The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-09-13

lie meeting Of the citizens.
/, Is REVIEWING the proceedings connected with
the so-called " War Department during the four
days ending on Wednesday last, We are by turns
moved TO laughter, shame and indignation. The
first is fairly provoked by the many supremely RI
diculous scenes which transpired during the per-
formance of the unmitigated farce that was put
upon the public stage. And no true fEiend of
Hawaii nei but must have experienced deep shame
and modification at the spectacle of wonderful
stOlidity, dullness Of apprehension, utter poverty
Of resources and consequent helplessness of our
authorities in 4 case where the exhibition of the
opposite qualities was so imminently demanded
and hence the feeling of indignation that has been
evoked. For nearly four days 4 party of some
thirty armed men held possession of a government
building. and successfully defed all law, military
or civil, debating themselves the terms on which
they would abandon their attitude of menace to
the public peace.
We have nothing to do here with the original
cause of the anelne-except TO say that there
must be n real grievance before Hawaiians will
thus act-it is sufficient for us to know that we
had n small specimen of the most dangerous of
all possible revolts or mutinies,-that of 4 body
of not too highly civilized ~soldiery, with arms in
their hands in open and declared rebellion. The
first intimation of the possibility of such Il dan
ger threatening the peace and safety of the COM
munity, should have been instantly met by those
in authority with prompt, stern, and effective
measures of repression. All red tape ideas of
military etiquette (Heayen save the mark or
other cumbersome forms and ceremonies that
might stand in the way of instant action, should
have been thrown to the winds. What was needed
in the outset was 4 mana Minister-with sufi-
cient decision and force of character to have as
serted his right to command, and to have assumed
the responsibility. But there was no such man
for the occasion in our Ministry, nor, it would ap-
pear, ID any other responsible position. Neither,
it may be added, will men who have thus proven
themselves incompetent in a case of emergency,
have the decency to go out and hang themselves
If-offcially.
. Fortunately, the shameful affair has terminated
without bloodshed, and the internecine warfare
which ut one time was very imminent Ito the per-
eeptions of those who saw and comprehended the
ominous nature of the sympathetic feeling that
was spreading among the populace) has been pre-
! vented. The mutineers, who had been suffered
to defy the authorities so long with IMMUNITY that
they had really become too strong to be subdued
without calling on the citizens for aid, were at
Z last induced to send n deputation of their mum,
Der to His Majesty the King, confined by illness
to his cottage ut waikiki. \ few words from
/, their Sovereign had the effect, on the return of the
deputatiOn to the Barracks, to cause the mutt.
neers-there were only twenty-three-to give uI
their arms and abandon their attitude of rebellion
But the lessons we learn from this episode are
merely ~confrmatOry Of that which has been re
peatedly, from time to time set forth in these col
! umns. We are reminded of both the absurdity
and the mischief-not to speak here of the extray
agance-of our keeping up a Department of War
of even the limited proportions to which we hav,
pretended. Absolutely and confessedly useless as
a means of preserving our independence from any
foreign aggressOr, it now appears as a positively
disturbing element and n menace to the peace anC
safety of the community. Weare further gravely
reminded of the pitiful weakness of our Govern
= ment,-of the evident utter lack OF energy, decis
ION of character and promptitude of action. tn,
display Of which qualities on such an occasion W,
have 4 right to expect from those who hold tn
positions OF Cabinet Ministers.
( For the past twenty years we have been squan
dering on an average $4,000 per annum-o
SCOO,OOO in the aggregate-fOr the purpose o
maintaining this worse than useless Department
of War. The . late unpleasantness in this De
partment will in one respect prove most fortunate
if 1t shall be the means of so thoroughly disgust
ing us with the thought of maintaining a Mill
tary force, rs TO deter any Ministry in the futur
from asking Representatives Inappropriate none.
therefor Let us have no more of the pride
pOmp and circumstance" of q puny standing
army, which in our experience has proved q sinl
, Of extravaganza, 4 school for vice, and n menac
instead of 4 protection to the security of society
We need no military, beyond the volunteer com
, panies which now exist, and which should be lib
orally encouraged and maintained, as 4 nucleu
in any possible emergency Of domestic trouble
! Our people are proverbially law-abiding, and tn,
baton and badge of a policeman, exhibited in tn,
name of the law, is allsuficient for the ordinary
! protection of life and property. 1t may perhaps