The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-03-20
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY. MARCH 20.
I=&trnordInnr% Assumption OF
Power.

The Government organ or this week. in a local
item 81 customary indefnitcuc~=, ~intimatcs that
unless the deaths from smallpox in san Francisco
% should Dc increased by subsequent reports, -
and . unless there should tc sickness from THE
cause during the passage ..the restrictions
placed on passengers. by the Bard Of Health,
viii be removed IN the case of future arrivals =
Thi- information may be considered about as re-
liable n the promise to the ame effect, made by
one or two members Of tie Board to the Off
GERS Of tic steamer, and 10 Mr.. B0llmann, on
her previous departure, which promise was dis
regarded and bu-cIy violated on her return.
Those who choose may put faith in Official a-sur-
anccs.
But IT Is to another phase Of this unfortunate
quarantine imbrosIio affecting the ships Of
foreign countries, that we wish to call atten-
ton, viz. IFS mLECALITY. Whatever right this
government possesses To establish quarantine
regulations, it obtains under the general law and
usage Of nations. - long a. it conforms with
established usage, it Is within the Limits of It's
authority. Whenever it cnacts or Permits a
regulation not sanctioned by usage, such reguia-
ton i Illegal.
IL is clearly the right Of every government to
quarantine any vessel iA|,ctcd trih contagious
disease, arriving within it, jurisdiction. The law
Of elEprc-eTyatiOn, exercised by every govern
mcnt, authorizes this. But no government has
the right 10 interfere with the trade Of any
foreign country by imposing arbitrary quarantine
restrictions, where no disease prevails, and no
cause for quarantine exists.
Take the ease Of the steamer HqhO. on her late
arrival at this port. The master was provided
with 4 clean bill Of hcaitl, from the collector Of
customs Of tire port which hc sailed from, certify
ing that the ship was free from contagion, and that
none prevailed ut that port. This in any other
port would have been accepted and have admitted
the ship free from all quarantine restrictions.
But in the present case, when the Captain of the
steamer presented his credentials to tine agent of
the Health Beard. he was told that he had moth
ing % Do with them. that ne acted only under in
structi,ns from his suVcriOrs.
While the Board Of Health has authority over
any vessel arriving from any foreign port, with
Contagious disease. we dispute it, right 10 inter
feTe with the movements Of any vessel free from
disease. AMI bringing with her q clean bill Of
health. Hence the present regulation. 50 far ~
it relates 70 the latter, i wholly Illegal and I'M
prcccIcntel and tie unjust enforcement Of it
rculcr- this government liable to serious trouble
IT rot daiuage-, should the American Government
see fit to take it up. We do not pretend to SAY
it Will, but Lad it been Il French or English yc--
sci, tire Oaen-c would not have passed unngticcI.
Quarantine regulations, in the case Of vessels
arriving with contagious. disease On board are an
absolute necessity, and cannot De too strictly cU-
forced. ard DO reasonable man can object 20 the
enforcement, n tho health Of the nation Is thereby
but there Is no law or precedent to
the interference with vessels arriving
f-oHg a7y dseqse: much less enforcing what
j. an imprisonment 81 officers and
passengers. The distinction If an important one;
but until We lave officers eIIablc Of understand
ins the duties imposed on them, We must b. sun
.ectcI 70 ;Ic modification If living under an al
Of iguoramu-e-, who, while aspiring
10 Office. arc i~uaa!aHIr ct performing tire dr'e-
OF ri,n.