The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-06-26

when the matter was brought up it was found that
the supporters OF both families must have a repre-
sentative. Two kings were therefore appointed
and a Durrcby established. Bot this did not pre-
serve peace. In each family there were two can
didaies for The kisgship-three Protestants and
one Roman Catholic. The French priests would
not attend the ceremony Of swearing in The two
chiefs and fourteen councillors. and since then
their party has been agitaiing to destroy the gov
eminent. They formed a nucleus around which
others who were disafected-some who were dis
appointed in not obtaining Office and who thought
themselves sighted, aud Others who had suffered
for Acknowledgment gathering. Matters were
looking serious, and were giving Us some concern,
when Col SteinbeFger arrived. Now, surely all
will unite under his guidance, and If be acts wisely
his residence may be OF great benefit 20 the psople.
As the representative Of the United States Govern
ment, nearly all have had confidence in him. and
be will be able to consolidate the government and
put things in working order. II he carries out his
plans as they have been represented to Us. his
coming will prove the beginning Of better times,
politically, for Samoa. L was and AIN convinced
that some external aid was absolutely necessary
for the establishment Of a lasting government.
That aid could not now be given here by mission
aries as missionaries gave their aid to the Hawai-
ian Government formerly in it's time of need.
Religious auimosities would immediately be awak-
ened by such i course. Hence We are shut up to
such aid as that now offered by the United States
Government, or to annexation by some great
power. l heartily sympathIze with the wish of the
people for help, because / believe that without
help from some quarter there would be continual
anarchy and eventual ruin. A. TO nationality, l,
for many reasons, prefer the help o. the United
States of America to that Of Great Britain. l wish
TO see this people under The care Of some liberal
power which will secure to them Justice and reIi-
gious liberty.
" In u number of the Friend just to hand (i date
September, 1870 DIR. Damon speaks. with rather
much self-congratulation on the way in which the
rights of the natives and the authority of the king
and chiefs have been sedulously guarded In Ha-
wall. by the aid of republican American missioua-
ries aad American citizens. And he implies some
thing perhaps rather disparaging towards other
groups. have very great respect for DR.. Damon's
opinion on Polynesian matters ; but / think in the
remarks l now criticise he has not taken his usual
ly comprehensive view of the matter about which
he writes. Hawaii differed from most-I think l
may say all-Polynesian groups at the time of the
introduction Of Christianity. 1t had a king-nol
merely a nominal one-bnt one who ruled, and
$500 N- 1890 a. - ~ poi
from Christianity Ia waiian chiefs were real chiefs.
Except in the Society Islands, and perhaps Tonga,
Hawaii differed in this respect from most other
groups of the Pacific. Samoa, like the Mareuesas,
has never been united under one rule--in fact, has
had no rule. There has never been a man COM
bining sufficient intellect, prowess, and ambition
to bring the entire group under one rule. But
there has been a multitude of petty chiefs, Zone of
the old missionaries used to say every alternate
man you meet is "a Ghiel) each exerting very, very
little influence, and constant feuds have been the
consequences.
Il give your American missionaries very great
credit for what has been done in political as well
as in purely religious teaching in Hawaii. But If
American missionaries had been in Samoa. they
would not have made this group like the Hawaiian
at the present time. Tonga differs considerably
from Samoa, and is following hard on Hawaii in
civilization. But the reason vi it is that King
George brought all those islands under his rule,
aud made progress possible. DR.. Damon says the
fact is uncontrovertible that in the groups of
the South Seas. where missionaries and foreign
residents from England and other European coun-
tries have predcminated. the rights of kings. chiefs
and common people have been partially at least
ignored, and the native governments allowed to
hacpma, s1hgaEtqaz and RDAEsST-;s ~ Tobit; i
the only place to which it applies. In other
groups there have been no native governments to
subvert or %overturn. That is the cause of all the
miscbief-there has been no authority, no rule.
Not even in Fiji, now annexed TO Great Britain.
has there been any native government to subvert."