The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-10-01
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

HE OLD HOUSE IN THE FoRT.-In the course of
demolishing the " Fort - of Honolulu, now going
on, the old stone house, formerly occupied by the
Governor, is sharing the fate of the surrounding
walls and fast hiding its diminished head, 1t
was built in 1881, by Governor John Adams Kuaki-
nj, "a High Chief, and Governor of the Island of Ha-
waii from 1926 till his death in 1885, and was the
residence of Governor Kekuanaoa until the French
l." raid " in lS49, when he gave it up to the &c brave
Poursuiranfes,' who amused themselves by break
ing calabashes, making charcoal sketches on the walls.
and recording on them their own praises. When after
wreaking their vengeance on the guns and Gala
bashes-the French retired to their ships, the Gov
ernor disdained again to occupy his desecrated domi-
Gle, ana 1t has been used since as a barrack and
partly as a prison until the other day, when it was
again evacuated for the new prison at Leleo. Mapv
recollections cluster around : : the old house in the
Fort and had we a poet laureate attached to our
staff of Government officials, we should seriously
recommend the composition of an elegy on this occa-
sion. Here, in bygone days. all who intended to
commit matrimony must present themselves before
the stern old Governor for his consent to the bans
here taxes were paid, in poi, fish, tapas, sandal
wood and dollars-herec captains came for permission
to ship sailors and for help to catch runaways-here
criminals and offenders of all sorts were summarily
disposed of in the g good old times when we had
little law and less equity-in short, here was trans
acted all and every kind of Government business.
for then the q Governor " was the factotum of the
powers that be,-and certainly, in the matter of sim
plicity and economy, we cannot confidently assert
that the present routine is an improvement ON the Did.
BESEvoLEsT SocIErIEs-There are some, no doubt,
who look with jealous eye on the success of the fra
ternities known as Odd Fellows and Free Masons:
but no person, however big ted, can have noticed the
kind attentions shown by the societies in Honolulu to
their brethren, without wishing them a hearty God
speed. There is. perhaps, no part of the world where
the real benefits of these societies are so evident as
here. Many of their members are far from home and
some are taken sick here, and die among US with no
relative near them These brethren step forward and
minister with q truly benevolent spirit to their every
want This was s~trikingly illustrated in the case Of
L. Andrews and also Mr.. Stuart. Both were faith
fully attended by their brethren and every want and
wish provided for; the latter following their remains
to the grave, as sincere mourners. And this sympathy
does not cease there, but even cares for their worldly
estate after death, when otherwise it would b. un-
cared for. To administer q cup of water to the
stranger, to alleviate his pain when in sickness, to
watch beside his dying bed and close his eyelids in
his last sleep, have always and ever will be consid-
cred true charity. So long as these are the distin-
gushing traits of these fraternities. they should re-
ceive the support of the community as benevolent in
s~titutions. 49,
A REGU1An TRADER--Tks Recovery, Capt. Mitch
ell. has during the past year obtained a character for
regularity. that IS seldom excelled by sailing vessels,
making her trips to and from Columbia River with
good dispatch and full ns.4hts.