The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-03-07


" distinction Of party was that of party in
and . party out Of power.
Were this truly 50, then indeed tie contest
would be founded on purely personal and selfish
grounds. We know, however, that there are
among Us too many men Of edrcaiion and princi-
pie combincd,-men who have earnest ccnyic-
tons, and who earnestly differ from each other in
those eonvicticns,-to make the conflict one of
mere personal ambition and unrefective envy.
The fact j., however. that there are two very
distinct ideas which may be called central ideas,
around which other ideas gather in clusters,
and which divide this community just as any
other intelligent community is divided. The
lines may not be distinctly drawn, and there are
doubtless many who hardly know in which direc-
ton their tendency Is the strongest, and many,
too, who have fewer thoughts than synpathies;
still, the formative idea, the nucleus, exists be-
meath, though hidden from any but the shrewd-
dcst observation. just n of two contiguous
trees, the foliage may appear n but one ho.noge-
neous mas, yet the axe that fells one trunk with
es q part of the mass, and leaves 4 part vet
greenland alive; 80 do sharp-edged events in history
sometimes reveal the real divisions in society,
which till tben Appeared as one.
There are those who practically believe that the
government is in Itself the source of power; that
government is to educate the people for its W
credit,-stimulated, perhaps. by 2 benevolent i'm
pulse thereto 1t times,-that IL i to admit the
people 10 a share in Legislative matters only as
fE as compelled by public scntiment,-that the
ballot is a dangerous privilege, to be given out
Very sparingly,-that any changes in government
are dangerOus,-tlrat the people are children, to
be cared for a. sueh,-thar aliens are only here
by sufer1nce and have no right to opinions con-
corning the government, previous 10 their placing
themselves under Its segIs,-and that the first gov
ornamental duty Is 70 make u respectable an ap-
pearanee before the world n Is possible.
There are, on the other hand. those who believe
that, whatever may be the form Of government,
the people are the only source of power that can
at the present time in the worlds history have
any permanence, that true loyalty is to n people
and not necessarily to It's present officers of gov
eminent that tine government is only the form
of restraint and the means Of communicating
with foreign powers which the people see fl TO
sustain for their own highest good,-that all have
4 right TO n share III that government as much rs
they have q right 10 their own property,-that
education i necessary 20 enable the Ieoplc to III
tenisen,ly support enc provide for, and choose
their own form Of govcrnment,-that If : people
are not TT To govern themselves. the true method
OF procedure i not 10 deprive them of q free
government, but 70 make them tit for il through
moral and educational infuences,-that the first
duty of those who direct the expenditure of pub
lie money Is to use that money Tor the restraint of
vice and crime, for the education Of the entire
youth Of the land, and for such matc3ial benefits
a good roads and good harbors,-that no more
persons should be sustained by public money
than arc necessary - the due performance of gov
ernmentla duties,-that the world is making pro-
gress in accordance with certain laws, and that
changes. intelligently made. are the necessary re-
suit of healthy growth and improvement.
Now il will be found that one of these parties
i in sympathy with ell old-time forms and pric-
tees of government, with the ultra monarehical
party wherever existing, and with those theories
which have come down 10 IL from the ignorance
and exclusivcness of the middle ages. These the
Dries still exist and have their advOcates in almost
every country and under almost every form of
government, and it l. not strange that they should
have strong supporters here.
The other party has like principles with that
which appears in Italy under the leadership of
Garibaldi; with that which speaks in France
through Theirs and Victor Hugo. which in Eng
land produced the late Richard Golden and the
present leaders Gladstone and Bright, ard whose
principles are the vital element in the present ex-
istence of the nation known a. the American.
Based on such p~ripciples there are most Ger
tainly party Issues, Of national interest," to
be made and set before the people:
First-tLat the Legislative Assembly be 50 re-
that the principle of Two Houses, 80
universally recognized, even in the smallest of free
shall be once more established as
the law of the land.
Second-that universal suffrage be restored,
giving the right to vote TO all sane male adults
who have paid their taxes. and who can read and
write.
MoreOyer-such n reform in the school laws rs
shall make tie system of education more truly a :
one, and such notifications generally as
shall make the people more Interested in their
government.
The above mentioned objects of endeayor are
worthy of the honest and well-planned cfforts of
intelligent men. and should be sustained ~ the
leading objects Of the Libenl Party amongst Us.
Those who think that limited suffrage il IN
Improvement over free and universal suffrage,
know little Of the working Of the two systems.
4 recent English traveller has contrasted the result
IN America with that in England, and his opinion
: worthy Of consideration, inasmuch Is the late
!ection has shown the same evils existing here a.
.re ~ 6rcibly Illustrated in England. Of tenant
armers driven TO the poll by undue influence"
. Of attorney intimidation pnctieed over voters"
HAS universal suffrage been abused in the United
'ta;es or has IL Tel 20 results beneficial 90 the M
ions Here again I An forrsi 20 \ contrast between
ireat Britain and America When I see our tenant
ar-e-. IN En-faui driven 10 the u.if br uuiue in