New York Daily Tribune

The Sandwich Islands.

Among the documents submitted to Congress by the President with his Message is a correspondence between Messrs. Haalilio and Richards, Agents from the Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands, and our Secretary of State. The following passage from the letter of the Agents contains information of gratifying interest concerning the progress of the Islands in civilization and the comforts of life, and the advantages of friendly intercourse with the United States:

Twenty-three years ago the nation had no written language, and no character in which to write it. The language had never been systematized nor reduced to any kind of form. The people had no acquaintance with Christianity, nor with the valuable institutions or usages of civilized life. The nation had no fixed form or regulations of Government, except as they were dictated by those who were in authority, or might by any means acquire power. The right of property was not acknowledged, and was therefore but partially enjoyed. There were no courts of justice, and the will of the chieftains was absolute. The property of foreigners had no protection, except in the kind disposition of individuals. But, under the fostering influence, patronage and care of his Majesty, and that of his predecessors, the language has been reduced to visible and systematized form, and is now written by a large and respectable proportion of the people.

Schools have been established throughout his dominions, and are supported principally by the Government; and there are but few, among the younger people who are unable to read. They have now in their own language a library, embracing a considerable variety of books, on a variety of subjects, including the Holy Scriptures, works on natural history, civil history, church history, geography, political economy, mathematics, and statute law; besides a number of elementary books. A regular monarchical Government has been organized, of a limited and representative character, a translation of the constitution of which we herewith transmit. A code of laws, both civil and criminal, has been enacted and published.

The Legislature holds an annual meeting, for the purpose of adding to and amending this code. Courts of justice have been established, and regular trials by jury required in all important cases. Foreigners of different nations have testified their confidence in these courts, by bringing suits in cases where many thousands of dollars' worth of property was involved, and that too when, with but very short delay, they could have been carried before the courts of other countries.

Consuls and commercial agents resident in his Majesty's dominions, and also of all commanders of national vessels visiting those dominions, to demand all that protection, both of person and of property, which is demanded of sovereign and independent States, and this, his Majesty believes, has been duly and efficiently extended. While, therefore, all is rendered by it, which is demanded of or expected from his Government, and all is demanded of his Government, and therefore, all is demanded of his Government, and rendered by the Governments of sovereign and independent States, he feels that he has a right to expect his State to be acknowledged as such, and thus be formally received into the general compact of sovereign nations. In the request which his Majesty hereby makes to the Government of the United States, he has of course for his direct object the promotion of the interest of his own kingdom; but he is also very fully convinced that the important interests of all the great commercial nations will also be materially subserved by his dominions remaining, as they have hitherto been, independent.

Their position is such that they constitute the great centre of the whale fishery for most of the world. They are on the principal line of communication between the western continent of America and the eastern continent of Asia; and such are the prevailing winds on that ocean that all vessels requiring repairs or supplies, either of provisions or of water, naturally touch at those islands, whether the vessels sail from Columbia river on the north, or from the far distant ports of Mexico, Central America or Peru, upon the south; and it should be farther added that there is no other place in all that part of the Pacific ocean where repairs of vessels can be made to so good an advantage, or supplies be obtained in such abundance and on so favorable terms.

His Majesty wishes also to remind the Government of the United States that the amount of property belonging to their citizens, which is either landed at or enters the various harbors and roadsteads of his dominions, and is consequently more or less dependent on the protection of his Government, cannot be less than from five to seven millions of dollars annually. This property lies in some ninety or a hundred whaling ships and their cargoes, and in some twelve or fifteen merchant vessels, besides also a considerable amount of other property belonging to American citizens on shore. At some seasons there has not been less than three or four millions of dollars' worth of American property, and some fourteen hundred American citizens at the same time, at the various ports of the Island, requiring consequently, in some degree, the protection of his Majesty: and he has the happiness of believing that efficient and satisfactory aid has always been extended to those who have required it. In evidence corroborative of many of the facts herein stated, the undersigned do not hesitate to refer to documentary evidence, which they believe must be among the papers in your Department of State, recently furnished by masters of national vessels, but more especially by the United States Commercial Agent residing at Honolulu.

Upon these grounds his Majesty Kamehameha desires the acknowledgement on the part of the United States of the independence of the Sandwich Islands.

Mr. Webster in reply, says that the President is aware of the gratifying prospects of the Sandwich Islands, and of the deep interest the United States has in the preservation of their independence. Still he sees no necessity for any further treaty stipulations. A Consul will continue to reside there as heretofore.