Focus on BELGIUM - Recognized the Hawaiian
Kingdom and on the 1895 War List of the United States

reviewed by Amelia Gora (2018)

BELGIUM recognized the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent, sovereign nation.

The following is a background of Belgium:

https://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/country/history/belgium_from_1830

Revolution and independence

At the Congress of Vienna, in 1815, Belgium (The Southern Netherlands) and the Northern Netherlands (Holland) were united to form one State. This new state was ruled by King William I. Although his policy was beneficial to the Belgian bourgeoisie, there was protest. The Catholics objected against the interference of the protestant king in clerical matters. The Liberals demanded more freedom. In 1828 Catholics and Liberals drew up a concerted programme of demands. The association between Catholics and Liberals was called unionism.

After a series of incidents, the revolution erupted in Brussels in 1830. William I sent in his troops, but they were expelled on September 27th, 1830. The rebels received support from volunteers outside the city. Following this rising Belgium separated from the Northern Netherlands. A provisional government declared independence on October 4th, 1830. On November 3th of the same year, a National Congress was elected by an electorate of 30,000 men, who paid a given level of taxes or who had special qualifications. On February 7th, 1831 the national congress adopted a constitution which, for its time, was very progressive.

1830 to 1908

A diplomatic conference on the future of Belgium opened in London on the November 4th. The great powers of the time recognised the secession of Belgium from the (Northern) Netherlands. Leopold I of Saxe-Coburg became the first King of the Belgians (1831 - 1865). In 1865 he was succeeded by his son Leopold II (1865 - 1909). Under their reign Belgium became the second most important industrial power.

Both kings wanted to secure Belgium's economic independence by promoting colonial expeditions, but they were not successful in this until the end of the 19th century. It was at this time that Leopold II backed expeditions by Henry Stanley to the Congo basin. He entered into agreements with local chiefs which resulted in a confederation of states. At first the Belgian government and parliament had no hand in the king's operations. Since Leopold II had been the first occupant of areas in Central Africa, he held a strong position at the Conference of Berlin in 1884. His demands were met. In 1885 the Belgian parliament agreed that Leopold II should become the head of state of the Congo. In 1908 control of Congo was transferred to the Belgian state.

World Wars

Although the great powers forced Belgium to remain neutral when it became independent, it couldn't escape World War I. The Belgian army under the command of King Albert I (1909 - 1934) was too small a match for the Germans, it nevertheless could managed to halt the enemy at the river Yser. Belgium suffered greatly during the war. The Yser region was laid waste.

The years after the war were very difficult. The international economic crisis affected the country. When Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, the dangers posed by that country rose again. From 1936 onwards Belgium took a neutral stance, just as it had done before the 1914 - 1918 war, but Germany invaded again on May 10th, 1940. After 18 days king Leopold III (1934 - 1951) decided to capitulate. This decision provoked a rupture with the government. After the war the royal question dominated politics. In 1951 Leopold III abdicated in favour of his son Baudouin I. This king reigned until his death in 1993. On August 9th, 1993 his brother Albert II became the sixth King of the Belgians.

A federal state

The question of relations between the communities has played a highly important part in recent Belgian history. Following four state reforms Belgium was transformed into a federal state. The political scene is also dominated by economic problems and increased internationalisation. Belgium played an important role in the creation of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union, the Benelux and the European Union. As a member of the United Nations, and in the service of world peace, Belgium often sends its troops on peace missions or sends its observers to areas over the world.

The following article was found on the chroniclingamerica website which shows that the U.S. saw Belgium as a nation that had War issues, etc.:

1895 - "Foreign Complications" - anticipated Wars, issues....Media influences:

Orleans County monitor. (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, April 01, 1895, Image 1

Image provided by University of Vermont

Persistent link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84022871/1895-04-01/ed-1/seq-1/

Print this image | Download this image

Note:

The following countries were named as having issues with the United States:

Great Britain

France

Germany

Spain - Premeditation documented since 1897, etc.

Belgium

Hawaii - Premeditation documented since 1820, etc.

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The Hawaiian Kingdom/Kingdom of Hawaii has a Treaty with Belgium, documented on October 4th, 1862 and under Article I. "There shall be perpetual peace and constant friendship between the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands and that of Belgium, and between the citizens of the two countries, without exception of person or place."

Also see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_treaties_signed_by_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
https://www.hawaiiankingdom.org/treaty_belgium.shtml

TREATY WITH BELGIUM

OCTOBER 4TH, 1862

His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands on the one part, and His Majesty the King of the Belgians on the other part, desiring to facilitate the establishment of commercial relations between the Hawaiian islands and Belgium, and to favor their development by a treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, suited for securing to the two countries equal and reciprocal advantages, have nominated to this purpose for their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, Sir John Bowring as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary and His Majesty the King of the Belgians the Sicur Charles Rogier, His Minister of Foreign Affairs, Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold, etc., etc., etc.

