The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-02-06
Bloodless Revolution at strong,s I.Ia nd.

A letter received per Morning Star from the Rev.
Mr.. Snow, The missionary, contains an account of
the deposing of one King and the election Of another.
which is curious end interesting, as illustrating the
democratic customs Of the islanders Of Micronesia.
Says MI. Snow
~ The King and the Queen had both been going to
te bad and going it hard a long while. IAfter men
tioning an instance Of the duplioiiy of the former
and the RIGHTEOUSNESS Of the %latter,l Last Saturday
the idea got possession Of some Of the chiefs and
more influential of the people that they had a right,
il ihey chose 20 exercise &. 90 depose ethnt old King
and put o new mnn in HE place. 1t was tndfrstood
by certain ones that there wouldAbe n meeting on
Monday at the Stone Church, to consult upon the
matter, and If thought lest to put the thing
through. - . No pablo notice was given Of
the meeting, but the chiefs sent out their runners.
and before noon all the chiefs and about 100 men
were gathered in the church. They sent for me to be
present. Kanku presided and The meeting vas opened
with prayer by the pastor, and h%tnusing TO meJby
singing There is q rest for the weary l feared
there might be some division of feeling as TO who
should be the new King, 10 they should conclude to
elect one. But Kanku spoke first, and spoke well.
According to the customs Of the island the place
belonged to him, but he, with great magnanimity,
proposed Sigera for the new King. Each Of the
chiefs spoke in order, then quite a number Of the
common people. 1 was surprised at the fearlessness
and manliness with which many of them. spoke. II
came out that there was quite a feeling in favor Of
Kanku, but as he had proposed sigera, they yielded
their preference and would 20 for Sigera. One young
man was strongly for Kanku as being an older man
and Of more experience, aud remarked that IL
Sigera didn't do well, they could put in Kauku
afterwards All had their say that wished to speak,
even their old missionary among the rest. Then the
vote was put; first, to depose the old King. Every
hand was up with a will. Second, shall sigera be
his successor This was carried too, with equal
unanimity and apparent heartiness. After a few
other little matters, at their request, I led them In
prayer, consecratiBg the newly electod King to his
work. The meeting was then closed by NIL singing
the Thanksgiving hymn. Capt. Hayes was present
when the votes were taken.
"Afer dinner, at their request, I went with them
to the royal residence to see the thing consummated
there. The old King had got word 0f our coming
and Of what had been done; so he had his things
mostly packed up ready to depart whithersoeyer the
new King might designate. The interview there was
begun with prayer by the old missionary, and there
was some weeping. Kanku reported what had been
done, and spoke of it as the work Of God, for tho
good Of the island and the prosperity Of the church.
Several others spoke. The old King and Queen both
appeared greatly chagrined. I / foreigner present
remarked that the people 50 were giyeH to change"
1 assured him to the very contrary Of that; that I
never knew a people 30 little given to change as these
Kusaieans. The four Kings that 1 knew before this
one had all died in Office 1 heard that after / left,
this same foreigner proposed to some Of the out
siders to make a great oven and cook Mr.. Snow,
Likiak Sa, and a lot of the church members
After tea, and another took a lantern and
went down to see how things looked It was pleasant
to find the new King having family worship. All
were quiet and orderly, as though nothing special
had happened. On our way back We called to where
the old King was qu~artered, and found them having
worship there. Kanku was leading the devotions.
| Quite a number we're present, and solemn as a house
of mourning 1t is hard for the people to get over
the almost reverential feeling they have for their
Togusa-the title of their King. And humiliating
in the extreme for this proud old fellow to have his
people address him by his common name. But no
one would dare to use the title towards him after IL
had been given to another" yea 4iky nuE