The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-06-04
From the California Chronicle.

IN the ChTOn2CLe OF Wednesday that the Sunron-
Court of the Sandwich Islands had ordered the name
of Judge Campbell, formerly of this CITY. 70 10
stricken from the roll of attorneys. From informo
ton obtained from passengers by the Fanny Major
it appears that the real cause of the action of -
court was this Mr.. Campbell was engaged NC
counsel in two or three very important suits in
which A. B.. Bates, the Attorney General, was either
a party interested or opposing counsel. Judge
Campbell's superior legal abilities and professional
shrewdness made it very probable that he would
gain all his suits, in which event the aforesaid
Bates would be put to much pecuniary Inconvenience
and perhaps compelled to disgorge some very easily
ACQUIRED gains. To guard against any such unto
ward circumstance, it was obviously necessary that
some steps should be taken to prevent Mr.. Campbell
proceeding with the cases wherein he was employed.
To that end the charge of foul practice was trumped
up against him, arising out of a case that had been
Irrigated in the courts and disposed of many months
previously. Batess position as Attorney General
and legal adviser of the various departments of the
Government, coupled with the inexperience and in
capacity of the two acting Judges of the Supreme
Court, rendered the proceeding q very easy one
and thus, to save the erudite and faithful Attorney
General from pecuniary loss or the modification of
q professional defeat, an endeavor has been made to
rob his professional rival of honor, reputation, good
character, and take from him the means of gaining q
livelihood. A base object, and one which could only
be planned by the brains or those who have endea-
vored to carry it out.
In the opinion of many there appears to be another
reason for the course pursued by Mr.. Robertson. one
of the Judges, towards Mr.. Campbell. The health
OF Chlef justice Lee mas long Dcen SuCu lila HIS
demise is daily looked for, in which event, a success
sor would have to be appointed, and Robertson who
is an English subect) and his friends naturally felt
a desire that he should don the judicial ermine. The
legal attainments, high standing and extensive pro-
fessional reputation of Mr.. Campbell are such as to
eminently qualify him for the position, and also to
suggest a fear in the mind of Robertson that he
(CampbelD might be called upon to I'LL the vacancy
when it should exist. 1t appears, also, that a large
portion of the American residents desired such a
consummation. If, then, Campbell's reputation as
a practitioner could be ruined, the only obstacle
which lay in the way to prevent Robertson mounting
to the highest seat on the Supreme bench would be
removed.
But this is not the first instance of s'sharp prac-
tice'' on the part of the Courts and certain members
of the Government of the Sandwich Islands. In the
year 1913, Horace Halves, Esq, then ut Honolulu,
was engaged as counsel in Il suit against the Govern
ment. During the progress of the trial Mr. Halves
fortified his position so we'll with legal authorities,
and was so indefatigable in bringing out the evidence
that it became almost certain that his clients would
finally triumph. To prevent this a coup de court was
resorted to. The Judge pretended to take umbrage
at some expression used by Mr.. II. and he was pro-
hibited from p%racticing in any of the Courts of that
Kingdom. The result was that Mr.. Hawes' clients
could not procure adequate counsel to conduct their
case, the Government had its own way, and of course
gained the suit.
We are assured that in the case of Mr.. Campbell
the sympathies of nearly the entire foreign population
are with him, and that the action of the Court is
looked upon as tyrannical and unjust to the last
degree; and it is not at all improbable that the out
side pressure of public opinion VIII compel the Court
to retrace its steps and restore Mr.. Carnpben's name
to its position on the roll of practitioners.
A BLuBBER HUNTER ON DIGNIrY.-It would appear
that there are some g high old Judges in the Su-
preme Court of the Sandwich Islands az vel! as else
where, The Court is composed of CHIEF J lstice Lee,
o. respectable gentleman, but at the time &C which we
speak, In very bad health; Associate JUSTICES u. ID.
Robertson, q whaler, and John Ii, o native. On the.
10th of March Justice Robertson addressed an insul-
ting note to Alexander Campbell, formerly Of this
city, and then an attorney of the Hawaiian Supreme
Court. in which the Justice accused the attorney of
representing one Franconi as a French subject, for the
purpose of obtaining, in his case, a Consular jury as
proposed by the French Consul, while at the same
time Mr.. Campbell knew that he was a Swiss citizen.
To this Mr.. Campbell Indignantly replies, and shows
that he represented Franconi as having been born In
France, of Swiss parents. On the Both of March the
Court met In secret session, and without having made
any charge against Mr.. Campbell, Of which he had
any notice, without allowing him the privilege grant
ed even to murderers, of being permitted to know of
what he was accused and to answer himself, the Court
ordered the name of Alexander Campbell to be strick-
en- from the roll of the practitioners of the Court.
On being informed of this sc Star Chamber - act;tIr.
Campbell addressed a conscious letter to Chief JUS
tice Lee. but which that elevated d~ignitary, after
having been assured of its courteous character, and
being made acquainted with the substance of it,
declined to receive.
From the correspondence and order of the Court.
published in the Honolulu Commercial .AdrertiseY
of April Sd, we are forced to the conclusion that the
whole transaction on the part of the Court was infa-
mously unjust. Justice Robertson must have thought
himself once more in the prov of a whale-boat, har-
pooh in hand, and finding the ssparm"-Alexander
Campbell-asleep, used his opportunity, and hit him
in a vital part. All who know Judge Campbell know
well enough that he is incapable of the act attributed
to him, and cannot fail to condemn this proceeding
of the High Court of His Majesty Kamehameha No.
", as without parallel and indefensible.
Alexander Campbell has more knowledge of law,
in his little finger, metaphorically speaking, than
have all the blubber hunters of that former group Of
cannibal islands, whose inhabitants first worshipped
Capt. Cook and then asSassinated and eat him; more
than all the harpooners who have left the try-out
kettle of a New Bedford whaler, to try out law for