Pearl Harbor to us consists in the fact that no navy would bo re-\\nquired to defend it. It is a deep, land-locked arm of the sea, easily defended\\nby fortifications placed near its entrance, with its anchorage beyond the\\nreach of guns from the ocean. The value of such a place of refuge and sup-\\nplies for merchant marine and cruisers in time of war can hardly be over-\\nestimated, yet the greatest value to us of that wonderful harbor consists lu\\nthe fact that its possession and adequate defense by us prevents the possibil-\\nity of any enemy using it against us.\\n3530 3", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "The logic of these statements is apparent when we remember\\nthat tliere is iu the Pacific Ocean, from the equator to Alaska and\\nfrom the coasts of China and Japan to the American continent,\\nbut one place where a passing vessel can obtain supplies or enter\\nfor repairs, and that place is Hawaii.\\nThe expressions which I have quoted were made not when we\\nwere in the midst of a conflict with a foreign nation, but in a time\\nof peace, when these eminent naval and military authorities and\\npatriotic statesmen were looking to the perfection of our national\\ndefense, at which time they realized the importance of these\\nislands as a strategic point from which the whole Pacific coast\\ncould be controlled.\\nThe events of the last few weeks have demonstrated the wisdom\\nof their .iudgment and shown the necessity of our having control\\nof these islands.\\nNo ship has j-et been constructed which can cross the Pacific\\nOcean and engage in actual combat and still be in a position to\\nreturn to its original port for supplies. No hostile fleet can pos-\\nsibly menace our Pacific coast without first obtaining control of\\nPearl Harbor, and we have found that the converse of this propo-\\nsition is true\u00e2\u0080\u0094 that it is impossible for us to send a fleet to the\\nrelief of Dewey at Manila. 7,000 miles from San Francisco, with-\\nout having some place midway in that broad waste of waters\\nwhere our vessels can enter for supplies and repairs and where\\nour soldiers being thus transported may be permitted to land and\\nbe refreshed.\\nThrough the kindness of the people of that little Republic our\\nsoldiers have been granted this privilege, and our vessels have\\nbeen able to make use of this harbor.\\nThat this is in violation of the laws of neutrality may be con-\\nceded, but there is a law higher than that of nations; it is the law\\nof humanity, the law of God.\\nIt is the observance of this higher law which has prompted the\\npeople of that Republic to jeopardize their own interests and\\nendanger even the very existence of their Grovernment in order\\nthat a favor might be extended to us.\\nIn our present difficulty with Spain the Republic of Hawaii\\nstands alone, a single exception among the nations of the earth,\\nthe only one that has extended a helping hand to us. And why is\\nthis? Because for years the people of those islands were crushed\\nbeneath the despotism of a rotten kingdom, but now they are\\nenjoying the blessings of freedom, and they appreciate, as do not\\nthe crowned kingdoms of the earth, how high and noble is our\\npurpose in this war with Spain. They see in the Stars and Stripes\\na harbinger of freedom, a refuge and strength to suffering human-\\nity, and they gladly bid us enter.\\nYou who fail to see the necessity of the annexation of those is-\\nlands at this time think what might have been the result had\\nDewey s attack at Manila resulted disastrously, and he been com-\\npelled to turn back and traverse a distance of 7,000 miles before\\nhe could reach a harbor for repairs or for supplies. Had such\\nl^een the result, instead of having a fleet, the pride of our nation,\\nfloating so majestically and victoriously in the harbor of Manila,\\nthose ships would ere this have been but broken hulks, dead, de-\\nserted derelicts, drifting aimlessly in that broad sea.\\nThe principal argument of the gentlemen who ai e opposed to\\nthis proposition is that it is unconstitutional. There are cer-\\n3533", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "tain geutleinen in this Chamber before whose ej es the Constitu-\\ntion ever stands an impassable barrier to everything which looks\\nto the advancement of civilization or to the progress of our country.\\nSome of these gentlemen years ago failed to understand aright\\nthe terms of the Constitution, and it seems the passing years have\\nnot added wisdom to their understanding. Sufficient answer to\\nthe objection is that the same question has been raised five times\\nduring our national history. It has been brought forward every\\ntime a proposition for the acquisition of territory has been pre-\\nsented and as often has it been passed upon and overruled, so that\\nit now has no standing in court.