Polynesian., 1844-06-22
THE ESIAN /.
HONOLULU, SATURDAY, JUNE %, 1914.

tom of our grandfathers, Of looking upon the
past ages as the ages of gold, and our W
as those of brass. Behold the contrast.
Not many years since, the civilized adventu-
rer that by chance dropped upon a country
on the wide ocean, where the fashions Of the
people were not like his, and the "malo,"
or blanket, usurped the places of the breech-
es or frock, claimed it for his own master,
and the world quietly acquiesced. What bu-
siness had tautaued men and women, Shiny
with cocoa nut oil, to own lands that had
come down to them from ancestors as rude
and naked &, themselves! 1t was a mons
trous violation of the rights of the well trous-
ed and well breeched. Like the traffic in
slaves and rum, this kind of proceeding, for
long years passed unquestioned. But, since
the wholesale spoliations of Napoleon affect
ed earth's mighty ones, and the robbers
were robbed in turn, a different spirit has
fallen upon them. "Ne quid minis" they
were fain to cry out, and to be let alone
themselves, they are now willing to let others
alone. Good has thus been wrought out
from evil. The scenes of the few past years
in the Pacific, will not soon be renewed; un-
less, indeed, the war-fcver again rends So
ciety and nations to their very foundations.
The policy of England from the days of
Cook down to the present time, towards the
Hawaiian people, has been highly honora-
BILE. She has not sought to take possession,
though at one period it could have been done
without invidiousness. But the whole tenor
of her conduct has evinced a sincere desire
to benefit them. The deeds of Vancouver,
Lord Byron, George w., and many naval
commanders, who have visited these shores,
attest this fact. The exception lies not with
the nation or government, but with a few in
dividuals, and those individuals have met
with deserved rebuke. 1t has been evinced
that too much honor exists in the councils of
England, for her to allow herself to be coz
ened into a fraudulent aggression upon the
rights of this people. The web Of intrigue
was cunningly wove, and the temptation
made great. Plausible statements were not
wanting, to arouse the vengeance, or ava
ken the jealousy of the English nation. But
they all most signally failed, and when the
full disclosure Of the history of the few past
years is made, an intamy, greater even than
that which 10 exists, if such is possible,
will rest upon the u%nprincipled ~intriguers.
France, influenced by the f~ar-sighted, and
peaceful policy of a Guizot, has added the
force of her example to the side of justice.
One deed of open, even handed justice is far
more to her glory, than the conquest of an
Algiers. The restoration may have come
too late to heal the wounds already inflicted
upon the national independence of Tahiti,
but it was prompt and decided upon the re-
ceipt of the news of the aggression of their
Admiral. Guizot, in his speech of the lst.
March, observes that "he does not believe
any question of so great Importance, had
been examined and resolved upon more
quickly" england, on a similar occa-
sion," he goes on to remark, "took more
than six weeks to settle the question" He
Indignantly denies the charge that it was the
influence, or fear of England, that led to this
result, and boldly proclaims it the policy of
France, uninflucnced by any foreign power.
Long may such councils continue to prevail.
The strong are ceasing to prey upon the
weak. Other nations will not dare to usurp
what these have declared free, but will Join
in lending a helping hand to sustain them,