贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the path of empire >

第12章

the path of empire-第12章

小说: the path of empire 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 kings in their government。 The descendants of these missionaries continued to live on the islands and became the nucleus of a white population which waxed rich and powerful by the abundant production of sugar cane on that volcanic soil。

In view of this tangible evidence of intimacy on the part of the United States with the Hawaiian Islands; Webster in 1842 brought them within the scope of the Monroe Doctrine by declaring that European powers must not interfere with their government。 Marcy; Secretary of State; framed a treaty of annexation in 1853; but the Hawaiian Government withdrew its assent。 Twenty years later Secretary Fish wrote: 〃There seems to be a strong desire on the part of many persons in the islands; representing large interests and great wealth; to become annexed to the United States and while there are; as I have already said; many and influential persons in the country who question the policy of any insular acquisition; perhaps even any extension of territorial limits; there are also those of influence and wise foresight who see a future that must extend the jurisdiction and the limits of this nation; and that will require a resting spot in the mid…ocean; between the Pacific coast and the vast domains of Asia; which are now opening to commerce; and Christian civilization。〃

All immediate action; however; was confined to a specially intimate treaty of reciprocity which was signed in 1875; and which secured a substantial American domination in commerce。 When Blaine became Secretary of State in 1881; he was; or at least he affected to be; seriously alarmed at the possibility of foreign influence in Hawaiian affairs; particularly on the part of Great Britain。 The native population was declining; and should it continue to diminish; he believed that the United States must annex the islands。 〃Throughout the continent; north and south;〃 he wrote; 〃wherever a foothold is found for American enterprise; it is quickly occupied; and the spirit of adventure; which seeks its outlet; in the mines of South America and the railroads of Mexico; would not be slow to avail itself of openings of assured and profitable enterprise even in mid…ocean。〃 As the feeling grew in the United States that these islands really belonged to the American continent; Blaine even invited Hawaii to send representatives to the Pan…American Congress of 1889。 When he again became Secretary of State; he was prepared to give indirect support at least to American interests; for the new queen; Liliuokalani; was supposed to be under British influence。 On the arrival of a British gunboat in Honolulu; J。 L。 Stevens; the American Minister; went so far as to write on February 8; 1892: 〃At this time there seems to be no immediate prospect of its being safe to have the harbor of Honolulu left without an American vessel of war。〃

Revolution was; indeed; impending in Hawaii。 On January 14; 1893; the Queen abolished the later constitution under which the Americans had exercised great power; and in its place she proclaimed the restoration of the old constitution which established an absolutism modified by native home rule。 At two o'clock on the afternoon of the 16th of January; the resident Americans organized a committee of safety; at half…past four United States marines landed at the call of Stevens。 The Queen was thereupon deposed; a provisional government was organized; and at its request Stevens assumed for the United States the 〃protection〃 of the islands。 Without delay; John W。 Foster; who had just succeeded Blaine as Secretary of State; drew up a treaty of annexation; which he immediately submitted to the Senate。

On March 4; 1893; Cleveland became President for the second time。 He at once withdrew the treaty and appointed James H。 Blount special commissioner to investigate the facts of the revolt。 While the report of Commissioner Blount did not; indeed; convict Stevens of conspiring to bring about the uprising; it left the impression that the revolt would not have taken place and certainly could not have succeeded except for the presence of the United States marines and the support of the United States Minister。 Cleveland recalled Stevens and the marines; and requested the provisional government to restore the Queen。 This Sanford Ballard Dole; the President of the new republic; refused to do; on the contention that President Cleveland had no right to interfere in the domestic affairs of Hawaii。 On the legality or propriety of Stevens's conduct; opinion in Congress was divided; but with regard to Dole's contention; both the Senate and the House were agreed that the islands should maintain their own domestic government without interference from the United States。 Thus left to themselves; the Americans in Hawaii bided their time until public opinion in the United States should prove more favorable to annexation。



CHAPTER VI。 Venezuela

Probably no President ever received so much personal abuse in his own day as did Grover Cleveland。 In time; however; his sterling integrity and fundamental courage; his firm grasp of the higher administrative duties of his office; won the approval of his countrymen; and a repentant public sentiment has possibly gone too far in the other direction of acclaiming his statesmanship。 Unlike Blaine; Cleveland thought soundly and consistently; but he was more obstinate; his vision was often narrower; and he was notably lacking both in constructive power and in tact; particularly in foreign relations。 In his first Administration; through his Secretary of State; Thomas F。 Bayard; Cleveland had negotiated fairly amicably with Great Britain; and when he failed to secure the Senate's assent to a treaty on the irritating question of the northeastern fisheries; he arranged a modus vivendi which served for many years。 In American affairs he opposed not only the annexation of Hawaii but also the development of the spirit of Pan…Americanism。 He was; however; no more disposed than was Blaine to permit infractions of that negative side of the Monroe Doctrine which forbade European interference in America。 His second Administration brought to the forefront of world diplomacy an issue involving this traditional principle。

The only European possession in South America at this time was Guiana; fronting on the Atlantic north of Brazil and divided among France; Holland; and Great Britain。 Beyond British Guiana; the westernmost division; lay Venezuela。 Between the two stretched a vast tract of unoccupied tropical jungle。 Somewhere there must have been a boundary; but where; no man could tell。 The extreme claim of Great Britain would have given her command of the mouth of the Orinoco; while that of Venezuela would practically have eliminated British Guiana。 Efforts to settle this long…standing dispute were unavailing。 Venezuela had from time to time suggested arbitration but wished to throw the whole area into court。 Great Britain insisted upon reserving a minimum territory and would submit to judicial decision only the land west of what was known as the Schomburgk line of 1840。 As early as 1876 Venezuela appealed to the United States; 〃the most powerful and oldest of the Republics of the new continent;〃 for its 〃powerful moral support in disputes with European nations。〃 Several times the United States proffered its good offices to Great Britain; but to no effect。 The satisfactory settlement of the question grew more difficult as time went on; particularly after the discovery of gold in the disputed region had given a new impulse to occupation。

President Cleveland took a serious view of this controversy because it seemed to involve more than a boundary dispute。 To his mind it called into question the portion of Monroe's message which; in 1823; stated that 〃the American continents。。。are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers。〃 According to this dictum; boundaries existed between all nations and colonies of America; the problem was merely to find these boundaries。 If a European power refused to submit such a question to judicial decision; the inference must be made that it was seeking to extend its boundaries。 In December; 1894; Cleveland expressed to Congress his hope that an arbitration would

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的