The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-03-18
Jnrves' Confessions.

90 Ought governments to legislate on morals?'
Jarves' Confession.
1t is seldom that the reading public have had at
their disposal a book, which has afforded so much
staple for amusement and gossip az the last Of Mr..
Jarves' publications, issued under the title of g Why
and what am I? The Confessions of an Inquirer"
The fact that the author came to Honolulu when a
mere lad, and spent some ten or twelve years here,
where he acquired n considerable fortune. makes the
book of unusual interest to our older residents who
are able to trace out the thread of the authors con-
fessions- Many of his statements appear to be based
on facts which occurred here and elsewhere.
After describing his infancy and boyhood, accom-
PANEL with a fair amount of moralizing, Mr.. Jarves
moves the scene of his narrative to these islands.
His views on the progress of civilization and chris
tianity among the Hauaiians are not new. He takes
the ground that all the labor and teachings they have
received have resulted in very little good, if not in
complete failure. Tn Rev. Abinadab Harlfaith with
his wife Petronia he personifes the missionaries, and
follows them through some of their labors and teach
ings with pointed sarcasm. Some of the conclu-
sions at which he arrives, viii not he admitted by all.
however correct he may be in some of his notions.
In description, Jarves has the reputation of being
a perfect master of his thoughts. This adds much to
NAC htCtN- vi bC 1hC Oa " utC
and its congregation comes in for its share. We
quote the author, p. 1871
:" The great attraction was the stone church. It's
architecture was his peculiar pride. It was not I'M
like, externally, n stranded two-lecker, with squared
ends and rooted at n sharp pitch, the port holes being
left for windows. In short, it was rs angular, and
ugly, and EVANGELICAL, as it was possible for a build
ing TO be. There were galleries inside, and slips in
stead Of pews. The pulpit, from America, occupied
a conspicuous position; and, being Of mahogany. with
crimson mountings, formed q clerical throne that
contrasted forcibly with the naked, White washed,
cobweb-festooued walls Of the interior of the building,
and the rough-hewn wooden benches on which the
hearers sat.
"This Westinghouse had been built chiefly by the
forced labor of the people. Though they cursed the
toll imposed upon them in its erection, it had now be-
come, in their eyes. n ST. Peters basilica in point Of
admiration. The same arbitrary principle which
built it more or less filled it, and enforced certain
regulations more curious than judicious. Any one
caught mapping during divine service was soundly
raped on the forehead with n long cane in the hands
of a special police, appointed TO keep the congregation
awake. Not very complimentary to the preaching of
my uncle; but he seemed to think it quite necessary
in this drowsy climate, and 1 agreed with him after
the first sermon I heard of his. Any woman enter
ing the Westinghouse without a bonnet run the risk
of having her hair shaved off close to her head. This
was q regulation Of the chiefs, and extended to his
own residence. As nothing was said about stockings.
the gallery effect was somewhat queer. a row Of
bonnets, of extraordinary shapes and sizes,-mod-
elled as closely as possible after my aunt's,-sur-
mounted the heads of the females above stairs. while
their bare. brown feet were protrnded through the
banisters, in all directions, with n liberal display of
legs, looking like 50 many tree-roots. After church,
if il rained, off came the fnery and clothing of both
sexes, to save it from being wet; its owners prefer
ring to expose their naked skins, rather than their
ribbons and coats, to the Storm"
Mr.. Jarves' views on the results of the contact of
the European with inferior races, will be read with
interest. The whole of chapter 81 is devoted to his
views on this subject. We have room. however, but
for two paragraphs. which contain the sum of his
reasonings:
"Never has there been n more favorable opportu-
nifty Of testing the capacity for civilization of an infe-
rior race than Mt the Hawaiian Islands. Commerce,
governments, public and private philanthropy, have
all united to elevate them to the Anglo-Saxon stand
ard. Direct adverse influences have been casual, and
comparatively unimportant. Their soil has been re-
spected, their independence guaranteed; the number
Of white settlers at any time has not been more than
sufficient to reasonably stimulate their industry, and
give them examples of foreign thrift and enterprise.
More than one and n half millions of dollars have been
directly expended in efforts to christianize them, by
one religious denomination in America alone. Hun
dreds of individuals have engaged with zeal in what
appeared so promising of success. Books, free schools,
churches, domestic comforts, all that trade can bring
to their shores; the best Of political institutions. good
and just laws, honest and capable foreign officials, a
free press; new races Of domestic animals and varie-
ties of fruit, vegetables, and profitable plants for cul-
tuics IOUl uuIiI All ut-tps Ii SQOTt, everything |
which white philanthropy and even selfish interests
could devise, including premiums for industry, or
derby households, increase of families, and useful en-
~terprises, have all been tried, to save the Hawaiians,
and establish them as a free and prosperous nation.
Yet they have gone with increasing rapidity on the
road to extinction from the hour the first white man
settled among them, establishing most fully the fact
that the organization God has created for one species
of Development is radically untitled to receive another.
The pint measure will not contain a quart by any
amount of pressure, but must be burst in the at
tempt.
$50 it has proved with this race. Civilization and
christianity are indeed established on these shores
but they are e~xotics, and flourish only through the
unrelaxing efforts of those that brought them. The
capacities which the aborigines manifested in their
native state have beeL transferred to the inferior con-
ditions of civilization. As sailors, domestics, petty
farmers, and fishermen, and to a very limited extent
as mechanics and peddlers, they continue to exist;
but their Incidence and want of frethought are pro-
verbal. Even the highest classes, when not under
direct foreign influence, quickly relax to a semi-tor-
pid mental state, seemingly with little ambition even
Of gain. The vices of civilized life are most congenial
to the natures of all. Its virtues require constant
fostering to be kept alive. Their physical systems
fall an easy prey to the new diseases introduced
among them. Child-bearing is the exception and
barrenness the rule Of their women. Even when the
race becomes mixed, il is found that the halEcsstes