The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-04-23
Screw Loose in the Foreign ONCE.

~ DNA AS~N A|NC w EAb4A1IO0 NiAC it>uAA -
the trial of the Hawaiian, who was arrested in
san Francisco about a year ago, on a charge
Of murder. Heleiki, the native in question.
had been living for several years in California
having, Is we learn from himself, gone thither
about 1888 in one of the packets of the regular
dispatch line. On no good grounds, rs It after
wards turned out, he was mistaken ny one of
those who were on board the brig Nm. Pam,
at the time Capt. Hussey was murdered in
1892, as being the person who committed the
murder. lie was arrested, and thrown into
I Jail. His own story was discredited, and rs
the evidence against him was plausible and
quite positive, there was every probability Of
his conviction and sentence TO death.
rs a protection for its subjects against any
acts Of Injustice in foreign countries. every GOV
eminent appoints agents to act in behalf of
those who may require their protection. The
Hawaiian Government has in San Francisco u
Consul, to whom application was made in / behalf
of this Hawaiian soon after his arrest. From
some cause which we do not learn, no notice
was at first taken Of his ease, until other parties
had interested themselves in his behalf. Among
these were DR.. l.. H.. Gulick, who having heard
llelcikis story, became much interested in him,
and Immediately wrote to parties in Honolulu,
to endeavor to obtain the evidence, which the
prisoner asserted could easily be had here. The
letters came, and Rev. Mr.. Damon, to whom
one of them was addressed, laid the matter
before the Marshal and the Minister Of the
Interior. Both Prince Lot and Mr.. Parke
Immediately set to work and used every effort to
obtain information concerning the accused. On
inquiry, they found that his mother and rela-
tives were living in Koolau on this island, us he
had said, and his statements generally were cor
roborated, regarding his whereabouts at the
time the murder occurred in 1852 and since,
The testimony was procured and sent 70 San
Francisco. but not being considered fully salts
factory, it was decided to send witnesses, who,
rs our readers all know, have been over and
returned. The result is, that an innocent man
has been saved from execution, and restored to
his people and his friends. There is now no
question here about his identity, for hundreds
knew him as well as they know the Governor,
but the description of him, as sent frouf San
Francisco, was not 50 full as to convince all as
to who he was. Mr.. J. |. Dowsctt informs us
that the native was employed by him frequently
as Il porter, and on the very night in question,
the night Of the sailor riot and coufagrution,
Hclciki was engaged with Mr.. Dowsett in saving
property at the Auction Rooms of y. p. Everett,
Esq. When Heleiki landed on the wharf, he
grasped Mr.. Ds hand. and each recognized the
other rs an old acquaintance.
The action of the Government in this matter,
or rather Of the gentlemen named, is worthy Of
all praise, for had they not stepped forward and
the clearance of this innocent man, he
would unquc>tionably have been hanged on
L., ..-.T,,.,r, e ,or-,,s ,-J, Ill ,,,-.. 800,
lim until they accused him of the deed. 1t is
an act that will be set down to the credit of the
and will tend to give it character
and position abroad.
But the point to which we wish to call attcn-
ion is that Of the duty Of our Consuls abroad.
they are appointed for some purpose unquos-
ionubly. Is it simply to use Il seal and red
ape, and be enabled to raise a flag on national
Is it merely to correspond with the
Of Foreign Affairs, and give him and
his clerk employment? When Ieleiki was ar
.ested, charged with Il high crime, it was the
luty Of the Hawaiian Consul, without seven
months delay, to take up his case, and imme-
communicate the facts to and solicit in
from His Majesty's Government. But
We have yet to learn that any official correspond
took place in the matter until 1t was forced
nto the foreign Office by the efforts of private
articS. 1t is Il disgrace to our government
hat the life of one Of even the humblest Of its
itizens imperiIed abroad. should be left TO the
are and charity Of benevolent persons, when it
5 the duty of regularly appointed officers to
uard and protect them. 1t cannot be said in
attenuation that the nationality of the accused
-as not known to the Consul, for by the very
rst accounts published in the Bulletin at the
inc Of his arrest, he claimed to be and was
,presented a. a Sandwich Islander.
We may be told that the foreign Office has
ever laid down any rules for its representative
broad to be governed by. Pray, what has all
he correspondence of that office for the past ten j
ears been about. then? Does it consist of non .
and gossip? 1t strikes Us that a Consul
pes not really require any instructions to help il
IS countrymen in trouble. That is the first %
ltv of such an officer, whether he receives COM t
e~usation or not and we trust that in any case '
lat may in future arise in any foreign country t
here a Hawaiian Consul Is stationed, that he b.
i'll not allow one Of his countrymen to be i'm d
.is,ned and lie in prison e1ereH Honths or more, +
hen not q shadow Of alleged guilt rests on H.
IN. and when a little cxertion in his behalf in ID
c outset might have released him or at least c.
We shortened the term Of his confinement. d
We make these criticisms on our Consul ct g.
n Francisco. not from any unkind motives N
Z from the conviction that Heleiki has suffered IT