Who having mutually communicated their powers and found them in good and true form, have agreed on the following articles:

ARTICLE 1. There shall be perpetual peace and constant friendship between the Kingdom of the Hawaiian Islands and that of Belgium, and between the citizens of the two countries, without exception of persons or place.

ARTICLE II. There shall be between the Hawaiian Islands and Belgium reciprocal freedom in commerce and navigation. Hawaiian subjects in Belgium, and Belgians in the Hawaiian Islands, may enter in the same liberty and security with their vessels and cargoes as are enjoyed by the natives of the respective countries, in all places, ports and rivers which are or shall in future be open to foreign commerce: provided always, that the police regulations employed for the protection of the citizens of the most favored nations be respected.

ARTICLE III. The citizens of each of the contracting parties may, like the natives in the respective territories, travel or reside, trade wholesale or retail, rent occupy the houses, stores and shops which they may require; they may carry on the transport of merchandise and money, and receive consignments; they may also, when they have resided more than a year in the country, and their goods, chattels or movables which they there possess shall offer a sufficient security be admitted as sureties in custom-house transactions.

The citizens of both countries shall, on a footing of perfect equality, be free both to purchase and to sell, to establish and to fix the price of goods, merchandise and articles of every kind, whether imported or of home manufacture, whether for home consumption or for exportation.

They shall also enjoy liberty to carry on their business themselves, to present to the custom-house their own declarations or to have their place supplied by their own attornies, factors, consignees, agents, or interpreters whether in the purchase or sale of their goods, their property or merchandise, whether for the loading or unloading or of the expedition of their vessels.

They shall also have the right to fulfill all the functions that are confided to them by their own countrymen, by strangers or by natives, in the position of attornies, factors, agents, consignees, or interpreters.

For the performance of all these acts they shall conform to all the laws and regulations of the country, and they shall not be subject in any case to any other charges, restrictions, taxes or impositions than those to which the natives are subject; provided, always, that the police regulations employed for the protection of the citizens of the most favored nation be respected.

It is also specially provided that all the advantages, of any kind whatever, actually granted by the laws and decrees now in force or which shall in future be accorded to foreign settlers, shall be granted to Belgians established or who shall establish themselves in whatever positions they may deem fit in the Hawaiian Territory.

And the same shall hold good for Hawaiian subjects in Belgium.

ARTICLE IV. The respective citizens of the two countries shall enjoy the most constant and complete protection for their persons and property. Consequently they shall have free and easy access to the courts of justice in the pursuit and defence of their rights in every instance and degree of jurisdiction established by the laws. They shall be at liberty under any circumstances to employ lawyers, advocates or agents, from any class whom they may see fit to authorize to act in their name. In fine, they shall, in all respects enjoy, the same rights and privileges which are granted to natives and they shall be subject to the same conditions.

ARTICLE V. The Hawaiians in Belgium, and the Belgians in the Hawaiian Islands, shall be exempt from all service whatever, in the army or navy, or in the national guard or militia, and they cannot be subject to any other charges,

restrictions, taxes or impositions on their property, furniture, or movables than those to which the natives themselves are subject.

Article VI. The citizens of both countries respectively shall not be subject to any embargo, nor to be detained with their vessels, luggage, cargoes or commercial effects

for any military expedition whatever, nor for any public or private service

whatever, unless the government or local authority shall have previously agreed with the parties interested, that a just indemnity shall be granted for such service, and for such compensation as might fairly be required for the wrong or injury (which not being purely fortuitous) may have grown out of the service which they have voluntarily undertaken.

ARTICLE VII. The most entire liberty of conscience is guaranteed to Hawaiian subjects in Belgium and to the Belgians in the Hawaiian Islands. Both parties must conform in the outward observance of their religion to the laws of the country.

ARTICLE VIII. Citizens of either of the contracting parties shall, on the respective territories, have the right of possessing property of any sort, and disposing of the same in like manner as the natives.

Belgians shall enjoy in all the Hawaiian territories the right of collecting and transmitting successions ab intestato or testamentaries as Hawaiians, according to the laws of the country without being subjected as strangers to any burthens or imposts which are not paid by the natives.

And reciprocally, Hawaiian subjects shall enjoy as Belgians, the right of collecting and transmitting successions ab intestato or testamentary on the same conditions as Belgians, according to the laws of the country, and without being subject as strangers to any charge or impost not payable by the natives.

