The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-12-31
Our Copperhcad Ministry.


" Governments are indeed contracts be,Eeen the rulers and
the people. subordinate contracts for objects Of mere occasion
STAT in is a5nin;s,ra,iye fo nr "w@ht a. y p1 4 ~ = .hs
as nothing better than a partnership agreement in a traffic Of
sugar and coffee, calico and tobacco, to be taken up Tor a little
temporary interest or policy"
1t has always been our misfortune to differ
with the government organ on matters Of
politics, whether local or foreign, whether
Hawaiian, Union or Seeesh and it has equally
been its misfortune always to differ with the
public on questions of passing interest. This is
of course expected from the different impulses
operating on the two presses. In q violent
TRADE in it's last issue, the PoyneSian takes
us to task for rejecting the popular sentiment
on some of the recent appointments, but as
usual makes q mistatement in the outset. We
had nothing to say last week concerning : the
Cabinet - much less that it was "a set of
incapables, and political and social incendi-
aries" but our remarks were confined to crit
icisms on the Kings Ministers. The Ministry
is one body, consisting now of but three persons
the Cabinet is another body, consisting of six
and the Privy Council, a third, with a still
larger number. Neither of the two latter
councils is complete without the previous.
In the obtuseness Of its vision, the organ
cannot see how Mons. de Varigny might be
complimented for his bearing as acting repre-
sentative of France, and yet be condemned as
totally untitled for the highest Office in the
Ha,0aHan Government. We spoke well of him
on his retirement from the office of acting consul
Of France, and would do the same thing again,
even though in doing so we should again be
ridiculed by the business community for giving
expressions to views which, however well
intended, did not meet public favor, as the
editor of tie POlyneSian himself may be aware.
On the other hand, the criticisms uttered in
this paper last week have been endorsed SO
generally that they may be considered as re-
fleeing the unanimous sentiment of the public,
excepting always the editor of the Polynesian
who in politics is not supposed to possess a
mind OF his own. Because a man serves before
the mast with credit to himself, is of itself no
reason that he is qualified to command a squad
ron in a naval engagement. The eternal law
of fitness should control all things, in the
common affairs of life as we'll as in the weightier
matters of state.
Mons. de Varigny, however well qualified
for the Offices he has lately held, and however
well he may have filled them, is believed to be
totally untitled for the high and responsible
position of Treasurer Of the Hawaiian Kingdom,
for which certain qualifications, experience,
or sentiments in harmony with the people, are
everywhere acknowledged as requisite. For these
reasons, the public, with a unanimity seldom
witnessed, have condemned the appointment as
unwise, and likely to create much domestic
trouble, which can and ought to be avoided.
In giving expression to these murmurs, we
ha y oplu utfarpd tho s,o111I0r sentiment and IL
will be exceedingly unfortunate for the govern
ment and the people, if a Ministry is established
that lacks the popular good will and sympathy.
"Well, well, its policy, sir, for us to employ
a Frenchman.' Aye that's it-pOhcy. But
must all our interests be sacrificed for policy-sake
to the fossilized ideas of the Secretary at War?
What would be thought, if, in any reorgan-
of the French Ministry, the Secretary
of the British Plenipotentiary at the court of
St. Cloud were to be preferred for poHcy-sake
as Minister OF Finance to the Emperor Napoleon.
and all French statesmen set aside? And
what if such appointment were made while the
were totally ignorant of the French
though he had resided ten years
in Paris? Would the French people submit
to it even one hour? Would not rather the
rise en- masse and resist as an insult
the presumption of any Englishman to occupy
the highest position under the crown? How
much less would Il Ha,rd1idn be tolerated there?
This is the view taken by the mass of the
and we have good reason to believe
by the majority of the officers of His Majesty's
Government also. Were there one
in favor of Mons. de Varigny's appoint
ment in preference to Others whose claims to
the Ministry are numerous, and whose identifi-
with the nation is absolute, we might
consent to waive opposition and allow the
nominee a chance to learn something about
and Hawaiian affairs. But at this
day there can be no apology for any
nominee presnming to seek Ministerial office
for the purpose of there qualifying himself for
his profession. We have had enough of incom-
officers, both in the Ministry and out
Of it, and the only wonder is, that the Minister
IF Foreign Affairs, in recognizing the Cabinet,
have ignored history, and sacrificed the
good name, credit and peace of Hawaii nei to
IN obsolete idea. A good name is too valuable
% be risked for so triding a stake.
N -.-- Ir-,,-x W. TD;uto IF tho |