NEW AND FLAGRANT OUTRAGE BY THE FRENCH IN THE PACIFIC—VIOLENT SEIZURE OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. [From the New Zealander, Nov. 17.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 451, 28 November 1849, Page 4

NEW AND FLAGRANT OUTRAGE BY THE FRENCH IN THE PACIFIC—VIOLENT SEIZURE OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. [From the New Zealander, Nov. 17.]

Intelligence of the facts indicated in the above heading, has reached us by the Lady Leigh, and has an importance, the magnitude | of which will at once arrest the attention of every reader. On the arrival of the vessel i on the night before our last publication, we ■. received some verbal information on the subject ; but, as it was not of a sufficiently definite character, we judged it better to make no allusion to it on Wednesday, lest we should be instrumental in spreading erroneous statements, or exciting any unnecessary apprehensions. We are now, however, (by the kindness of Mr. Lewis and Mr. Lievesley,) in possession of a pamphlet containing the various official documents which have been issued by authority, and proceed to lay before the public a statement of events, the possible — or probable — consequence of which, not only in these seas, but in Europe, we almost shrink from contemplating. Our object today is to give copious extracts from the documents, interwoven with so much of condensed narrative as may render them generally intelligible ; — postponing to another day the comments of which the occurrences are largely and painfully suggestive. Unhappily it is a transaction of which we are not likely soon to hear the end. We shall not now stop to inquire into the real motives and causes which led to the French proceedings, but shall be content for the present with guarding ourselves against being supposed to regard those proceedings as having originated merely or chiefly in any personal pique, or resentment entertained by the French Consul against individual members of the Hawaiian Government. We fear they are to he traced to a far deeper and more dangerous source. To come to the facts before us, however ; — we find, that during a temporary absence of King Kamehameha from Honolulu, Rear Admiral Legoarant de Tromelin, Commander-in-Chief of the naval force of France in the Pacific, and M. Dillon, the French Consul, demanded an interview with his Majesty and his ministers, 11 to entertain some points whose definite adjustment is of importance to the maintenance and the duration of the good harmony between this (the Hawaiian) Government, and that of

the French Republic." This despatch was dated on the 15th of August. On the 19th the King returned, and, on the 21st, Mr. R. C. Wyllie, the Minister of Foreign Relations, made the following communication :—: — Foreign Office, Aug. 21, 1849. The undersigned, Minister of Foreign Relations of his Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, has the honor to acquaint Admiral de Tromelin, Commander-in-Cbief of the naval forces of the French Republic in the Pacific Ocean, and M. Dillon, Consul of the same, ia the Sandwich Islands, charged with the affairs of France near the Hawaiian Government, that having laid their joint note of the 20th instant, before his Majesty in Privy Council, it has pleased his Majesty to instruct the undersigned to convey to them the following answer : — The King and Government of the Hawaiian Islands are not aware that there are any matters pending between them and the Republic of France which have not been referred to the direct consideration of the Department of Foreign Affairs in France. The King's Special Commissioner having those matters in charge has assured his Majesty that he will spare no efforts to have them adjusted at the earliest day possible ; and the King now awaits the result of that reference. If, however, Admiral Tromelin and M. Dillon are of the opinion that there are any matters not so referred, now pending, it would much please his Majesty if they would specify them that' he may be apprised of the extent and nature thereof, and thereby prepared to take them into immediate consideration.* In communicating the above by order of the King in Privy Council, the undersigned for himself has to add the renewed assurance of his highest consideration. R. C. Wyllie. To Admiral Legoarant de Tromelin, Com-mander-in-Chief, &c, and to M. Dillon, Consul of France. * The intention was to fix a day for the desired audience, so soon as the Admiral and Consul should have complied with this request, but avoiding always a discussion with the King direct in Council, which they wtere understood to propose, and which the Hawaiian constitution does not allow. The following despatch, which was received on the next day, merits particular attention, j as containing the formal statement of the demands which have been made by the French officers, and which formed the pretext for their subsequent proceedings: — On board of the Admiral's frigate Le Poursuivante, off Honolulu, 22nd Aug. 1849. Naval Station of the French Republic, and Consulate of France, in the Sandwich Islands. " The undersigned, Legoarant de Tromelin, Rear Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of the naval forces of the French Republic in the Pacific Ocean, and M. Dillon, Consul of that Republic, in the Sandwich Islands, fulfilling the functions of Charge d' Affaires of France near the Hawaiian Government. "Have in concert, and in a joint note dated the 20th current, demanded of his Majesty, the King of this Archipelago, through his Minister of Foreign Relations, an audience in his Council, to entertain with him many grave questions actually pending between the Consul of the French Republic at Honolulu, and the Hawaiian Government. "By a note dated yesterday, 21st August, Mr. the Minister of Foreign Relations, making known the decision of his Majesty, informs the undersigned that, the King deliberating in his Council, has not thought proper to grant the audience demanded, upon the ground that the difficulties raised between the Consul of France, in the Hawaiian Islands, and the Government of this Archipelago, have been submitted direct to the appreciation of the French Republic, through the medium of the Hawaiian Charge d'Affaires at Paris. " The Minister of Foreign Relations adds that, in case there should be other questions, besides those submitted to the French Government, the undersigned are invited to formalize them, in order that the Hawaiian Government may examine them and take them into consideration. " Neither the questions submitted to the appreciation of the French Government by the Hawaiian Government, nor those which the undersigned had the intention to make valid, not having been formalized by the one part and the other (it is presumed that the meaning is by both parties,) the refusal of the audience which results from the tenor of the precited note of Mr. the Minister of Foreign Relations, cannot be considered otherwise than as a dilatory reply. The intention of the undersigned was at first to treat summarily, in a conference, of the principal points in litigation, and to remit into the hands of Mr. the Minister of Foreign Relations, their demands duly and precisely (nettement) formalized.

