The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-03-09

Correspondence OF tie Pacac Commercial Advertiser
To tie EIto- Of tie Commercial Afr.rttscr:
Sinh your Issue of the 2Sd inst. You have a
Paragraph relating TO the late J. VI. kalauiPoo.
formerly member of the Legislature for this Dis
t~ict. and az the time Of his decease. District jus
tee. Everything relating TO Kalanipoo in that
paragraph i totally devoid Of truth. I trust that
ven will publish this. my statement to You. show
ing that YOU have been misinCormed on the subject.
In the year 1864. Kalanipoo ~purposed giving 4
large native feast IT WaillEa to celebrate the 3lst
of july. He did give the feast on that day At Val
alua. as all the preparations for it had been going
on for some weeks. bat Re himself logS ulii, TO
atteaI Il, E4r'1q bean previously taken H. His i'll
ness lasted from before thc 3lst Of JUly to Monday.
the 18th Of August. on which day he dicd-I saw
him twice during MS illness. on the 4h Of August.
and subsequently on the Sth of August. when I
was on my way TO Honolulu. During his illness.
l believe he was seen also by his neighhor, Mr..
Lane. who. as I have heard, also had things pre-
pared at his house for Kalani7oos uSe. and sent to
him. During my absence from home His EN. the
Minister of Finance. accompanied by Or. J. Mott
Smith. made the tour of the island. and on Satur-
day or Sunday called at Kalanipoo's house and
found him very i'll. DR.. Smith kindly remained
with him for some time and prescribed for kim.
and after he and Mr.. Harris had gone on and pass
ed the night at Mr.. Lanes. returned the next day
10 Kalanfpoo's and saw him again, but without
avail. rs he died in n few hours after. 1t is quite
evident that Kalanipoo was seriously i'll for at least
a fortnight before his death. that he was visited
and seen by several parties. any one of whom
would have endeavored 10 ascertain the cause Of
his death. had there been anything mysterious or
any suspicious of foul play about il. 1t seems
strange that twice within twelve months, You
should have allowed the death of kalanipoo TO be
- l. H. .--- -, -l,r -,Yrrrnnl q Ral- On tho
government. each Incompatible with the other. and
both equally uniuslifable. \ few months ago, if |
remember rightly. the government was accused IN
your PAPER Of culpable negligence IN allowing
such men as Kalanipoo. and others, to die without
furnishing them with medical advice and assistance,
and now the same Journal states that - he died
very suddenly apparently having been poisoned
and that no questions were asked Is there not
an obvious incongruity between the two state
meuts? IS l sm administrator of kalanipoo's
estate. and acting guardian Tor his children. l
hope YOU will not consider il officious or intrusive
on my part TO ask You to publish this contradiction
of your paragraph of the 43d inst, OF to request OF
you for the future to ' let the dead rest
| have the honor 10 be.
Your most obedient servant.
- Il. MoFFIrr.
[EDIToRI,L REMARKs-We are always glad to
receive corrections of any misstatements that may
have appeared in print, and especially in being
able to state on so good authority that the late
KALAHrroo-one of the most cnterprising and pro-
missing Hawaiians-whom we knew and respected
did not come to his death suddenly, nor by means
of poison. as has generally been believed among
his own acquaintances and neighbors.
The letter. however. furnishes us with another
and strong proof of the insane policy of the gov
eminent in forbidding the sale of medicines on
this island, beyond the limits of Honolulu, except
by a regularly licensed physician" The acct
dental visit of Mr.. Harris. a lawyer, and DIR. Smith,
a dentist, neither of whom was any more compe-
tent under the circumstances, to prescribe for the
dying man than to edit a newspaper-ought to
have convinced both of them that had there been
some provision by which this worthy native could
have been properly and timely treated during his
sickness, he might to-day have been living. There
is no good reason why some simple dispcnsary,
may not be established in every rural district, and
placed in the charge of iudicious foreigners, like
MIR. Molitt and others living in every district, who
may sell medicines, visit sick natives and when
necessary send for a physician. We believe that
many a valuable life might thus be saved.
Under the present stringent laws, however. no
man can charge for medicines furnished unless he
be a licensed physician. The object of the exist
ing medicine law is to prevent all persons not ply
sicians from selling medicines to natives. It allows
medicines TO be gjren grdtuitously, but in this part
of the world few can be found SO public spirited as
to buy and give away. The excessive mortality
among the natives. which the census will show
amounting. we understand, to nearly 10000 deaths
more than births during the period of six years
just elapsed-ought to rouse our government to
the fact that in fifty years at the farthest, there will
be no Hawaiian race left. The remnant is vanish
ing like a summer cloud.