National Republican., 1873-01-09

Thh IN" "AttAN tblAANbrs
The recent death OF kamehameha the Fifth, |
the last Of the dynasty Of the Hawaiian kings, |
without having designated a successor, and the |
possible complications Arising therefroni. has at.
tracted not only the attention Of the public gen.
orally to that far distant group Of islands, but
has apparently caused rather an unusual amount |
Of interest to be manifested in them by the Gov
ernments Of the United states and Great Britain.
The Hawaiian islands, as they are called by the
natives, but more widely known as the Sandwich
Islands, in consequence Of Captain Cook having
bestowed this latter name on them At the tins Of
their discovery by him, in honor Of Lord Sand
wich, who was then the nrst lord OF the admit
raty Of Great Britain, and the especial patron Of
Cook and his voyages, consist Of seven principal
Islands, with few rocky peaks adjoining them,
situated In the Pacific ocean, midway between
the coast Of California aud China. They are
twenty two hundred miles from San Francisco,
and about the same distance from the west coast
Of South America, China and japan. They are
In the direct course Of the trade winds which
almost constantly prevail between the Pacific
coast Of the United states and China.
The Islands being small, and all Of them pos
sessing mountains rising a considerable distance
above the sea, the vapors from the ocean are con-
stAntly coming In contact with the elevated pOlnts
and descend In refreshing showers Of rain, which,
Of equal temperature. There Is no scorching
heat In these islands. Being located In the
northern edge OF the tropics, and the air, always
tempered by the surrounding sea, without being
at all moist or humid, Is always soft and deli
cious. After having travelled In the Brazils,
Central America, the West India islands and
Mexico, know Of no spot on the American
continent or the adjacent islands with a more
health giving, DEMONSTRATING climate than that
Of the Hawaiian islands.
In 1851 1t was estimated that the Islands con-
talned a population Of about sixty thousand,
three thousand Of which were foreigners or
their children. The natives are the most peace
able, inonensive Of Gods creatures. Through
the exertlons Of the mission aries and other
teachers, who have gone there since 1912, almost
every native can read and write In the Hawaiian
and English languages. Primary education Is,
perhaps, more general amongst that people In
proportion TO their numbers than any other In
the world.
At the time Of the establishment Of the mis-
sionaries by the Congregational churches Of
Boston the Islands, In 1919, the entire popula-
| tlon were In the most abject state Of ignorance
and superstition. They were without clothing
| OF any sort or character.
Cook had left on the Islands dogs and pigs, to-
gether with one Of the most loathsOme disorders
| had no knowledge Of or means to cure this
legacy, 1t ran rampant through the whole popu-
lation. This, with the use Of pork, soon deyel-
oped the leprosy, and added fresh cause 10 decl-
mate the population, which at the time Of Cook
must have amounted TO several hundred thou
sand, Judging from the evidences found on the
landing Of the missionaries and whalemen In the
early part OF this century.
The missionaries took out with them cOmpe-
tent physicians, who set about curing their
bodily ailments, while their spiritual wants
were being cared for by the ministers. One Of
the nrst problems, after making u permanent
settlement among them and gaining their con-
ndence, was the establishment Of some form Of
government among the several tribes who held
the various islands. In order to secure greater
respect for authority II was finally and, perhaps,
wisely determined to establish some sort OF a
monarchy, although the missionaries were,
doubtless, republicans, being citizens Of the
| United States. II was found that the principal
chief, Kamehameha, who then lived on the Isl
and Of OAHU where the city OF Honolulu and
the capital Of the kingdom Is now located, had
| conquered and held the Inhabitants Of the other
Islands In sort Of barbarOus suhIectlon. The
missionaries ayalled themselves Of this circum-
stance and treated with him as the actual king.
Had they attempted to weaken or set aside his
lANNthhlohb anu uullu up u ItUuuHC tHtJ WOulu
doubtless have encountered an opposition more
formidable than they could have hoped TO over
come In their weak and Isolated condition. This
circumstance explains how the Hawaiian islands
| became monarchy instead Of a republic.
There is tradition In regard TO the origin OF
| the name kamehameha, which, II not true, at
least rests upon as good authority as that Of the
founding Of Rome by ROmulus and Reamus. II
is well known that the life Of an infant was Of
no consequence whatever among the early Ha-
wallans, so much so that parents killed their
children at will, or left them to die whenever
they became burden to them. This practice
originated, doubtless, from the fact that the
islands were small, and consequently could not
sustain the natural increase Of population were
the lives Of infants more strictly guarded.
1t Ia said that the parents OF the irst King were
on their way TO a feast In a distant part Of one
Of the larger islands, and their infant becoming
troublesome TO them, they threw him away.
Some chlldless woman happening 10 pass that
way was attracted by his cries, and took him up
and adopted him, calling him KamehamehA,
meaning "the lonely one This boy Afterwards
turned out to be the nercest and most successful
warrior OF which the traditions Of his people re-
late, and In consequence Of having subdued the
chiefs Of the various tribes Of his own and the
adjacent islands, became the founder OF the
HhWhlhn ugnhhlI WHICH mas JUST become extinct
by the death Of Kamehameha the Fifth, who,
however, was not lineal descendant Of the old
chief.
Although the strictly clerical missionary con-
tributed largely TO the civilization OF the Ha-
waiian Islands, the greatest elements-of success
were the non-elerical assistants which the BOs-
ton society sent out. This was especially so In
regard TO the medical men who went out there
az part OF the missionary establishment While
the clergy, the mechanics and trades were faith
ful and jealous the doctor held In his hands the
great and TO them appreciable power Of healing
their physical snfferlngs and staying the talnt
which Cooks men had left among them. It can
readily be credited that a physical demonstra-
ton Of the power OF the man Of medicines was
more easily aPpreciable by this savage people
than the most assiduOus labOrs or the eloquent
appeals Of the clergyman.
The present Inhabitants OF the Islands owe
more to DR.. @. P. Judd than any other living
man. He went among them before the theory
or practice Of government was known there, |
and from teaching the natives at the start to |
wear clothes, finally, with the cooperation and |
assistance OF his clerical and lay associates, built
up respectable and Well-admlnistered govern |
ment Of which he was the ruling spirit for years, |
until the accession OF one OF the younger kings |
TO the throne, who regarded the doctor as TOO
Austere, and perhaps rs liable TO become danger
Ousy powerful, and therefore set the old veteran
aside TO give place to Mr.. Wiley, an EnglishInan,
who perhaps had more abiding faith In the sa-
credness Of u king than any American could
have, although he created not only the crown,
but taught the sovereign TO wear It,
In 1861 the Cabinet was composed Of two
Americans, one FrenChman and n scOtChmGn.
This division among the three leading nations
which have commercial relations with the h.