" In the meanwhile the time for deliberation has passed : admitting as true the declaration given, by the Hawaiian Government that the questions to be treated of have beea submitted by it to the examination of that of the French Republic, the time required to know the decision of the cabinet of Paris, and the actual situation in which the persons and commerce of the French in the Sandwich Islands are placed, do not permit to accept any longer new delays. The undersigned, therefore, consider themselves as bound to-day to accomplish here, and without delay, their whole duty, and to put the Government of his Majesty, King Kamehameha 111, in the case (demeure) of giving a categorical answer to the following demands put by the undersigned, r - without exposition of facts and discussions which the correspondence previously interchanged, render completely useless. 1. " The complete and loyal adoption of the Tieaty of the 26th of March, 1846, as it reads in the French text. 2. " The reduction of 50 per cent, ad va* lorem of the duty upon brandies and spirituous liquors of French origin. 3. " The subjection of the Catholic schools to the direction of the Chief of the FrenchMission and to Special Inspectors, not Protestants, and a treatment rigorously equal granted to the two worships and to their schools. 4. " The adoption of the French language in business intercourse (pour les rapports) between French citizens and the Hawaiian departments (administrations). ! 5. " The withdrawal of the exception with which French whalers are affected, which import wines and spirits, and the abrogation of ■ the regulation which obliges vessels laden with liquids to pay and support the customhouse officer placed on board to superintend the loading and unloading, 6. " The return of all the duties received in virtue of the regulation of which the withdrawal is demanded by the sth paragraph immediately preceding. " All these conclusions ought to be the object of the Resolutions of His Majesty, passed in his Council, and of urgency. 7. " The return of the fine of 25 dollars paid by the French ship "General Teste," beside an indemnity o' "60 dollars for the time during which she was unjustly detained here. 8. " The insertion in the official organ of the Hawaiian Government of the punishment inflicted upon the scholars of the High School whose impious conduct gave occasion to the complaints of M. the Abbe Coulon. 9. " The removal of the Governor of Hawaiia, who violated or allowed to be violated the domicile of the Abbe Marechal, or the order that that Governor make reparation to that Missionary, the one decision or the other to be inserted in the official journal. 10. " The payment to the French citizen proprietor of the Hotel of France of the damages committed in his house by foreign sailors, against whom the Hawaiian administration has not taken any process. 11. "The undersigned give a delay of three days from this day, the 22nd of August 1849, to the Hawaiian Government to make a categorical reply to the demands above. " In default of this Government making known its decision, between this and Saturday next, the 25th August, 1849, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the undersigned, agreeably to the formal instructions of the French Government, will have to declare the treaty of the 26th March, 1846, null and void, and replaced by the Convention concluded the 12th and 17th July, 1849, between the Post Captain Laplace, acting in the name of the King of the French, and his Majesty Kamehameha lILy • v " Besides the two parties re-entering, by right, under the empire of that convention, it will become the rule of the reciprocal conduct to follow, and the Hawaiian Government will be bound to execute it in all its extent, remaining after that day responsible for every infringement thereof which they may commit. "And in regard to the demands comprised in the paragraphs 7th, Bth, 9th and 10th above, the undersigned declare that in^ case justice he not done, they will employ the means at their disposal to obtain a complete reparation, declining for this case, and from the present all the responsibility of the Bubsequent acts that may happen., (Signed) Legoarant de Tromelin, Dillon (Jo be continued).