Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1854-05-20

1000 for Military Instructc.
! 500 for expenses of commencing a Military
/ School,
/ 500 for printing, making in all
I $4,000, without any salary whatever to himself.
or to General of Division, Prince Kamehameha-
without any allowance for salutes, of which MANY
have to be fred in the course of the year. and
without any allowance for medical Attendance or
for a Military Band.
4th. You will observe from Schedule D., that
on this Island we can only arm 6I0 men with SER
viceable muskets, and that, if from defeat in the
field, surprise, route or panic, those fire arms
should be lost, we have no reserves to fall back
upon, so that the Kings Government might be
overthrown by disaster.
What arms exist on the other Islands, will be
found by referring to the Lieutenant Generals
Schedule D., appended to my report as Secretary
of War for 1853, (see page l70.)
the Lieutenant General has not been wanting
in provision in regard to the Army. By his
authority have written to the United States to
Great Britain and 10 France, to ascertain the
prices in each country of arms, &C., Of all dis
criptions.
| do not believe that under the present circum-
stances, or any circumstances whatever, we ought
to leave the Kingdom in such a state of dangerous
weakness as it has been for years, and is at this
moment. In my view, provision for the existence
of the State should take precedence of every work
of public improvement. Works of public improve
ment are for periods of peace and plenty; we have
existed without them long, so we may exist
some years longer but when the State is threaten
ed with violence, force 10 repress that violence IS
the one thing needfu, and the first thing that
ought to be provided for. Such force necessarily
implies money to procure men and implements for
purposes of national defence, and wise direction
so as that what small force can pay for, may
be SO applied as to produce the greatest possible
effect IN protecting the State.
With US, at present, the great question Is money.
Can VIC or can not, by suspending all public
improvements out of the revenues likely to be re-
ceIved during the current year, spare much as
fifty thousand dollars, to be applied exclusively tn
the military? ! think We can and ought; and
sure | am, if the Kings subjects only knew the
horrors Of civil war; there no purpose for which
they would more willingly pay what saxes they
can afford, than tor the purpose ofpreyentng such
horrors.
What did the intrepid Lord PalmerstOn say in
his Speech in the British Parliament on the 18th
March, 1899, when civil war was threatened in
Ireland? He spoke as follows =
Scan one believe ones ears, when one hears re-
spectacle men talk so lightly nay almost so wishfuy
Of civil war Do they reflect what countless null
titude of Ills those three short syllabes contan2
II Is easy TO denOunce against ration this awful
doom {; but when Heaven shall have opened the
windows of Its wrath-when the foundations of
social order shall once have been broken up
when the deuc: of civil war shall once have
burst upon the land, where is the nan who shall
presume 10 set limits TO It's fury, or forete the ex-
tent of it's devastation"
1--WE are still in time to avert so affecting con
summation-we are still in time TO avert it with
honor; but are not in time any longer to delay
Events are pressing upon US with force and ra-
pidity which no human power can stay; while we
are debating our securities our dangers are black
our md arr oh diShl
disputng about the fences of our dwellings, while
the loud and unmistakable murmurings Of the
earth warn of approaching convulsioh.'
"Tell me not that this is the language Of III
timidation-tell me not that am appealing to the
fears instead of the reason of the House. In mat
ters of such high concern which involve not per-
sonal and individual considerations, but the wei
fare of ones country, no man ought TO be ashamed
to be counselled by his fears. But the fears 10
which appeal, are fears which even the brave
may acknowledge, and which the wise need MT
blush to own; the fear to which | appeal is that
early and provident fear which Mr.. Burke
beautifully describes being The mother Of safely
Early and provident fear says he, s 'he mother Of
sgfefy for IN that state of things the mind is firm
and collected and the judgment embarrassed;
but when fear and the thing feared come together
and press upon at once, even delIberation
which at other times serves us, becomes our ruin,
and when the peril IS imminent, decision should be
instant too
ITO this fear, them am not afraid of appealing.
By this fear Legislators and Statesmen ought ever
to be ruled and he who will not listen to this fear
and refuses to be guided by its counsel may go
off and break his lances against wind-Tnills; but
the Court of Chancery should enoin him to abstain
from meddling with public AFFAIRS
If mistake not, we are now IN position to de-
rive much instruction from the Speech of Lord
PalmerstoR. AS Legislators and Statesmen we
ought to have fear proportioned to our peril, and
in the inrnneney of that peril, our decision should
be instantaneous, and our action prompt and ener-
getic. Do you ask what that decision should be
say vote the $4,000 to be applicable exclusively
to military purposes, and moreover, vote power
to the Government if any dangerous emergency
should arise during the recess of the Legislature,
to apply anv MONIES there may be in the Treasury
to uphold the Kings authority, and maintain peace
and order. A very brief hesitation in such an
emergency might transfer the whole monies which
might be then in the Treasury into the hands of
those who, without your liberty, would make use
of them to subvert the Government Of the King
and establish another Of their own. Foreseeing