The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-03-30
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOtttisrr,
S4TERDAY y, MARCH 80.
The Royal Decree of 1864.

modern times. and leave it TO our readers u
furnish the spice Of adverse criticism or in~yectiye
in accord with their own individual tastes. We
acknowledge to some degree of warmth as We
read again for the purpose Of republication the
infamous record Of events Immediately preceding
the subyersion Of the Constitution Of 1852, but
as journalists we propose to furnish facts, gener-
ally leaving to the apprehension Of the community
to utilize. With these PREDATORY remarks, We
resume '. our mutton"
&C. c. H." was a very vOluminous writer in
Pre-COnyention times-we regret We cannot say
n truthful one, 1t is true, he denied that it was
the intention Of the Government to establish a
State Church, but the fact that 50 much Of his
promissory paper turned out correct, was in spite
Of his efforts.
The residents of this city, in the summer Of
1864, beginning to feel a little alarmed at the
appearance of state affairs, called a public meet
ing at which was passed the following preamble
to a series Of resolutions, which &C. c.. H."
embodied in his second communication to this
journal
"WHEREAs, The Royal Proclamation published
last Saturday, the 9Th inst, converting the delegates
OF the people for the purpose of consulting on the
revision of the Constitution Of our Kingdom, and
CONSULTING upon the puD!lc gOCQ as well as TO provide
ways and means to carry on our Government aims
at unlawful measures to alter or abrogate the Con-
stitution under which we live, depriving US of its
protection and those rights and privileges which it
now grants, and are so sacred and dear to US and
" WHEREAS, II is alleged and believed that a re-
vision Of the Constitution as foreshadowed in the
Proclamation. would pave the way to the establish
ment of an undesired Church, as an appendage of
the State to be supported by tithes or taxes to be i'm
posed upon the people at large sc.
By this-and other testimony which we NAV
produce-it will be seen that the foreign element
in this community had begun to be aware,
although to but a limited extent, of the intended
abrogation of the Constitution. In order to allay
the suspicious of the foreigners-for the native
element he had no regard C.. G.. H." took
occasion, in print, to comment on the preamble
above quoted, as follows:
as have read the Proclamation over MANY times.
and earnestly invite my fellow-citizens to read it
again and again. and see if they can find a single
word which even hints at or can be tortured into an
intimation Of any ideas attributed by this preamble
to the reclamation, which l have stated in my
former letter to mean just what it says and no more.
: . That the way pointed out for revising the
Constitution is justifiable and not unlawful and
tends in no way to deprive any one of its protection,
must have become apparent to every one and if it
is not so apparent, [ beg them TO suspend their iudg-
ment until they have time to ponder over the general
principles of free Government
We can imagine the complacency with which
" {. C.. H" penned the last sentence of the
quotation. His tongue must have found its way
into his cheek at the mention Of = free Govern
ment." But it seems to have struck him at this
time that the word of &C G. H." might not
prove entirely a"renfahla-fnr reasons doubtless
we'll known to himself-sO he proceeds to I.-s
forward an unwilling witness to youch for his
And in the meantime it is to be hoped that no
one will attribute to Judge Allen any dissenslon from
his colleagues, for he most assuredly fully concurred
in the ~prorriety and lawfulness of the method which
has been suggested to the people"
The italicizing the word d" suggested " was
intended to farther deceive, while the writer evil
IDENTIFY forgot that the evidence intended to incul-
pate Judge Allen was at best but hearsay, and
came through a doubted channel.
&C. c. H." ;hen proceeds to show that the
Constitution of 1852 had it's faults
''In some cases it has deprived the Legislature of
its just power Of regulating the Government of the
country according to its eXigencies."
the King is not
DESTROYS Of DIcFATIXG any Constitution to the people,
but is DESTROYS of meeting in a free and hearty man.
ner n free people, which has the power to refuse any
changes not clearly demonstrated to be for the public
good, and who he may reasonably hope will meet
him free from all prejudices and toregone con-
elusiOns."
Behold what solicitude for the power of the
Legislature "!-best understood, however, by
the light of events after the Convention was over.
The conspirators knew quite well that their plans
for curtailing the liberties of the people would
be of little avail, SO long as the Legislature stood
between them and their game. The veritable
. strong man - must be disposed of, and 50 this
plausible Delilah lulIed his Samson by fair prom
ises and assurances, and then deity proceeded
to shear it of power. Like Samson of old, shorn
of his strength, cropping helplessly about with
~sightless eyes, thus pitiable is the scene presented
by the Legislature Of to-day ,-shorn, crippled
and manned, deprived in all cases of its just
powers. Then, the Representative of the people
sat apart, as a distinct estate and chamber, pos
sessing independent powers that they never
abused to-day, they are merged with the Mobiles
and Ministers, absolutely without power, and
made to feel it. Like the shorn Samson before
the Philistines, the third estate serves to furnish
amusement to the Ministers and Mobiles. Before
the spectators become too hilarious, however, it
nav be we'll TO remember that Samson's hair
grew again.
The crowning height of Infamous subterfuge is
reached in the closing paragraphs of &C. e.
HIS" correspondence, which is in these words
Nor do l remember to have heard any expression
which would seem TO imply that His Majesty's adj
visers had any opinion upon the subject, as 10
whether one chamber or two would be preferable for
the Legislative Council. The result then Of my last
remark IS, that such rumOrs are made out of whole
cloth have not the shadow of a foundation, and no
one can prevent their manufacture. The sin lies
with the originators and circulators, and they must
bear the blame
The writer then proceeds to prate upon some
changes in the Constitution then awaiting the
sitting of the Legislature for final action, and
finally he v~entilates the proposed change regarding
the tenure of office Of the Justices of the Supreme
Court. The article proposed by him provided
that they should retain their Offices during good