The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-06-28
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, JUNE 2S

The legislature has now been in session over
a month, and little else has been done in it than
To hear petitions from almost every district of the
kingdom On almost every conceivable subject.
The members having had sufficient time to be-
come accustomed to the rules and business, as well
as to make each his maiden speech, accompanied
with the usual oratorical display, we shall ex-
pect now To see some work done.
The amendments To the constitution appear
to have received their qmefus, from the ruling of
the Chief Justice, that they could not I've con-
stitutionaily passed, at the present session, be-
cause that instrument requires that any amend
ments shall be published for a specified period,
which has not been complied with in this case.
This result il unfortunate, as the present Legis-
lature was elected with n view to action on the
proposed amendments. Some Of them would I'M
doubtedly have been adopted, others changed,
and one or two entirely rejected. 1t would have
been much better to have had the questions fair
ly met ut this session, discussed and settled,
rather than kept open for another two or three
years debate.
When the resolutions from the representatives,
making known their action on the subject, came
up before the Mobiles, Mr.. Wyllie maintained
that they We're b. disrespectful To His Majesty"
In no sense can they be considered So. The
lower house was bound to take some action on
them, and they took the only course left for
them, under the decision of the Chief Justice.
namely to declare that they could not be passed
in conformity with the constitution, because the
employees in one of the ministerial departments
lad failed to do their duty, and have the law
properly advertised. The representatives can in
no wise be charged with disrespect TO His Males
ty, but if any such disrespect can be implied
from their action. it must fall on the Chief JUS
tice, who Is made the adviser and interpreter Of
all doubtful points, which may come up before
either house Of the legislature or any of the
heads Of the departments. In giving that opinion,
however, he only filed his constitutional duty.
In another part Of his remarks on these same
resolutions, Mr.. Wyllie gave utterance to an ex-
preston. which every true patriot will condemn
u a SANDER, gross - any ever uttered in our
legislative halls. The minister declared d. that
our Constitution traS the trOTSt one ereT a monarch
Hred under Whatever may be its defects. We
defy him or any one else, to point out 4 cOnsti-
tuition Of any monarch or state, throughout the
world, - adapted in all its provisions to the
actual wants and necessities Of the people a i
ours. If the Minister Of Foreign Affairs i
TO change our liberal form of government
and substitute in Its place a more arbitrary or
despotic one. under which the ministry can tread,
the semblanes Of law, on popular rights. he
find that such a policy will do more to I'M
dermine the peace and security Of the king
dom, which now happily subsists, than any acts
Of the most bOisterDus traitors.
So. our constitution as " now stands. - IN