The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-05-22

Of whatever party, Who now coue to these islsads
see that in all that relates to the material well being
Of the people the results OF the policy Of that go
yernment have been unhappy lamentably unhappy.
Whether any one could, from the first have predi-
Gated that this would be the case from the measures
adopted is another question. But as TO the fact OF
the deeayiDg energies Of the people, it Is thing
before every eye. The course those gentlemen took
was one at least natural to them az missionaries aud
Americans. They went forth, with the Bible In one
hand and the American constitution in the other,
in the firm belief that they grasped and could dis,
pense 10 submissive people, the whole elements OF
an enlightened and happy civilization. IL was
deyout imag nation, day-dream, such as mochs
men who live in world OF their own aud Is dis.
PEELED by the i0stle and hustle OF real life. Without
entering on particulars am tempted 10 point 10
two or three measures OF unhappy consequence eula
mating from those gentlemen when they assumed the
gubernatorial chair, and naturally springing from
the views they entertained. The first OF these is the
total upsetting Of the old form of government, and
the premature introduction OF the American, or
English constitution. II were unfair, however. 10
lay this to the charge OF the missionaries as mis-
sionaries. II Is an error-sometimes a very grave
one-whieh Englishmen and Americans have every
where sort OF mania for committing. What he
calls constitutional government is everywhere the
hobby of the AngloSaXon, unnindfu that
centuries OF struggles, of seasons now Of sue
cess, now OF disaster continual battling with
storms, and nicely trimming of sails TO catch each
tayoring breeze, have Infatuated him to its nature
and use, and made il to himself rs it were part and
parcel Of his very being he everywhere and to every
people holds it up blessing at all hazards to be
reached alter by them as the one thing needfu for
their social salvation. And, everywhere, when the
scheme fails, and wreck and ruin are its results he
turns round on those he has unwttingy injured
and lays all the fault their intellectual and mora
deficiencies. Ii were wise thing to press crew
OF landsmen set them aboard ship with chart,
quadrant compass, &c, and push them of to sea-
it were reasonable thing, when they had lost
the vessel, to tie up all the poor devils who had
escaped the wreck, and give each round dozen for
being lubber, and not knowing the ropes. II Is
just so here; the kanakas are put down as set o.
know nothings and never.will know any things, be
cause they have failed in business to which as
nation, they never served an apprenticeship. Al
this seems to me wrong, and | confess | regret the
premature abolition OF the power of the chiefs.
Even granting that neither intellectually nor morally
were they superior to the comnonality still hold
that socially and politically their feelings were, To
say, higher toned. They held themselves as the
fathers Of their race, and the very fact that they,
without hesitation descended from their high STA
tons of rulers and judges, and to great extent d.
vested themselves oftheir rights property, because
they believed that this was tor the good OF their peo
pie il to pregnant proof that had they retained
these; they were the natural 80 would they have
been the willing and efficient agents in all that tend
ed to their good in every measure OF social ameora-
ton. Again. the missionaries have made the native
and not the English language the basis of their edu
catona efforts Here, also, in my opinion has been
a great 3 gTiey0us error. ] hope, as ! have said,
that shall make it apparent to you that the Haw-
allan language, like the Hawaiian race, very singu-
lar as it is in its powers and its Deficiencies deserves
much more attention than has hitherto been best0w
ed on it. But it was the medium OF communicating
thought among those to whom extreme license was
often almost a virtue, and who seem to have lad
scarce any ideas of what We call dellcacy or de-
ceucy Ii is thus chock full OF what should term
most improper expressions and the use Of it is hos
tile to purity OF thought As raedium, therefore,
for the new ideas 1t was desirable to dlffuse the
Il la, vssntts lo
knowledge OF this would besides have opened up to
the quick apprehensions of the people all the vast
and treasure heaped world OF English and American
literature. Thi, was, on many accounts, to be es-
peciay desired. In the ola times the soul OF
the Hawaiian chiefly expanded in festivals. There
he listened to the tale OF the bard and the song OF
the women, heard the remarks OF the. chiefs and
elders, and gathered the ideas and the wisdom that
bad foGted from age to age among his ocean com
passed race. All this was put down as licentions.
immoral and heathenish And so it certainly was.
But in taking from him what in the days OF old was
his very life of life, il desirable to substitute
something that might fill the void, that might salts
y his excited curiosity, unfold to him other sources
IF intellectual enjoyment, and lead him TO new trains
Df thought aud action. Woman, set free from the re-
stiaints cf her former hampered condition. and hay
ing new duties and obligations imposed on her-being
required, in fact to assume the place OF the woman
Of modern civihzation--needed to have lively pic
ure presented to her OF the dignity to which purity
Of thought and action has raised her in this civil
lZation ills new phase, which humanity has put on.
The powers OF the chiefs, as superintendent OF do
nestle industry, supreme in questions Of policy
and war, having come to allegiance, and the masses
being required to take the position Ofself acting free
men IN tree Stato-to assume that Is Character
foreign 10 all their previous conceptions, and may
say natures needed the aid of every stmul0us that
could rouse their energies to bestir themselves and
master the difficulties OF the new sphere OF action in
v hich they had to move What more powerful aid
and encouragement could they have had than to
and feel. how the they
were required 10 emulate lived and moved in similar
spheres. Now do not say that knowledge of
English language aad literature would necessarily
have brought about all this, but in my opinion il
a necessary preliminary 20 it. As i'll some measure
proof OF the wisdom and success OF the plan, may
call your attention to the very happy condition OF the
mixed race on Pitcairns island. Their having been
led to abandon their mothers tongue, and adopt that
Of their fathers, was do not believe, main cause of
this. il must be acknowledged that the business
was difficult one. None knows the difficulty better
than one who like myself has endeavored to teach
kanakas English, and Is now trying TO master the
kanaka tongue. Still the funds were large-perhaps
900 have been expended in education-and
am convinced that comparatively small portion OF
this slsilfuy and energetlcay applied, would have
enabled the many who would willingly have aided
the effort to overcome the difficulty. The main
positive cause was to be found in the mind OF the
missionary in his belief that the Bible itself all
sufficient and in the dread almost the adherence with
which he regarded what We call light reading and
all the unOOuudeu incense Oh the IHOueri press NOW,
this was all well and right on the mere missionary;
but when he stepped beyond this character and be-
came politician the head OF political party IN re-
cogniz,d Kingdom, he stepped also into another
sphere cf action in which all his dongs are subject
&C 10 the judgment and must be tried according to
the.principes OF other rules. Before such tribunal
il would be hard for him to make good his cause.
In point Of fact, the dread OF inlldehty, sucn
was entertained was yain The hanakas require
positive religion, and seek for it. As to the
other matter, that was also vain dread. All the
scum Of all the richest or smuttiest French novels
would fan on Hanaka unheeding and unhurt. As
well might sou fear to injure duck by sprnkling
water upon it. II has gambolled in i from the very
egg ought not to omit, however even here to tell
you that various religious, elementary and some other
works. have issued from the missionary press in the
native language. They do not much attract the at
enton Of the Kanakas, nor are perhaps OF charac-
ter to do So and otton see them tosn up for uses
vile. / must make one exception. John Bunyon's
Pilgrim have found deposited in the corner OF manga
hut all complete though overnarked, II that could
be, with the glorious illumination OF thumbprnts and
soils from frequent perusal. suspect he Is read as
read hirn when child, more for his story and the
battles than for the allegory Another point. You