\\nThe people and the Government of Hawaii have offered these\\nislands to us. To accept their offer will not take from the Treas-\\nury of the United States one dollar nor from the American people\\none drop of blood. Failing to accept their offer, we are forever\\nestopped from objecting if a like offer should at some future time\\nbe made to and accepted by some other nation.\\nWe can not be heard to say that we will not annex these islands\\nourselves and in the same breath that we will not permit any\\nother nation to annex them.\\nIt is well known that within a century these islands have at four\\ndifferent times been possessed by other nations, and their present\\nindependence has only been attained after a heroic struggle. The\\nfuture stability of this little Republic is uncertain. Standing\\nalone, without wealth, without population, it can hardly hold its\\nown against more powerful nations, and should we fail to control\\nor protect it, it will undoubtedly soon be acquired, peacefully or\\notherwise, by some of the great powers.\\nI am opposed to maintaining a protectorate over any country.\\nOur nation should never assume the responsibilities of another\\nnation except under such conditions as will enable us to dictate\\nthe laws of that nation and compel their observance.\\nI do not profess to be versed in military affairs. Whether the\\nannexation of these islands is a militarj necessity at this time is\\na question, however, upon which I am willing to accept the opin-\\nion of military authorities, and when we know tliat not only the\\nbest military authorities have expressed themselves in favor of\\nannexation, but that our present Chief Magistrate believes that\\nin order to successfully prosecute the present war it is necessary\\nto secure these islands as a base of supplies, I for one am j)repared.\\nto accept their judgment and vote accordingly.\\nI propose to support the President in everything which he be-\\nlieves is necessary for the successful prosecution of this war, and\\nI know that in so doing I represent the united sentiment of the\\nlieople of my district.\\nThis question of aimexation has for fiftj years been an open and\\ndebatable one; but it seeuis to me that when Admiral Dewey s\\nguns awoke the echoes in Manila Harbor on the morning of the 1st\\nof May, they moved the previous question upon this proposition,\\nand from that time debate has not been in order.\\nPrior to that date our peoi^le undoubtedly were divided upon\\nthis proposition, but I believe they are no longer divided. They\\nrealize Uie necessity of the acquisition of these islands at the pres-\\nent time, in order that the boys who have gone from your town\\nand from mine, from every hamlet over this broad land, to defend\\nthe honor and the integrity of the nation and to bring relief to\\nsuffering humanity may find within that broad expanse of water\\n3530", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "6\\nBome place where their feet may touch mother earth, where they\\ncan breathe the pure air, and where the vessels bearing them may\\nbe supplied with coal and bread and water, to the end that their\\nexpedition may result successfully and to the honor of the Amer-\\nican people.\\nBut there is another reason why these resolutions should be\\nadopted. Year after year there has come to us from across the\\nseas rumors of trouble in those Eastern countries. Year after\\nyear there have been indications that the great powers might be-\\ncome involved in a war over their Eastern possessions. Japan,\\nwhich lately surprised the world by its defeat of China, is one of\\nthe coming nations of the world, and with its magnificent navy\\nand with the energy and progress of its citizens it will soon be-\\ncome a strong competitor of England, of Russia, and of Germany.\\nChina as a nation has been dead for years. It has not kept pace\\nwith the advancement of the nations around it. It may revive\\nand progress. Failing to do this, however, this great Empire will\\nsoon be a thing of the past. Its territory will be divided among\\nthe great powers, each portion being subject in all its trade rela-\\ntions to the power which controls it.\\nOurs is a nation of peace and progression. Its broad acres are\\nnow all under cultivation. Its cities are black with the smoke of\\nfurnaces, its workmen busily employed in the manufacture of\\nevery article capable of construction. To continue this condition\\nof things oxir people, our manufacturers, our farmers must seek a\\nforeign market. If we are to furnish employment for the brain and\\nbrawn and muscle of our mechanics, we must find a market for\\nthe waresthey construct. If those engagedin agricultural pursuits\\nare to prosper, a market must be found for their surplus grain.\\nThe Latin- American countries and the great Eastern coimtries\\noffer the best opportunities for acquiring such a market. Our\\ncompetitors will be England, Germany, Austria, and Russia. To\\nsuccessfully compete with them we must take advantage of every\\nopportunity wliich offers. Within the next few years our people\\nwill awake to the necessity of the construction of the Nicaragua\\nCanal and its control by this Government. That canal, when\\ncompleted, will become the gateway through which will pass the\\ncommerce of the world. Then Cuba and Puerto Rico will stand\\nas sentinels guarding its eastern approach, while on the west will\\nbe the impregnable fortress of Pearl Harbor, a strong factor in\\nshaping and controlling the commerce of the Western Continent.