The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-09-30
THE PACIFIC
Commercial a0bertiser
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 80.
The Connexion Declined.

The versatility of talent displayed by the Rul-
ing Genius of the Hawaiian Cabinet, is truly
surprising, not to say startling, IN some of its
ever varying manifestations. From the subtitle
intricacies of petty law practice, to the sublime
heights of constitution making, or of negotiating
a Reciprocity Treaty with the Great Republic
from the manipulation of a whole Legislature, to
the erection of a grand hotel even down to the
pursuito Of cheap labor for a plantation in a national
~reformatory school-in all these separate and
difficult situations, the Ruling Genius has APP
peared equally to advantage. But to-day we be-
hold him in a new and still more interesting role,
that of An ANNExATIoNIsT. And to heighten the
interest of this new exhibition, the usual position
of the characters is reversed. The to be annexed
is ordinarily represented as seeking the favor of
absorption by the larger and more powerful an
nexor. In this instance, it is the smaller who
sOlieits the larger to Z" come in out of the cold"
His ExcelIency s. c. Burt, the Chief Secretary
of the Kingdom of FIJI, on the End instant, made
a speech to the citizens of Livuka, who had as
sembled en- maSse to hear what the principal
Minister Of the new government had to tell them.
The speech is reported in full in the Times of the
9th, but the following brief paragraph, which We
copy, contains a bit of interesting news to US.
Mr.. Burt said
He would mention now that amongst the causes which led
to the establishment fthe present government was a movement,
imagine, to annex these islands TO the Kingdom Of Hawaiian
and might possibly hold office for life, against the win Of the
people This movement was very formidable two special
converts. Both Great Britain and the United States had re-
organized"
Now the short-sighted peryersity of these
FiDian tyros in government making, in thus de-
Ginning the generous offer of annexation = Ha-
wall, after getting the cold shoulder
land and America, is most unaccounta. E ne
of little Hawaii to big FIJI to come and
be gobbled up, were doubtless made in the way
that is child-like and bland, so characteristic of
the Ruling Genius. No doubt, the peculiar
beauties of our land system of the Department
Irrational education our one-house Legislature
our small but powerful army of soldiers and our
larger and w~elI-paid army of Office holders-these
advantages were doubtless portrayed with all
their dazzling attractions. But all in vain. Fiji
would not listen to the syren voice of Hawaii's
Ruling Genius, but has gone and set up house
on her own account.
But the offer SO strongly urged is not repudi-
tied without pretty sound reasons. Mr.. Burt as
quoted above, says very pertinently, that the
Ministry " Is responsible to none, and
night possibly hold Office for life, against the will
f the people," Humiliating truth And the
Iumiliating fact is the more cutting that it is
bus flung a. us from the new-Aedged state just
~truggling out of barbarism to the surface of
nodern political existence. l
Still more justly severe were the words Of the I
Ion. j. Rutherford Ryley, member of the Con- {
Convention of Livuka, who, speaking {
the Hawaiian Constitution said:
81 1t does not provide for responsible government The gov {
control to SPEAK t Of 4 orer te % Il a : Snq wS6. e@e p sSpoin naSe [
eq. O1 ! : ia Il n 1Ss pleasure = o, the Ming Ss 50 that once a Minister, 1
fairs Of course is quite Incompatible with freedom, and is v
e decentralization of the people, which always occurs where u
E People resign their liberties, and trust any one man Q r any t.
themselves or exercising that vigilance and supervision N
mber Of men in the right path" -
Mr.. j. Rutherford Ryley has evidently studied :"
II condition under the Constitution of1S64, as well 81
'though he had resided here during the last ten or g
Velve years. In the words we have quoted, he "
lows himself to possess the mind of a statesman. Il
18th such men in her councils, FIJI, as a free to
'vernment, will outstrip Hawaii. To our shame OF
must be acknowledged that he hits off our case is
actly and we have the cold consolation of re- in
smbering that the opportunity for him to ex- 81
&c US 10 IHo cOntcmptOl Suc hOrlu, was aH0rueQ u
the annexation schemes of the Ruling Genius il
the Cabinet,-that genius whose fertile brain m
Gated the Constitution of 1864. OK
Let the curtain descend to slow music. ~
neither the next scene shall be farce, comedy, &c
worse, time will show. th
A Treaty between this government and that p,
japan appears in the Gazette. It's principal tn
lue appears to be in the promise which is given To-
1t no opposition will be made to the employ ~
mt of Japanese to be brought hither. We do an