The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-07-08
Speech OF w. l.. Green, Esd.
II. b. " Acting Commissioner and Consul General.
july /, 1865.


M. President, Ladies and Gentlemen -
I think it is hardly fair to call upon me TO say any
thing upon such an important occasion as this. totally
unprepared as l am, after you have just heard ora
tons from gentlemen fully prepared, and who have
proved themselves so capable of doing ample justice
TO the subject but, | feel the more confidence, be-
cause | am sure that you are all IN that humor here
to-day that you will be perfectly satisfied with what
ever | may say. Nay-should be so foolish or 80
stupid as 10 say something even insulting, / believe
that you are in such a mood that you would forgive
me. And well you may-this Is q great day for you.
This is the greatest Fourth of July for you since the
Fourth of July, l716. Your country has just
passed through a severe ordeal, but there is no ques.
ton you have come out Of it triumphantly. During
those Tour years of trial, fearful as they WERE, the
United States as a nation has taken an immense
stride. You have advanced your position in the
scale Of nations more during those four years than
during the larger part of q century preceding. As
q military power, TO day you rank, if | am not mis-
laken, first among the nations OF the world.
As your President has remarked. l am English, and
I look upon your position from an English point OF
view-but these are simply the plain facts, as l have
stated them. Why need l enlarge? You all see
how matters stand-tce all see how matters stand.
Your power as a nation Is vastly ncreased-you
power for good or for evil. Your greatness and your
responsibilities are immensely extended at the same
moment.
! will not detain you long. but there is one sub
ject l feel as if | ought TO touch upon. BY the last
mail or two we have had rumors Of war between
England and the United Ststes-allusion has been
made here to-day Of "a little bill'' which Brother
Jonathan is said TO have presented to John Bull.
AS the news reaches US in this remote corner OF the
world, il presents itself something in this wise
Jonathan has made out a bill against John Bull
and handing it in says, q there's my bill, II you
don't pay it I'll lick you" Now hardly can be
lieve that this is the way 1t has been done-at least
If it IL, il is because Brother Jonathan never expect
ell to get paid. The answer that John Bull would
probably give 70 q bill presented in this way would
be-. Gentlemen, you can take il out of my hide
or words TO that effect-as the lawyers say-and
that is u pretty tough old bulls hide yet; and L
think you will admit that John Bull would take a
good deal more whipping than JEFF Davis and the
Dragon that we have heard about to-day. But Mr..
President, Ladies and Gentlemen, | 10 not believe
there will be any war NJ all-and | will give you my
reason for that belief. II appears TO me that the
United States is in that position this 4th of July
a. D.. 1860, that she need not care 4 snuff whether
the bill is paid or not-she can afford not to care
Ii is not for me here to enter into the question OF
the correctness Of this bill presume If II is a cor
rect one it will be paid, if it is not q correct one i
won't be paid. But Mr.. President and Gentlemen, II
that bill were ten times the amount 1t Is, ana II you
were ten times more satisfied than you are that the
bill was correct, il | do not much mistake the tenn
per and spirit of the people of the United States on
| this day, YOU are al heart Indifferent about the pay
ment Of il. 1t is not q nation that has just achieved
the title to be confident Of her position amongst the
powers of the earth that il anxious at once 10 wan
tonly plunge into war.
But after all, when I look around upon this Assem-
by and see the satisfied faces-after hearing all thu
speeches Of this day, and contemplating the events
of the last four years as there portrayed, begin T.
think that war is not such n dreadful thing after all
Perhaps a war between England and the Unite;
States NAV not be such n bad thing-who knows
1t may do some of us good-it may do you good-o
it may do US good-perchance it may do US both goo'
we may thrash each other into mutual respect
and we may then be better friends than ever W
were ; this alone would be q good resu 1t. VI on
thing, |, as an Englishman, should feel. and do fee
proud and happy, and that is that the war between
England and the United States Off war there Is t
be) has bsen deferred-has been delayed TILL to-day
because notc, with your internal dissenslons put dow
with a splendid army and navy in the highes
state of discipline-with tried leaders, taught by ex
perieuce, and confident from success-therew would b
some credit in giving you n good whipping