No. 303.
Mr. Peirce to Mr. Fish.

No. 318.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith extract from the Pacific Commercial Advertiser, of this date, giving an interesting account of [Page 678] a ceremony and addresses at the legation on yesterday, on the occasion of the formal presentation, through roe, to the United States Government, of two copies, printed on silk,, and herewith transmitted, of the resolutions adopted by the Hawaiian people, at a mass meeting held by them on the 20th ultimo, and of which I informed you in a previous dispatch, No. 317*

The committee for the presentation consisted of three members of the assembly, namely, the honorable Messrs. Moanauli, Kawainui, and Z. Poii, accompanied by the cabinet ministers, four in number. It is presumed that the Department of State may transmit a proper reply to the resolutions, and to the minister’s note of the 17th February, conveying His Majesty’s thanks to the Government and people of the United States, referred to in my No. 315.

With great respect, &c.,

HENRY A. PEIRCE.
[Inclosure in No. 318.]

PRESENTATION OF RESOLUTIONS.

[From the Pacific Commercial Advertiser, March 6.]

Yesterday, at 11 a.m., his excellency Henry A. Peirce, United States minister resident, at his villa in Nuuanu avenue, received their excellencies W. L. Green, W. L. Mo eh on u a, J. S.Walker and R. H. Stanley, the King’s ministers, and the honorable Messrs. J. Moanaouli and J. U. Kawainui and Mr. Z. P. Poli, which last were committee of the citizens of Honolulu deputed to present to Mr. Peirce a copy of resolutions unanimously adopted at a mass meeting held at Kawaiahao church, on the 20th ultimo. (The resolutions appeared in our last issue.) After the introduction of the committee to Mr. Peirce, the Hon. Mr. Moanaouli addressed him as follows, in Hawaiian, which was read in English by the minister of foreign relations:

“Mr. Minister: On behalf of the citizens who assembled in mass meeting at Kawaiahao church, Honolulu, on the 20th of February last, I have the honor to present you the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted on that occasion. It was the wish of the citizens that you transmit the same to the President of the United States of America, as an humble testimonial of their appreciation of the courteous reception and generous treatment of our beloved sovereign on the occasion of his visit to that country.”

His excellency was pleased to reply as follows:

Your excellencies and gentlemen of the committee: It is with much pleasure that the legation receives from your hands copies of the resolutions unanimously adopted by the Hawaiian people, assembled at a mass meeting held on the 20th of February last; and wherein they tendered thanks to the Government and people of the United States for the courteous manner they entertained His Majesty, their sovereign, while in the United States; and, moreover, for having conveyed him in a national war-vessel to and from San Francisco.”

“The resolutions, in the form now presented, beautifully imprinted on white satin, will be transmitted to my Government by the next outgoing mail, and I feel confidently sure will be received with that sensibility of true feeling due for so worthy a tribute of the generous and grateful appreciation entertained by the Hawaiian people for those of the United States.”

  1. For resolutions see inclosure to No. 317.