Official Correspondence: Secretary of State Lewis Cass Expresses His Thanks

The July 28, 1860 edition of the Polynesian features transcripts of official correspondences between Secretary of State Lewis Cass, U.S. Legation Representative James W. Borden, and Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs R.C. Wyllie:

LEGATION U. STATES

Honolulu, H.I., July 23d, 1860

SIR:

I have the honor to send herewith a copy of a dispatch from Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of State, to me, dated May 18^th, 1860.

It affords me great pleasure in being the medium of conveying to His Hawaiian Majesty the thanks of the President of the U. States, for his courtesies to our Nation’s guests, the Japanese Ambassadors.

I can but add my hope to the wish expressed by the President, that His Majesty’s Government and people may be among the first to reap the reward of the growing commerce of Japan.

In conclusion, I deem it a proper occasion to remark, that the local position of this Archipelago seems to make it the entrepot for the commerce of the Northern Pacific, and it is sincerely to be hoped that in adjusting your revenue system, you may, by abolishing all transit and export duties, and removing every restriction on trade, not inconsistent with the wants of His Majesty’s Exchequer, induce shippers to make it a place for the warehousing of merchandise, a central sport for the shipment of goods to the different foreign marts, which are, one by one, gradually opening up in every direction around the group of islands which forms His Hawaiian Majesty’s Kingdom.

I avail myself of the occasion to renew the assurances of the high respect, and very distinguished consideration with which

I have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your obedient servant,

JAMES W. BORDEN

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[COPY]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Washington, May 18, 1860.

TO HON. JAMES W. BORDEN,

&c., &c., &c.

SIR:

Your depatches to No. 27 inclusive have been received.

You will have learned from the public papers of the safe arrival at San Francisco of the Japanese Embassy, and this mail will inform you through the same channel of their equally safe arrival at this Capitol.

In connection with this subject, your No. 27 has been perused with much interest. Your own conduct in extending courtesies to our national guests, on the occasion of their momentary sojourn at Honolulu, is highly appreciated by the President, and whilst thus acknowledging the patriotic spirit which prompted you to sustain, as you did so successfully, the disposition and intentions of your government in the hospitable entertainment of their visitors, en route to this country, the President directs me particularly to instruct you t make known to His Majesty Kamehameha IV., through the proper channel, that he has learned with much satisfaction of the brilliant and cordial reception which His Majesty extended to the Embassy, in compliment to their quality and mission as guests of the United States.

The President desires His Majesty entirely to appreciate his recognition of the cordial friendship displayed towards this Government on the occasion referred to, and he trusts that His Majesty’s Government and people will be among the first to reap the advantages which may be anticipated from the opening of commerce with a rich and hitherto secluded country, as they were the first to display to the intelligent travelers from that land, the benefits which any people may derive from a judiciously organized and wisely administered government of constitutional law.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(signed) LEW. CASS.

FOREIGN OFFICE

Honolulu, 24^th July, 1860.

SIR:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 23d instant, enclosing copy of the official communication received by you from the Honorable Secretary of State, directing you to make known to His Majesty Kamhemahema IV, through the proper channel, that the President had learned with much satisfaction, of the “brilliant and cordial reception” which His Majesty extended to the Ambassadors of Japan, in compliment to their quality and mission, as guests of the United States.

The King commands me to say, that he is much pleased to find that the President so well understood his intention to shew, in the persons of the Ambassadors, the highest respect, due alike to their own rank, to the President to whom they were going, and to the Emperor whose credentials they bore. The King only regrets that the limited means of his Kingdom did not enable him to mark that high respect in a more signal manner.

The King’s Government thanks the President for his wish that the Hawaiian Kingdom may be among the first to participate in the benefit of the growing commerce of Japan; and they thank yourself for your expression of the same wish, in connexion with such a liberal fiscal system as will best conduce to that result.

Every since the regular organization of the Hawaiian Government, its fiscal laws have been the most liberal of any independent nation situated in this Ocean, and so, it is to be hoped, they will continue to be.

I am glad to have this new occasion to renew to you the assurances of the high respect and consideration with which I have the honor to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

R.C. WHYLEE.

HON. JAMES W. BORDEN

Commissioner of the U.States.