The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-02-27
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AbOtrtisrr
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 27.
IN the New York Illustrated Christian weekly
THE N OF HAWAII.
BY :. c. DAMON.

" ben the Hawaiian ISLANDS were GlEcOYeTc1.
independent kings reigned over each of the six
principal islands. They were a fierce and war
like people, and not unfrequently the most bloody
and Devastating wars prevailed. A war OF this
nature was in progress when Captain Cook dis
covered the Islands. When his ship Discovery
cruised OF the shores of Maui, 1878, there came
of q deputation from the chiefs, and among the
young warriors there appeared one who was des-
tined 70 act a conspicuous part in the subsequent
history Of this archipelago. / refer TO young ha-
m~ehameha, then about t1enty-three years OF age.
Originally a petty chief Of a small district on
the island Of Hawaii. he commenced warfare
upon neighborng provinces, and after a few years
Of successful conquests the whole group submitted
to his sway. His fame won for him the title OF
1.-THE Napoleon Of the Pacific
No sooner had he established bis government
than he made wise and necessary arrangements
for its administration, and established the Kane
hameha dynasty, which for more than seventy
years has stood and exercised its functions as
firmly for the welfare Of the inhabitants of this
group as that Of any other government on earth.
Before bis death he made every necessary pro-
vision for establishing his dynasty which human
foresight could arrange. lie had caused his eld-
est son, at the age Of twelve years, to be pro-
claimed as the heir apparent. He even went so
far as 10 combine with his son as sovereign the
authority Of his fayorite wife Kaahumanu, his
son to rule jointly with her. This singular and
peculiar feature of the Hawaiian Government,
after it assumed a civilized form, was perpetuated
Yforover thirty years.
AT the age OF seventy-four, on the 9Th of May,
1919, Kamehameha 1. died at Kailua, Hawaii.
He was a man of no ordinary abilities. His name
is even now reverenced among Hawailans, they
are proud OF the old warrior-king.
HIS eldest son assembled the throne under the
title Of Kamehameha H., although he is spoken
of in history as Liholiho. He was then In the
twenty-fourth year of his age. After paying
royal honors TO the remains of the departed SOW
ereign, his successor became an iconoclast on a
! scale co-extensive with his island dominions.
From time immemorial a system of religious Ia
bus had formed the groundwork < of the idolatrous
superstition of the islanders. The report OF the
abolition of idolatry at Tahiti and intercourse
with foreigners had led the leading chiefs, under
the direction of the high priest of the old system,
to undertake an entire revolution in their religi-
Gus worship. AT a great feast given by the king
and chiefs at Kailua, Hawaii, to the horror and
surprise of all timid minds, the former left the
place where he was eating and went to the female
table. This was profanity Of the worst descrip-
tion4n the minds of all believing in the old faith.
The blow was now struck. Tabu was broken.
The work of destruction of both idols and temples
was commenced under royal authority, and 50
~efeetual was the devastating wave sweeping over
the islands that not an idol was left standing. In
reviewing this strange event the work would APP
pear impossible. unless a Divine influence was re-
coguized, even amid heather orgies.
AS was natural to expect, a reaction followed
this widespread destruction of the idols, and war
ensued between the reformers and idolators, but
victory perched upon the banner of the lconoc-
lasts. The nation was now thrown back upon a
system Of universal doubt, and the people were
: feeling after God" While these events were
Transporting on the Hawaiian Islands under royal
authority, the brig ThGddeus sailed from Boston
with the first band Of American Missionaries des-
tined for this group. On their arrival in March,
1920, no wonder they were astonished at the first
report from the shore that fell upon their ears,
1.-THE Tabu is broken; the idols are destroyed
The work now commenced of imparting to a saw
age nation without any system OF religious wor-
ship, a knowledge of the true God. The king and
his associates became pupils in the mission-schools
Before two years had elapsed Kamehameha III.
was reading a spelling-book and witnessing the
work done on a printing-press.
After the death of the king and queen in Eng
land, where they had gone to visit George w.,
their son, Kamehamcha Ill, was left at the age
of ten to succeed to the sovereignty OF the Ha-
waiian kingdom. For years, or from 1924 to
1888, the government was administered by a re-
gency. 1t was his lot to reign during a period
when the affairs OF the realm were often very I'M
settled, and many influences were working to I'M
dermine the permanency of the kingdom. The
strong and conservative power of Christianity,
however, had great moral force in the land.
Amid these external perplexities, the nation
was struggling to emerge from the old leudal Gus
toms and practices of former ages, and assume
the forms Of a constitutional government. This
was necessary to secure the recognition OF indie
peudence on the part of the Great Powers. The
III AalC ndo ~ No ~ OaN - SA
ing hand, which was followed by the joint treaty,
on the part of England and France, signed No
vember %, lS43, which is now observed as a holi-
day.
The king, naturally Of a mild and yielding dis
position, adapted himself to the new system with
as much ease and gracefulness as was possible for
one born a despot, He conceded to the pressure
of the nation, demanding more rights, with as
much becoming condescension as any king ever
listened to the "vox populi."
He was greatly beloved, not only by his OWL
people, but also by foreigners, and died most
deeply lamented, December Is, 1854.
Alexander Liholiho, or Kamehameha ~, was
born February 9, 1884; he was carefully in
strueted, in the Royal School, under the manage
ment of Mr.. and Mrs. Cooke: he was a most apt
} scholar, and very proficient in mathematics and
obtained a most thorough knowledge of the Eng
lish language, which he learned to speak and
write with great accuracy. After leaving school
he accompanied his elder brother, Lot Kameha-
v a foreign tour. They visited the United States
and Europe, and were received with distinguished
honor wherever they went. They left the islands
in September, 1S49, and returned the same month
of the following year.
On assuming the reins of government, he re
modelled the Cabinet, and made many changes in
other departments. He was married June 10,
1856, to Emma Rookie, who had been educated
with him at the Royal School. Kamehameha ",
possessed an active mind, and was ever deyising
plans for the welfare of his kingdom. The
Queens Hospital, now stands as a monument o.
his efforts, aided by the beneyolence of the island
community, both native and foreign. He actively
engaged in the establishment of an Episcopal
church, which finally eliminated in the Anglican
mission. His death occurred November 80, 1868
having completed a prosperous reign of a few days
. short of nine years.
Kamehameha v, an elder brother of the late
king, peacefully succeeded 10 the throne of tht
Hawaiian kingdom. He was well educated
and perfectly familiar with the English language
His experience as an officer of government, com.
bined with an Imperious disposition, naturally