The same reciprocity between the citizens of the two countries shall exist for donations inter vivos. On the exportation of property collected or acquired under any head by Belgians in the Hawaiian Islands, or by Hawaiians in Belgium, there shall be no duty on removal or immigration, nor any duty whatever to which natives are not subjected.

ARTICLE IX. All Belgian or Hawaiian vessels sailing under their respective colors, and which shall be bearers of the shipÕs papers and documents required by the laws of the respective countries shall be considered as national vessels.

ARTICLE X. Belgian vessels which shall arrive either in ballast or laden in Hawaiian ports, or which shall leave the same, and reciprocally, Hawaiian vessels which, either in ballast or laden, enter or leave the ports of Belgium, whether by sea, or by river, or canals, whatever be the place of their departure or that of their destination, shall not be subject either at entry or departure, to duties on tonnage, port or transit, pilotages, anchorage, shifting, light-houses, sluices, canals, quarantines, salvage, bonding-warehouses, patents, brokerage, navigation, passage, or to any duties or charges whatever, levied on the hulks of vessels received or established for the benefit of the government, of the public functionaries, communes or establishments of any sort other than those which are now or may hereafter be levied on national vessels.

ARTICLE XI. In all that regards the stationing, the loading and unloading of vessels in the ports, roadsteads, harbors and docks, and generally for all the formalities and arrangements whatever to which vessels employed in commerce with their freights and loading may be subject, it is agreed that no privilege shall be granted to national vessels, which shall be equally granted to vessels of the other country, the intention of the high contracting parties being that in this respect also the respective vessels shall be treated on the footing of perfect equality.

ARTICLE XII. Vessels of the subjects of the contracting parties, compelled to seek shelter in the ports of the other, shall pay neither on the vessel nor the cargo more duties than those levied on national vessels in the same situation; provided, that the necessity of such shelter seeking be legally shown, that the vessel shall carry on no commercial speculations, and that it will tarry no longer than is required by the motives which impelled it to enter the port.

ARTICLE XIII. Belgian ships of war, and whaling ships shall have free access to all the Hawaiian ports; they may there anchor, be repaired and victual their crews; they may proceed from one harbor to another of the Hawaiian Islands for fresh provisions.

At all the ports which are or may be hereafter opened to foreign vessels , Belgian ships of war and whalers shall be subject to the same rules which are or may be imposed, and shall enjoy in all respects the same rights, privileges and immunities which are or may be granted to Hawaiian ships and whalers, or to those of the most favored nation.

ARTICLE XIV. Articles of all sorts imported into the ports of either of the contracting States, under the flag of the other, whatever be their origin, and from whatever country imported, shall pay neither, other nor heavier duties of entry, and shall not be subjected to any other charges than if imported under the national flag.

ARTICLE XV. Articles of all sorts exported from either of the two countries, under the flag of the other, from whatever country they may be, shall not be subjected to other duties or other formalities, than if exported under the national flag.

ARTICLE XVI. Hawaiian ships in Belgium, and Belgian ships in the Hawaiian Islands, may discharge a portion of their cargo in the port of their first arrival, and proceed with the rest of their cargo to other ports of the same country, which may be open to foreign trade, whether to complete their unloading or to provide their return cargo, and shall pay in neither port other or heavier duties than those levied on national vessels in similar circumstances.

As regards the coasting trade, the vessels of each country shall be mutually treated on the same footing as the most favored nation.

ARTICLE XVII. During the period allowed by laws of the two countries for the warehousing of goods, no other duties than those for custody and storage shall be levied upon articles imported from one of the two countries into the other, until they shall be removed for transit, reexportation or internal consumption.,

In no case shall such articles pay higher duties or be liable to other formalities than if they had been imported under the national flag, or from the most favored country.

ARTICLE XVIII. Merchandise shipped on board Belgian or Hawaiian ships, or belonging to their respective citizens, may be transhipped in the ports of two countries to a vessel bound for a national or foreign port, according to the custom house regulations of the two countries, and the goods so transhipped for other ports shall be exempt from all duties of customs or warehouses.

ARTICLE XIX. Articles of all sorts proceeding from Belgium, or shipped for Belgium, shall enjoy in their passage through the territory of the Hawaiian Islands, whether in direct transit or for reexportation, all the advantages possessed under the same circumstances by the most favored nation.

And reciprocally the articles of every sort, the produce of the Hawaiian Islands or sent from that country, shall enjoy in their passage through Belgium, the same advantages as are possessed by the most favored nation.

ARTICLE XX. Neither one nor the other of the contracting parties will impose upon the goods proceeding from the soil, the manufactures or the warehouses of the other different or greater duties on importation or reexportation, than those which shall be imposed on the same merchandise coming from any other foreign country.

