Fifty-fifth Congress of the United States of America;
At the Second Session,
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, the sixth day of
December, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
Joint Resolution To provide for annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the
United States.
Whereas, the Government of the Republic of Hawaii having, in due form,
signified its consent, in the manner provided by its constitution, to cede
absolutely and without reserve to the United States of America, all rights of
sovereignty of whatsoever kind in and over the Hawaiian Islands and their
dependencies, and also to cede and transfer to the United States, the absolute
fee and ownership of all public, Government, or Crown lands, public buildings
or edifices, ports, harbors, military equipment, and all other public property
of every kind and description belonging to the Government of the Hawaiian
Islands, together with every right and appurtenance thereunto appertaining:
Therefore,
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That said cession is accepted, ratified,
and confirmed, and that the said Hawaiian Islands and their dependencies be,
and they are hereby, annexed as a part of the territory of the United States
and are subject to the sovereign dominion thereof, and that all and singular
the property and rights hereinbefore mentioned are vested in the United States
of America.
The existing laws of the United States relative to public lands shall not
apply to such lands in the Hawaiian Islands; but the Congress of the United
States shall enact special laws for their management and disposition: Provided,
That all revenue from or proceeds of the same, except as regards such part
thereof as may be used or occupied for the civil, military, or naval purposes
of the United States, or may be assigned for the use of the local government,
shall be used solely for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands
for educational and other public purposes.
Until Congress shall provide for the government of such islands all the
civil, judicial, and military powers exercised by the officers of the existing
government in said islands shall be vested in such person or persons and shall
be exercised in such manner as the President of the United states shall direct;
and the President shall have power to remove said officers and fill the
vacancies so occasioned.
The existing treaties of the Hawaiian Islands with foreign nations shall
forthwith cease and determine, being replaced by such treaties as may exist, or
as may be hereafter concluded, between the United States and such foreign
nations. The municipal legislation of the Hawaiian Islands, not enacted for the
fulfillment of the treaties so extinguished, and not inconsistent with this
joint resolution nor contrary to the Constitution of the United States nor to
any existing treaty of the United States, shall remain in force until the
Congress of the United States shall otherwise determine.
Until legislation shall be enacted extending the United States customs laws
and regulations to the Hawaiian Islands the existing customs relations of the
Hawaiian Islands with the United States and other countries shall remain
unchanged.
The public debt of the Republic of Hawaii, lawfully existing at the date of
the passage of this joint resolution, including the amounts due to depositors
in the Hawaiian Postal Savings Bank, is hereby assumed by the Government of the
United States; but the liability of the United States in this regard shall in
no case exceed four million dollars. So long, however, as the existing
Government and the present commercial relations of the Hawaiian Islands are
continued as hereinbefore, provided said Government shall continue to pay the
interest on said debt.
There shall be no further immigration of Chinese into the Hawaiian Islands,
except upon such conditions as are now or may hereafter be allowed by the laws
of the United States; and no Chinese, by reason of anything herein contained,
shall be allowed to enter the United States from the Hawaiian Islands.
Sec. 1. The President shall appoint five commissioners, at least two of whom
shall be residents of the Hawaiian Islands, who shall, as soon as reasonably
practicable, recommend to Congress such legislation concerning the Hawaiian
Islands as they shall deem necessary or proper.
Sec. 2. That the commissioners hereinbefore provided for shall be appointed
by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Sec. 3. That the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as
may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, and to be immediately available, to be expended at the
discretion of the President of the United States of America, for the purpose of
carrying this joint resolution into effect.