[Footnote 83: Relating to the strength and expense of maintaining the
African Squadron under the late British treaty, the number of guns it
is expected to have afloat in the United States Navy during 1843, and
the estimated expense of the naval establishment for 1843.]
WASHINGTON, _December 30, 1842_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
I communicate herewith to Congress copies of a correspondence which has
recently taken place between certain agents of the Government of the
Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands and the Secretary of State.
The condition of those islands has excited a good deal of interest,
which is increasing by every successive proof that their inhabitants are
making progress in civilization and becoming more and more competent to
maintain regular and orderly civil government. They lie in the Pacific
Ocean, much nearer to this continent than the other, and have become an
important place for the refitment and provisioning of American and
European vessels.
Owing to their locality and to the course of the winds which prevail in
this quarter of the world, the Sandwich Islands are the stopping place
for almost all vessels passing from continent to continent across the
Pacific Ocean. They are especially resorted to by the great number of
vessels of the United States which are engaged in the whale fishery
in those seas. The number of vessels of all sorts and the amount of
property owned by citizens of the United States which are found in those
islands in the course of the year are stated probably with sufficient
accuracy in the letter of the agents.
Just emerging from a state of barbarism, the Government of the islands
is as yet feeble, but its dispositions appear to be just and pacific,
and it seems anxious to improve the condition of its people by the
introduction of knowledge, of religious and moral institutions, means
of education, and the arts of civilized life.
It can not but be in conformity with the interest and wishes of the
Government and the people of the United States that this community, thus
existing in the midst of a vast expanse of ocean, should be respected
and all its rights strictly and conscientiously regarded; and this must
also be the true interest of all other commercial states. Far remote
from the dominions of European powers, its growth and prosperity as an
independent state may yet be in a high degree useful to all whose trade
is extended to those regions; while its near approach to this continent
and the intercourse which American vessels have with it, such vessels
constituting five-sixths of all which annually visit it, could not but
create dissatisfaction on the part of the United States at any attempt
by another power, should such attempt be threatened or feared, to take
possession of the islands, colonize them, and subvert the native
Government. Considering, therefore, that the United States possesses so
large a share of the intercourse with those islands, it is deemed not
unfit to make the declaration that their Government seeks, nevertheless,
no peculiar advantages, no exclusive control over the Hawaiian
Government, but is content with its independent existence and anxiously
wishes for its security and prosperity. Its forbearance in this respect
under the circumstances of the very large intercourse of their citizens
with the islands would justify this Government, should events hereafter
arise to require it, in making a decided remonstrance against the
adoption of an opposite policy by any other power. Under the
circumstances I recommend to Congress to provide for a moderate
allowance to be made out of the Treasury to the consul residing there,
that in a Government so new and a country so remote American citizens
may have respectable authority to which to apply for redress in case of
injury to their persons and property, and to whom the Government of the
country may also make known any acts committed by American citizens of
which it may think it has a right to complain.
Events of considerable importance have recently transpired in China.
The military operations carried on against that Empire by the English
Government have been terminated by a treaty, according to the terms of
which four important ports hitherto shut against foreign commerce are
to be open to British merchants, viz, Amoy, Foo-Choo-Foo, Ningpo, and
Chinghai. It can not but be interesting to the mercantile interest of
the United States, whose intercourse with China at the single port
of Canton has already become so considerable, to ascertain whether
these other ports now open to British commerce are to remain shut,
nevertheless, against the commerce of the United States. The treaty
between the Chinese Government and the British commissioner provides
neither for the admission nor the exclusion of the ships of other
nations. It would seem, therefore, that it remains with every other
nation having commercial intercourse with China to seek to make proper
arrangements for itself with the Government of that Empire in this
respect.
The importations into the United States from China are known to be
large, having amounted in some years, as will be seen by the annexed
tables, to $9,000,000. The exports, too, from the United States to
China constitute an interesting and growing part of the commerce of the
country. It appears that in the year 1841, in the direct trade between
the two countries, the value of the exports from the United States
amounted to $715,000 in domestic produce and $485,000 in foreign
merchandise. But the whole amount of American produce which finally
reaches China and is there consumed is not comprised in these tables,
which show only the direct trade. Many vessels with American products on
board sail with a primary destination to other countries, but ultimately
dispose of more or less of their cargoes in the port of Canton.
The peculiarities of the Chinese Government and the Chinese character
are well known. An Empire supposed to contain 300,000,000 subjects,
fertile in various rich products of the earth, not without the knowledge
of letters and of many arts, and with large and expensive accommodations
for internal intercourse and traffic, has for ages sought to exclude the
visits of strangers and foreigners from its dominions, and has assumed
for itself a superiority over all other nations. Events appear likely to
break down and soften this spirit of nonintercourse and to bring China
ere long into the relations which usually subsist between civilized
states. She has agreed in the treaty with England that correspondence
between the agents of the two Governments shall be on equal terms--a
concession which it is hardly probable will hereafter be withheld from
other nations.
It is true that the cheapness of labor among the Chinese, their
ingenuity in its application, and the fixed character of their habits
and pursuits may discourage the hope of the opening of any great and
sudden demand for the fabrics of other countries. But experience proves
that the productions of western nations find a market to some extent
among the Chinese; that that market, so far as respects the productions
of the United States, although it has considerably varied in successive
seasons, has on the whole more than doubled within the last ten years;
and it can hardly be doubted that the opening of several new and
important ports connected with parts of the Empire heretofore seldom
visited by Europeans or Americans would exercise a favorable influence
upon the demand for such productions.
It is not understood that the immediate establishment of correspondent
embassies and missions or the permanent residence of diplomatic
functionaries with full powers of each country at the Court of the other
is contemplated between England and China, although, as has been already
observed, it has been stipulated that intercourse between the two
countries shall hereafter be on equal terms. An ambassador or envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary can only be accredited,
according to the usages of western nations, to the head or sovereign of
the state, and it may be doubtful whether the Court of Pekin is yet
prepared to conform to these usages so far as to receive a minister
plenipotentiary to reside near it.
Being of opinion, however, that the commercial interests of the United
States connected with China require at the present moment a degree of
attention and vigilance such as there is no agent of this Government
on the spot to bestow, I recommend to Congress to make appropriation
for the compensation of a commissioner to reside in China to exercise
a watchful care over the concerns of American citizens and for the
protection of their persons and property, empowered to hold intercourse
with the local authorities, and ready, under instructions from his
Government, should such instructions become necessary and proper
hereafter, to address himself to the high functionaries of the Empire,
or through them to the Emperor himself.
It will not escape the observation of Congress that in order to secure
the important object of any such measure a citizen of much intelligence
and weight of character should be employed on such agency, and that to
secure the services of such an individual a compensation should be made
corresponding with the magnitude and importance of the mission.