The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-08-01

a FULL cABrNET-composed of four Intelligent
and energetic men, we'll acquainted with Ha-
waiian affairs. fully enjoying the confidence of
His Majesty and of the people on account of
their ability and fitness for public service, and
working together as a units now the one
great and essential need of the country Hawaii
has been suffering ONE time from the reflects of
weakness and division in her councils. The reign
of LunalilO was especially marked by vacilIation,
and utter want of policy, or any frmness of
purpose on the part of public men. 1t was the
era of imbecile responsibility as to public affairs,
and has brought this little nation, that once had
its just pride and independent attitude in the
days of Kamehameha ", to a miserable state of
decadence, and to the humiliating condition of a
virtual protectorate. With the accession of His
present Majesty, who has had large experience in
public affairs, there was every just reason to
expect an advancement of national welfare. The
immediate realization of this hope, however,
has been delayed, by events that were the fruits
of the administrative imbecility of the late reign,
and which somewhat compelled, as we believe,
His Majesty to accept of a compromise in the
national council not in harmony with the Royal
wish and purpose. This compromise only served
TO continue the weakness and divisions of the
past so that the spirit of disloyal partisan
ship has continued to show it's head, and to pre-
tend to make questionable the sovereign authority.
But not only in the administration of public
affairs has feebleness, or absence of policy, and
division of council been manifest, but still more
especially in the Legislation of the country. We
saw at the commencement of the present session,
Ministers divided on several important measures,
and apparently acting as though each one in
tended to be an independent leader of his especial
political view and at the same time it was seen
that the Kings advisers commanded no confidence
and but little respect among the Representatives,
and that it would be impossible to carry anv
measure with such a Ministry. a resignation,
followed by a reconstruction which eliminated
some unpopular elements from the House, greatly
improved the temper of legislation, so that many
important measures, at one time considered quite
hopeless, were readily passed but after a time,
it was seen that there still renamed a portion of
the compromise element in the Cabinet, antago-
nistic to that new element admitted into the
Ministry which more fully represented the vigor
and enterprise of the new reign.
This antagonism has been painfully exhibited
of late days in the Assembly. We have seen a
measure,-a proposed ~loan,-wbich was strongly
recommended by His Majesty, ardently advocated
by one Minister, and partially sustained, or
50 damned with faint praise " by The other.
CThere are only two.) The one Minister has
cordially sustained the plan for carrying the
measure now before the Assembly, because he
has carefully considered all it's provisions, and
has accepted it in its entirety whereas the other
has given only a weak and partial assent to the
,rOv;S;opS If a hill which ba hos anDSiIoraI ,plv /
in an indifferent manner, like a careless legislator, |
and has started objections and multiplied amend
ments at q late hour, to the prejudice. of general
egislation, and in short, has shown himself to
be a vacillating actor in public affairs, and
utterly unfit as a Ministerial manager of a Legis-
lative body.
Thus we see our national ministerial house is
sadly diyided-aud it never had greater need to
be united. We have need Of men in the Ministry
who are capable of leading public opinion, and
are not to be driven by it; men who can grasp
the helm in an hour of storm, and who will not
only meet but anticipate every blow of adverse
fortune against the State men who know by
many a struggle and trial, what this country
wants who have studied well her capabilities and
who can answer for her boldly. promptly and in
diligently. on any floor and before any audience
men who will labOriOusly study, and then boldly
and unhesi:atingly act upon every public question;
and very especially, men who will sustain unim-
paired and unquestioned His Majesty's authority
throughout the land.
With a full Cabinet Of such men in the coun-
of His Majesty, the country may expect to
see all our important questions of Reciprocity,
Loan, and Immigration, ably and actively taken
in hand, and may hope for a prosperous new