\\nBeing a part of oiir possessions, Hawaii s trade will be entirely\\nsubject to our control. Not only this, but every vessel passing in\\neither direction across the Pacific must touch at this point before\\nreaching its destination.\\nWith these islands under our control, our trade relations will\\nbe established and our commercial interests in the East forever\\nprotected.\\nIt can not be said that the policy of oiir nation has been one of\\nterritorial acquisition. We have not aspired to the attainment\\nof colonial possessions. The islands of the seas have not been to\\nus prizes toward which we have looked with longing eyes, but we\\nhave, from time to time, acquired such territory as seemed to be\\nnecessary for the best interests of our nation; and should these\\nresolutions prevail and Hawaii be annexed, it does not necessarily\\nfollow, nor is it possible, that such action will have any influence\\nupon the future. It stands a single and independent proposition,\\n3530", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "to be cletevmined upon its merits and in such a manner as will bo\\nfor the best interests of our country.\\nt^ome gentlemen are loud in their declarations that the war in\\nwhich we are engaged has now become one of conquest and that\\nthe policj of our nation from now will be one of territorial acqui-\\nsition. These statements have been made with i-eckless disregard\\nfor acciiracy and truth, and there is absolutely nothing to sub-\\nstantiate th(?m. The possession of the Philippines, the possession\\nof Puerto Rico, the possession of Cuba, yea, even the possession of\\nMadrid itself, if these should finally be possessed by American\\narmies, will be but incidents of a war commenced for the cause of\\nhumanity and prosecuted only for that purpose.\\nA war can not be successfully prosecuted and every movement\\nconfined ta the immediate scene of action. In order tiiat this war\\nmay be successfully waged, the power of the enemy must be weak-\\nened and destroyed. Her fleets must be driven from the seas, her\\nforts must be destroyed, her armies captured, her territory ac-\\nquired. These are the lines along which the war must be waged,\\nand these are the lines along which the present Administration\\nwill prosecute, vigorously and effectively, the present war until\\nthe Kingdom of Spain is ready to cry, -Hold, enough!\\nThe question as to what will be done with the territory acquired\\nby our armies during the present war is no part of the subject\\nnow under discussion. The disposition of all such territory will\\nbe determined when the war is over. The Philippines are now,\\nor soon will be, entirely under the control of the American Army,\\nThe flag of freedom, the Stars and Stripes, will float where once\\nfloated the red and yellow of the Spanish Kingdom. Whether\\nthe Stars and Stripes shall come down and the flag of despotism,\\nof tyranny, and of treachery be again restored is a question which\\ncan safely be left to the American people for disposition at the\\nproper time, without fear but what it will be settled right\u00e2\u0080\u0094 right\\nin the eyes of humanity, right in the eyes of God.\\nThe gentlemen upon the other side of this Chamber need have\\nno fear of the future of this Republic. It is safe in the hands of\\nthe people, safe in the hands of those chosen by the people to ad-\\nminister its affairs.\\nMr. Speaker, I am in favor of the adoption of these resolutions.\\nAside from the question of their commercial importance, it is\\nsufBcient that the acquisition of these islands at this time is a war\\nnecessity. This being true, I believe we should acquire them.\\nOur hearts, our hopes are with the boys who have gone to the\\nfront, and, whether their destiny be Cuba. Puerto Rico, or Manila,\\nour every action should be for their best interests. Let us not\\nhesitate, let us not put aside this opportunity of establishing a\\nbase of supplies midway between our own coast and the future\\nbattlefield whereon our soldiers will soon be engaged in actual\\nconflict\u00e2\u0080\u0094 a battlefield a portion of which will undoubtedly become\\nfor all time a sacred spot to which the longing eyes of many a\\nmother will turn as she remembers that in that far distant land\\nher son lies sleeping, his life given for the cause of humanity and\\nfor the preservation of his nations honor. [Applause.]\\n353 J", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "LIBKHKY Uh CUNOKt^b\\n013 744 613 3", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "LIBRARY OF CONGRESS\\n013 744 613 3\\nHoUinger Corp.\\npH8.5", "height": "3696", "width": "2253", "jp2-path": "annexationofhawa00davi_0012.jp2"}}