The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-12-05

into q unIhed national lie. The heterogeneous
elements that zane into it, became homogeneously
American. There was a development out Of itself
into q complete individuality Of national life.
But from the nature OF things this cannot be so
in Hawaii. As q nation soc has been and is the
foster child OF foreign influences. She is fully
recognized by the other powers, and under this
recognition every one here enjoys the liberty and
blessings OF the best governments of the world.
But this IS a gift from without, not an achieve
ment from within. We, Hawaiians and all,
should be, and l trust are grateful for this liberty
and these blessings but IN our Tightful thanks
giving for them, we must give a large place to
other lands. Hawaii may, and should be grateful
for her Independence. but she cannot be proud Of
it for Ii is not of her, nor is it selfmaintained
She IL not self-sufhcient unto any of the great
national rights and blessings. We, all Of us
here, are a privileged people basking in the cordial
hearty favor Of other nations. We have the form
and privileges and blessings of government, but
none OF Its inherent power and aside from outside
aid and influence, and our own mutual neIghborly
good Will and friendliness which Is a Charming
feature Of our Island life, there is nothing to keep
US from confusion. Nor is this any reproach to
Hawaii. 1t could not be otherwise, and it does
not detract essentially from one of the blessings
that we here enjoy; only it shows us that the
great causes for national thanksgiving here all
reach out into other lands.
We are, for instance, thankful for the peace
that we enjoy, as 1t has not been enjoyed in other
parts of the world. We are thankful that bloody
war u uOS Wet lulS SOIL Win human gore. but
We are hardly thankful that our armament on
Punch Bowl has not gone forth to sweep Europe
or America with the bosom of destruction; nor
that conqucring powers have not been able TO de-
feat our battalions, and pillage our cities; nor
that civil strife has not deluged us with blood
We can be grateful for peace, but not without
having our thanks 60 up with a special reference
TO the God OF all nations. So far as we are con-
cerned, it is a peace that We can not break.
Should even one life be taken in anything that re-
/ npnkIo1 xrn
forth, and a louder voice would say fight no more.
This but shows us, that our independence, and all
that makes up our nationality will not be marred,
or weakened by leaning on the. strength of a
greater friend, and if need be putting our hand in
his. Ii can be no reproaeh to Hawaii that the
shield of America should cover her. or that the
British Lion should guard her, or that the Ger
man merchantmen should fly the Hawaiian flag
and yet be German still. Her greatness from her
very position and limitations is and must be fed
on the fairness of other lands.
And now | wish to say further that it is. and
ever must be, the United States of America. who
stands as Godmother to this foster-child. Her
impress is on all this nationality-on the very
substance, If not form of its government. on its
churches, on Its schools, on its business habits. on
its social life. Her influence pervades it. This
is 30, to such an extent, that we who are Ameri-
cans, scarcely feel ourselves away from home, not
as much so, as we would in most parts of Canada.
We are still In the old home atmosphere. And
however long we may have been here, or even if
we have been born or citizenized here, still we
breathe the American spirit, and have the Ameri-
can ways. Our news reading is of the home
country mostly, and our interest in all that affects
her welfare is undated. Our Thanksgiving for
her h~arvests, her growth, her institutions. her
freedom, her republican stability is as direct and
heartfelt as though We were on the home ground.
We scarcely feel ourselves to be in any respect in
the position of foreigners; and the reason Of this
ID that life here, in its peculiar characteristics
and nhaSp9- and II IFS hnffar honoo o-I
is American. 1t is about as much so as life in
the Colonies is English. In fact the Englisbman
himself is Americanized here, about as fast as he
would be in America. 1t takes some time
even there, Tor he has a persistent national
spirit, and Is to be honored for it.. 1t shows that
he has a great and grand nation behind him. But
ne un6ends into American ways, as he would not
have done in. staid old England. This comes
naturally from the fact that society here is more
of the American type. 1t has a freer mingling of
diverse elements. There are here also many Ger
mans, who love the Fatherland, as they should.
but they have got the free American swing. They
are westernized, and in all the western world it
is the genius of America that is the shaping in
These Islands are more like the United States
than any other country, in this mingling of those
many oiHerent natl0nalItIes in its population.
France or spain or Germany or England or
Russia have comparatively few citizens who are
not native born. While on the other hand there
are but two or three cities in Germany itself that
have moro Germans in them than there are in
New York. A large part of st. Louis is German.
and yet 1t is all heartily and intensely Am erican.
And l venture to say that but for the fact of
the phenomenon of these Island could
not have occurred. But for the genius of Ameri-
AN freedom, and her power, in making one peo-
out OF many, unlfying and melting them to-
sether, but for her breaking down the walls of
rational separation and prejudice, and but for the
force and influence of her institutions
md society, and enlarged spirit of liberty, such a
as a whole as we see here on these Islands
.o-day would never have been. Society here, is
,ut a spark from Columbia's forge. She on that {
,reat fair new land of hers has been welding a l
lew and beautiful and strong nation such as the t
world never before saw welding it out of manv 2
and the Light from her forge has been !
he general harmonizing ~unifying influence, that =
las controlled IN all this charming and friendly o
tate of things that makes life here on these small :
emote islands, and with such a mixture of races f.
o attractive. y
And this leads me to what have been reaching il
owards all this while, and that is, Americas true v
nission-her true character as a nation, and the t.
rue outreaching of her influence. a
Every real nation has its distinctive life and u
mission. When Daniel, in his vision, saw the 6,
our beasts, the lion and the bear, and the leopard r
nd the dreadful beast with iron teeth and ten o
each with its peculiar1ties, he saw the b
haraeter and mission ON earth of the four great ell
atoms of antiquity, the Chaldean the Persian. d.
be Greek, and the Roman. Each had mower to r,
end. Each illustrated some principle of p
ational life. England and France and Germany &C
nd Russia, each has its national spirit and life. :
nd its peculiar influence in the world. Each d'
oes something important for the world. [ can >.
OF stop to speak of them separately. But Amer ~
a rises before us Enthusiastically, in her character ="
nd mission. / have told you on former occasions q,
ne story of her greatness, her history, her victo- nj
es, her varied resources, her free institutions, III
nd her achievements. L Deed not repeat it now In
That wish to say now, is that she has some Ga
ing to do in the world. She is herself. we na
now, and is remarkably self contained. She is tn
lficient unto herself as no other nation is. She nj
oks abroad for no favors. Nearly all her COM ut
cree could be cut off without stopping her IL
'owth. Her territory is so broad and diversified "a
at circumstances could hardly arise. in which ~