The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-10-12
THE PACIFIC
Commercial A0brrtlser.
OCTOBER IL.

J. OCTOBER L.
TnE lengthy and deliberately written letter Of
our correspondent, who Dramatically and some
what theatricaIly demands the exhibition Of our
- %colors,'' Is an effort TO establish an issue
between ourselves and our PATRONS, which in
reality does not exist, and consequently it re-
quires and Will receive but brief comment at our
hands.
We cannot agree with ouT correspondent when
he declares that a political crisis is impending.
That crisis was reached and passed about 4 Z month
since, when in accordance with public sentiment
the changes were made in the Ministry and what
feeling now remains on the subject is more of n
personal than a political character. At that
time, VIC advocated the retention Of the Attorney
General in the Cabinet, Notwithstanding his
known intention and desire to retire, because we
believed in his superior ability, his sterling integ-
rity, and general fitness for the important position
and that belief, it appears, we had the honor Of
sharing with His Majesty the King. The question
Of what might be the Attorney Generals views
on the topics OF . Labor and Population" was
not then under discussion, and cannot even now
be fairly pronounced upon, inasmuch rs be has
not had occasion 10 make them known. But
whatever may be his opinion as n professional
man on a point Of constitutional law, IL has un-
doubtcdly been arrived at after careful legal
study and consideration, and certainly cannot
justify our correspondent in the assumption that
the Attorney General is in accord with the ex-
trcmely radical and disorganizing views of the
writer in the Gazette, TO which allusion is made.
We speak ndvisediy when we say that any such
assumption isentirely ted and unfounded.
For US 10 undertake to defend the present Min
istry, would be clearly an act Of supererogation;
but we stand ready to approve or condemn any
of their official acts, whenever, in our unbiased
opinion, they shall appear to be conducive to the
general interests Of the country, or the contrary.
Nor shall we stultify ourselves by Indicating to
His Majesty, las = required by our correspond
ent) as to whom he shall call to positions :. where
they can either make or mar" the prosperity Of
the Kingdom.
In regard to the principles which we hold ON the
important questions that are now being dis
cussed in the community, the charge Of inconsist-
ency made by our correspondent, must of neces-
sity be disproved by his own admission, that no
very definite issues ever arose until now" Our
prospectus, with which we issued our initial num-
Der, two years ago, (the general principles of
which we challenge proof that we have not con-
scientiously adhered toy contained one paragraph
particularly pertinent to the subject under review,
which we reprint here, together with the editorial
remarks appended thereto. as found in our issue
Of October LIST, 1870:
"The labor question, now so prominent, will have our care
full consideration. We beIiev. that the Master and Servant
Act Is, in the main, Just, right, and fit for the state Of society
which exists, o = HEely 10 exist, in the Hawaiian Islands. The
same remark applies TO contracts for labor for a term OF years,
i~ntelisenuy entered into and justly enforced"
"The only pssti.n Of the above prospectus which appears
to have been misunderstood, is the paragraph on the Master
and Servant Act, which has been construed as intending TO
advocate the entire system Of double time, fines, imprisonment,
transfer and sale Of contracts. and an indefinite term Of servi-
tu1e, which now obtains under the present law
What it Goes say, is, that we believe the Act is IN the
main. just, right and nt,' &c, thus expressly saving ourselves
the law, If Objectionable they be. When words are not al
lowed to have the meaning which justly attaches TO them,
criticism becomes unfair and discussion fuitless"
Respecting the projection of a plan, and the
marking out of a line of policy to be pursued on
the vital questions of Labor and immigration, we
beg to say that we have already pointedly indi-
Gated the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce, as
being composed of the representative capital Of
the country, and therefore the proper body to dis
cuss, to perfect, and to lay before His Majesty in
Council, q scheme that will be feasible and efficient.
And we now await patiently and hopefully, the
development Of some such scheme, promising that
we shall advocate, to the best of our abilities, the
adoption and the prompt and vigorous execution
of that plan that shall seem to us, after careful
consideration, to embody the probable realization
of the greatest amount of good to the people and
the country at large.