The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-09-03
The Me,cnIr plantation Again.

Mr.. EDITOR The Metcalf Plantation with its
tribulations and trials has become rather a stale
subject, and, as far as public interest is concerned,
may now be thrown into the dust heap of the past
as a pretty well gnawed bone, whilst the new Phoenix
(under a new name / hear), rising in celestial fire,
may become an institution and a success.
MIR. Green deserves more credit than he takes,
and more gratitude than he will get, for placing
himself in the breach some two years ago, and with
extraordinary fortitude and persistence holding that
fOrlorn position as long as he did, and saving in
defeat the standard and some scraps. Strange, that
with his sagacity and hatred Of shams. he Is some
times so curiously misled, and strange that he should
so modestly attempt to dissolve himself in favor Of
the more brilliant view he would exhibit Of that
great central fire, which, like a ripeniDg nebule is
absorbing all lesser lights and fast becoming an
incarnation Of everything and every body in partic-
ular. What can be the matter when MIR. Green
voluntarily puts his own candle under Mr.. Harris
bushelH
Mr.. Green deserved to win, but some stars in their
courses fought against him, whilst from his point Of
view their baneful influence was not perceived. /
think Mr.. Green never comprehended the true motive
which first set the AZ coolies a-thinking and led up
to their leaving the plantation, choosing 20 endure
an improbable imprisonment (seven in a CELL rather
than return 10 a condition which they had unknown
to Mr.. Green) been led to abhor. They were not
brought to this pass by 90 parties interested in dis
turbing them or their seryitude,'' nor by any outside
party at all. The truth is, they had resolved to
N VI OthCA uD0 bNhhN NO consequence
before the subject of their contracts, had disturbed
their equanimity, or had happily occurred 10 them
as a Providential or other means of escape from
something entirely apart from two years more service.
Had Mr.. Green been present in Hilo last May,
and attended some of the sittings of the Circuit and
Police Courts about that time, he might have learned
ONE facts not told in correspondence. yet very per-
tinent to the plantations interests, and he might
then have distrusted his own hitherto too confding
faith in smooth professions, and in the humane tones
of wandering chivalry. All experience costs some
thing, yet we pay sometimes without getting il well
into us,-and of such are the lost opportunities over
which we sing Jeremiads in our latter days. II
seems a pity that a man Of Mr.. Green's rare capaci-
ties should lose q jot Of what he in good faith, and
with the. best intentions (the experience namely.
aforesaid,) has had to pay for. And in few words, I
would put it thus,-that humanity is good policy,
and vice versa,-and having said that mot by any
means oracularly). have said about all I wanted to
say 1T starting.
When an estate, a sugar plantation for instance,
seems 90 be poorly, and in want of a physician,
would it be a wise thing to use the prescription Of an
agsent Though ever 80 eninent) practitioner, who
can neither touch the pulse nor see the tongue of the
patient, and under his directions apply the screw
and extract twenty-five per cent. more labor from its
bowels2 Remembering that said bowels are of iolD
caste, and zealously manipulated by an ardent dis
ciple of a once full-feathered chfvairy.
Mr.. Green is too honest to deny his own convic-
tons. So fer, his convictions have been partial, and
mistaken. Men may have opinions, and speak their
minds without meddling or tampering, or seeking to
obstruct the rights of other men. And should q poor
coolie in trouble seek and obtain from n fellow
countryman advice, and perhaps assistance, what
more natural, and where Is the spite of itl Yet
some very fair Christians, even in Hilo, seem
to think that a coolie is only human with n hoe in
his hand, and a luna over him. What right has any
body to go bail, when in any less servile hopefulness
he " wants TO know and forthwith becomes q
nuisance Yours truly,