The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-05-21
For the p. c. Advertiser.l
The Cabinet in the Assembly.

The anomalous character of the Legislature under
the present Constit ution can only be thoroughly ap-
preciated by a visit to the House while in session.
The Ministers desks are all ON the west side of the
Assembly room, and they sit in n row, the Attorney
General being sandwiched between the Ministers of
the Interior and Finance, while the Minister of
Foreign Affairs occupies q cushioned, leather-covered,
high-backed chair next to the door. The Ministers
watch the proceedings very closely, and from their
constant writing when any member of the indepen-
dent stripe is speaking, evidently take notes for
future reference, while if any undoubted partizan of
theirs makes a speech, they reward and encourage
him with gracious smiles and encouraging mods.
Lord Brougham, in some of his parliamentary
habits not, of course, in his pre-eminence as a
lawyer and a man of talents brought to my
recollection when / see the Minister Of Foreign
Affairs " bobbing around, '-hrSt in the lobby, with
a member by the arm and his mouth close to the
members ear then, dropping him, rushing to his
seat and throwing himself back in what I suppose
may be termed a dignifed legislatorial 'Lord of the
Manor style. Presently, catching an idea, he
jumps up and raising his form to its full military
attitude, advances to one of the Mobiles, and with Il
understanding grin delivers the ''idea,'' and re-
turns, chuckling to the Ministers, to each of whom
he goes through the same pantOmime, and each in
his turn, responds with n grin and chuckle, where
upon the gratifed and triumphant Minister returns
to his leather-covered, high-backed chair, and be-
nlgnantly surveys the Assembly only Tor Il minute
or two, however, when, getting another {" idea, he
starts up, and goes through the same performance
again. To me, an entire stranger here, L confess
that the frequent repetition of the same farce seemed
tiresome, but had l been privileged to go behind the
scenes, l would probably have liked it better.
But from farce, there was something on Tuesday
last which threatened to be a tragedy or a serio-
comedy. The Divorce Amendment Bill was under
discussion for the fourth or fifth time this session.
The Minister-him of the cushioned, leather-covered
and high-backed chair-took a very strong ground
against the bill, and the Attorney General took an
equally strong and heightened ground in favor of it.
Pretty high-iown language was INDUCED in on both
sides, and for a time, things looked decidedly squally.
The membership Representatives l mean-looked
on with wonder, or apathy, evidently thinking that
the Cabinet was not Il unit, whatever else it might
be. 1 suppose Your reporter will give you all the
particulars in full of this singular Legislative Jiasco,
and so l will say no more on that point, except that
the Cabinet, like the Kilkenny cats, will keep up
the fight.
We outsiders can afford to look on from q safe dis
lance. N0li me tangere, is my motto, and sup
pose, from present appearances, 1t is that of the
Ministers. However, somewhat to my disgust. the
storm of words suddenly subsidized, as suddenly as it
had arisen. and five minutes after the bill had been
ordered to lay over-I pity the bill, the way it has
been pulled about saw the Minister grinning a
joke right in the face of the still irate Attorney
manner. Yours, PHILANDER.