Nor shall there be imposed on the goods exported from one country to the other, different or higher duties than if they were exported to any other foreign country.

No restriction or prohibition of importation or reexportation shall take place in the reciprocal commerce of the contracting parties which shall not be equally extended to all other nations.

ARTICLE XXI. Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents may be established by each country in the other for the protection of commerce, such agents shall not enter upon their functions or enjoyment of the rights, privileges and immunities which belong to them until they have obtained the authorization of the territorial government, which shall, besides, preserve the right of determining the place of residing where Consuls may be established; it being understood that neither Government will impose any restriction which is not common in the country to all nations.

ARTICLE XXII. The Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents of Belgium in the Hawaiian Islands shall enjoy all the privileges, immunities and exemptions. enjoyed by the agents of the most favored nation in the same circumstances,

And the same shall be the position in Belgium of the Hawaiian Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents.

ARTICLE XXIII. The desertion of seamen embarked in the vessels of either of the contracting parties shall be severely dealt with in their respective territories. In consequence the Belgian consuls shall have the power to cause to be arrested and sent on board, or to Belgium, seamen who may have deserted Belgian vessels in the Hawaiian ports. But for this purpose they must apply to the competent local authorities, and justify, by the exhibition of the original or the duly certified copy of the shipÕs register, the roll or other official documents to prove that the persons named formed part of the shipÕs crew. On this application, so supported, the delivery of the seamen shall not be refused.

All aid and assistance shall be given for the discovery and arrest of such deserters, who shall be detained in the prisons of the country, on the requirement and at the expense of the consuls, until they shall find an opportunity of sending them away, If, however no opportunity shall offer in the course of two months, counting from the day of arrest, the deserters may be set at liberty.

It is understood that seamen who are native Hawaiians shall be excepted from this arrangement and to be treated according to the laws of their own country, on the requirement and at the expense of the consuls, until they shall find an opportunity of sending them away. If, however, no opportunity shall offer in the course of the two months, counting from the day of arrest, the deserters may be set at liberty.

It is understood that seamen who are native Hawaiians shall be excepted from this arrangement and to be treated according to the laws of their own country.

If the deserter have committed any crime in the Hawaiian territory, his release shall not take place till the competent tribunal shall have given judgment, and this judgment been carried into execution.

Hawaiian consuls shall possess exactly the same rights in Belgium, and it is formally agreed between the two contracting parties, that every other favor or facility granted or to be granted by either to any other power for the arrest of deserters shall be also granted to the present contracting parties as fully as if they had formed part of the present treaty.

ARTICLE XXIV. All operations connected with the salvage of stranded or wrecked vessels on the Hawaiian coasts shall be superintended by the Consular Agent of Belgium and reciprocally the Consular Hawaiian Agents shall superintend the operations connected with the salvage of Hawaiian vessels stranded or wrecked on the Belgian coasts.

But if the parties interested find themselves on the spot, or the captain possess adequate powers, the administration of the wreck shall be committed to them.

The intervention of the local authorities shall only be applied to the maintenance of order, to guarantee the rights of the salvors if they do not belong to the ship-wrecked crew, and to assure the execution of the measures to be taken for the entry and departure of the saved goods. In the absence and until the arrival of the Consular Agents, the local authorities will take the needful steps for the protection of persons and property wrecked.

The goods saved shall never be subjected to customs or duty, unless they are disposed of for home consumption.

ARTICLE XXV. The ships, merchandise and effects belonging to the respective citizens which may have been taken by pirates or conveyed to or found in the ports of either of the contracting parties, shall be delivered to their owners on payment of the expenses should there be such, the amount to be determined by the competent tribunals when the right of the proprietor shall be proved before these tribunals, and the claim being made within the space of eighteen months by the interested parties, by their attorneys, or by the agents of their respective Governments.

ARTICLE XXVI. If, from a concurrence of unfortunate circumstances, differences between the contracting parties should cause an interruption of the relations of friendship between them, and that after having exhausted the means of an amicable and conciliatory discussion, the object of their mutual desire should not have been completely attained, the arbitration of a third power, equally the friend of both shall by a common accord be appealed to, in order to avoid by this means a definitive rupture.

ARTICLE XXVII. The present treaty shall be in vigor for ten years, to commence six months after the exchange of ratification. If a year before the expiration of this term neither of the contracting parties shall have announced, by an official declaration, its intention of terminating it, the treaty shall still remain in force for a year, and so continue from year to year.

ARTICLE XXVIII. The present treaty shall be ratified and the ratification exchanged at Brussels, within the space of eighteen months, or earlier if may be.

In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed the same, and thereto affixed their seals.

Done in duplicate at Brussels this fourth day of October, in the year of the Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.