The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-09-29

the native labDrcrs. but did not resume charge Of
the coolies. i Vas conscious. from their actions.
that to do 80 would bc to provoke collision: This
occurred too often for time. a. it vas. not with
me however till the authorities at headquarters
gave Unmistaktable evidence to the coolies Of II
the plantations. that government would require tia.
the magistrates to enforce SubOrdinaJIOn.
Mr.. Bcckwth puTposing tp leave. wished me To
succeed him. in which he joined by the officers
Of the company; but / preferred to sacriiic. my
pecuniary interests and remove nv family to re-
naming in position where could hardly hope to
avoid collision with those who. by the verdict Of a
jury. had triumphed over and condemned me-
for doing what ~ Dy rier. it would have been base
and criminal not t. have done.
You speak Of the course Of the AttOrne General
1t seems To- Inc that the duty Of public prOsecu-
tor = not Ia seek a. cDlsrct merely. but u secure
justice To clsIr the innocent aud cOitCcf the g,tlt
know am an Interested party. but Il appeared to
NE and Intelligent men present, that his whole
in tire examination Oi the witnesses and his
plea before the court and Jury. showed 4 much
stronger desire to get verdict of guilty" than
To- do Justice He said ,rleH tint young took
his pistol. lee hii Bs'isT ig has ksJTt.' Murder is
the taking of human life with malice aforethoagit
IT murder was in my heart. why, when considered
my life and those "f others in peril. did ! level nv
weapon hrice a. To- my object by disabling
If possible the cp"lrs triHOm e,.IIHgeri,g life?
Had | fred the third time | should have aimed
higher and perhaps have taken life, but il would
have been in sclfdccncr. necessary act. without
malice aud no murder. II it be said that fired at
random. il not -. fired tDo purpose. Aud
had fired high. the first and second tn. and taken
life. it would have been tor personal safety Of my
self and others. without malice. and no murder.
If the Attorney Genera, sought justice aud not To
convict. ,rl.y tIid lee dismiss Il Immediately
alter. which in the opinion of good citizens both
Justice and the public good required Sh0tdd BE- bt-
UeSfiyd,d and tried> II l. not sufficient say that
there was some technical defect in the preliminary
steps it was his duty to see it right. provide the
remedy that Justice and the public good should
not be sacrificed.
Why also were not the cases upon the Waihee
plantation and upon the Onomea plantation pros
cuted against tie actors with the apparent
determination to secure conviction of those who
had used their weapons in seli-deicnce with far
serious results! These circumstances make
il Gppe,T tO that cOIsCictjO and MT justice
sought in my and the Attorney General must
have known. that / had no murder in my heart or
desire unnecessarily to niict injury. Ii had no
regard for life. had for the interests of the
plantation which would have suffered by the taking
of life. and | cannot even now believe that the
Acknowledgement would seriously assert that he
believed that intended any such thing murder
Every man who takes deadly weapon To defend
himself knows that life may be sacrificed. If a pub
lie officer, it may be done in the discharge of his
duty. 1t may be- done in sclf-deence. but it is no
murder. such remarks however too often have
their effect upon a jury. which doubtless all
that designed in this case but which clearly
showed a wish to- convict me.
understood the Judges charge To he favorable
to me. Others, too. intelligent men who pre-
sent understood it. and inquiry made by him T.
of one of the Jurors confirmed IIis Impression.
The f,fcts this stated. IL the testi-
moriy differs from these. | only say. they are /
true according the best of my recollection. and
the reader must Judge from them whether verdict /
injuring Haiku sugar Co. pecunarily and myself /.
both in reputation and property was just or UNJUST
If the Attorney General sought my conviction +.
solely for the sake of conviction he accomplished
his object. If this not his desire, | can think
of no better course to secure such result. than
the pursued by him both in his examination cf
rifHeSSes and his plea before tue court, from the
effect Of which ! have suffered in reputation, and
especially amungt Hawaiians, who .
sympathZr with me. but do not cOmprr- .
hend how jury could have pronounced me guilty"
unless actually was -.
/ omitted To mention that Mr.. Bcckwith. under I
whom | acted. AT that time special policeman
for the district. well manager for the planta
ton Yours truly. EDWARD l.. HTGICOCK.
Ho. September. lSGG.