HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 
 
Compliance having been thus procured to the foregoing demands, 
others were preferred by Her Britannic Majesty's acting consul (now 
acknowledged) more unjust, exorbitant and arbitrary; claims for heavy 
indemnities where no damage was proven, and only alleged on frivo- 
lons pretexts, and demands for damages in a case still pending under 
the previous protest to Her Britannic Majesty. We were called upon 
to violate every principle of equity, by setting aside the decision of 
juries in several cases without any just cause being pretended why new 
trials should be granted; these demands were enfiorced at private in- 
terviews between ourselves,~his lordship and Her Britannic Majesty's 
acting consul. The subject was only verbally canvassed, written ne- 
gotiations were positively refused, and even written statements and 
proof and copies of the claims preferred were denied. The only alter- 
native offered us were immediate resolve to violate the laws by acts 
illegal and oppressive, immediate admission and payment of claims to 
indemnity so loosely supported, or immediate hostilitie. 
Without force to resist hostilities, without resources to meet the 
payment of the heavy indemnities demanded, and firmly resolved to 
support law and justice, we adopted the only peaceful alternative left, 
to throw ourselves upon the generosity of the British nation by a con- 
ditional cession of these islands to Her Britannic Majesty. To have 
awaited hostilities would have been to expose to destruction the prop- 
erty and jeopardize the lives of a large number of foreign residents 
who are American citizens; to have complied with the demands urged 
would have been to, sanction oppressive and illegal acts affeIcting the 
rights and prospects of American citizens also, and an open violation 
of the stipulations with the United States in 1826. 
Placed in difficulties from which we could not extricate ourselves 
with honor and justice, compelled to immediate decision, and threat- 
ened with immediate hostilities we have, with the advice and consent 
of our chiefs, signed with a heavy ha'nd and many tears the deed of 
provisional cession and have permitted the British flag to be planted 
in all our islands, but under the guns of a frigate and at the point of 
the bayonet. 
Relying on the magnanimity and firmness of the United States, we 
appeal to the President to interpose the high influence of the United 
States with the court of England to grant us an impartial hearing and 
procure us justice, to induce Her British Majesty to withdraw from the 
sovereignty of these islands and leave us as we have been-an inde- 
pendent government supported in our right. 
We have labored to civilize and improve our islands; we have 
adopted the laws of the'United States and of Britain; we have appointed 
upright and capable American, citizens and British subjects to offices 
of trust and responsibility, in order that their functions might be exer-

cised with energy and fidelity; we have adopted all suggestions which 
would tend to put the commercial intercourse of American citizens 
with us upon the'best footing; we have been gratified with the large 
and increasing number of American residents. We confidently appeal 
to the Americans on these islands engaged in mercantile, and commer- 
cial pursuits to testify to the honesty of our intentions and our capa- 
bilities for self-government, and we acknowledge them to have been 
the most consistent and efficient supporters of our Government. 
We look to the United States with peculiar feelings of respect and 
gratitude. To the benevolence and enterprise of that great people we 
owe the introduction of the Christian religion, of civilization and laws