The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-05-09

honest and reasonable man is liable 10 undergo
took occasion to say in the House that Lunalilo,
in consequence Of bad advice, had been induced
to promise that which he had not the power nor
the right 10 fulflI-to restore the Constitution OF
1852. As to the nghf,-he had quite as much
as had Kamehamehs V. when he abrogated that
Constitution; the power came from the people
when they made him King. But no one then or
now pretends 70 believe that the late King, IN
the expression 81 will restore" contemplated
anything more than to say that if elected he
would at once initiate the measures which would
enable the restoration Of the Constitution 10 be
brought about. As to his making the promise,
(which, 50 far as he was able, be nobly full
flled)-in consequence Of advice from others, we
can state, from personal knowledge, that the
idea was solely and entirely his own, and result
ed from long established and frequently declared
political views. While the Hon. Mr.. Bishop had
a perfect right to explain the process by which
he himself had changed from a liberal in 1864 to
a tory in 1874, he had no right to endeavor to
becloud the memory of the liberal minded Luna
lilo whom he had served as Minister. The advo-
Gates of free government and progressive ideas
will read with appreciation the speeches of At
torney General Hartwell on the important Consti-
%tutional amendments, which however the majority
of the Assembly seem to have paid but little re-
gard to.
R|-In the session of Tuesday the proposed Con-
stitutional amendments were called up one by
one and slaughtered, with unexampled rapidity
and unanimity :; although some died a natural
death from their affinity to the two-House propo-
sition, which was killed the previous day. But
the spirit of concord displayed in voting all one
way and declining to discuss, would have done
creiit to a flock of sheep following a leader over
a fence, and irresistibly suggested the thought of
a previous thorough drill.
During the session of Wednesday, the re-
manning Constitutional amendments were put out
OF sight very quietly, to be heard of no more 4;
with the exception of that relating to Article %,
referring to the succession, which comes up this
morning. This, we opine, Will be served like
the others. At all events, it ought to be, for its
passage would involve extraordinary absurdities,
confirming the crown as it does to an extinct line.
The better way, and one which we presume will
be followed, will be the substitution of a new
Article, confirming the crown to the present
reigning family.
The "Act TO Mitigate came up for discus
sion on Thursday, through an attempt for its re-
peal by one of the Honolulu delegation. Sound
speeches were made in favor of retaining the law
by the Hon. Messrs. Bishop and Wilder, and by
the Attorney General, and a remarkable TRADE
was poured out against it by the Hon. Mr.. Kakina
of Honolulu.
- Yesterday, very good progress was made
with several bills, among which was one provid-
ing for the auditing of public accOunts-a meas
ure which was recommended in these columns
some months since. i Thus far, the Assembly
gives promise of dispatch of business. and that
the session will not be unnecessarily prolonged. I