The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-03-04
SATURDA Y. MARCH /



The following is the text Of the memorial Of
citizens which was presented to His Majesty on
Tuesday last, by a mi of the signers
To HIS Majesty the Hing,
SIRE We. the undersigned. subjects snd resi-
dents of this kingdom and friends of your Royal Per
son, in view Of what We deem a grave condition OF
public affairs. take the liberty to address you in a
spirit of frankuess and loyalty in order TO point out
the danger that threatens the state, and at the same
time the necessary measures to avoid the national
peril.
We desire to say at the outset, that We are prompt
ed to take part in this address not only on account
of a loyal and friendly regard for Your Majesty's
person, but also by reason of oar strong desire to see
maintained, with ample honor and prosperity, the
independence of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The ~propriety of according the privileges of indie
pendent sovereignty to a state so much reduced in
people as Your Majesty's dominions is very much
questioned, and the discussion is most detrimental
to the dignity and permanence of the throne. This
question was even raised in past years, when Hawaii
numbered far more souls than at this time within
her borders. When the commissioners of kameha-
meha III presented the claims of this archipelago for
recognition MS an independent state to the Govern
ment of Great Britain in 1913, they were met at first
with a peremptory refusal from Lord Aberdeen, the
British foreign minister, on the ground that the state
of Hawaii was q mere chieftaincy under foreign in
huences, and too small to- be entitled to diplomatic
courtesies and treaty making powers. And if such
q view could be taken of our state thirty-three years
ago, when we numbered about one hundred thou
sand people, what must be thought Of our c~apability
for independence now. when perhaps we number
barely fifty thousand souls, natives and foreigners
all told?
And yet this decline of the people, and the sad
and ruinous disproportion of sex, so patent to every
observation, has not. we are sorry to say, aroused
anu .nl maui liz, H. 3 - -
ever looking to the increase of population and The
recuperation Of the kingdom I And at the same time
we all bear in mind Your Majesty's patriotic utter
ances at the commencement of your reign, that the
increase of the people should be the watchword of
your royal policy; therefore we cannot doubt how
much you have at heart the stay and the recupera-
ton of your declining state. And some of US can
recall the words of preceding Hawaiian kings, de-
ploring the loss OF their people and praying for
measures of repopulation; and especially may we re-
peat at this time the words of the enlightened and
patriotic Kamehameha ", addressed to his legisla-
ture, when he said
ga subject of deeper Importance than any | have
yet mentioned ia that of the decrease of our popula-
ton. 1t is a subject in comparison with which all
others sink into insigniicance; for our first and great
duty id self preservation. Our acts are in vain un-
less we can stay the wasting hand that is destroying
our people. L feel a heavy and a special RESPONSE
bility weighing upon me in this matter, but it is one
in which you all must share; nor shall we be acquit-
ted by man or our Maker Of a neglect of duty if We
fall 10 act speedily anu eUeClually IN the cause OF u
people who are every day dying before our eyes,
But after all this solemn appeal aad invocation,
what action has been taken,-what line of national
policy pursued in reference to this great subject of
repopulation, q in comparison with which all others -
lin this kingdom) g sink into insignifcance -"
. What action indeed Why, we have procured a
few Chinese male laborers, and are expecting a few
hundred more to add to the present mischievous dis
proportion of 1881 Chinese males to 10Y Chinese
females This is not action in any benefcent direc.
ton, but is simply reaction, and is a mere e~xpedien-
cy designed to subserve a particular industry; there
fore we look in vain for any commencement of q
policy that has in view national recuperation.
s. The increase OF males, especially when We have
reason TO believe that they are utterly unchaste in
character, must aggravate still more the sterility of
Hawaiian women, and so tend to increase the rate of
deterioration of Your Majesty's Hawaiian subjects.
The rate of decrease has been for some time past q
little over one thousand a year;-and here we
solemnly appeal to Your Majesty to pause and consi-
der,-that at o period which may come within the
limit of your own lifetime, the decline of your peo-
pie may have reached that point when not only will
the autonomy of the country be considered inconsis-
tent with the paucity of its numbers, but all hope Of
the preservation of the Hawaiian race and name will
have passed away.
1t may be said that as production of material for
commerce has not declined but rather increased in
the kingdom, and may not be diminished in succeed
ing years, that consequently revenue will be forth
coming and our political order and autonomy may
still go on. But should your people continue to de-
cline, the consideration of your Majesty as the chief
of an independent tribe of people must in such event
be so far diminished, that the present courtesy of
foreign recognition will be withdrawn.
We would avert this issue. We, 0 king, who
hoped and strove for your accession to the Hawaiian
throne. would hope and strive again as far as it may
be proper for US, to see you continuing to I'LL 1t with
increasing honor to your person and blessing to your
people. And therefore we would appeal to you in
the behalf Of your declining race, in the cause of
humanity. and 10 the name Of all generous hearts
and phiianthropic souls throughout the world who
would glory in the cause of the preservation Of q de-
Ginning people, that your Majesty will determine con-
Jointly with able and faithful men in your kingdom,
to initiate measures and to carry out a policy that
viii set aside all other minor considerations Of state,
and will look singly to the repeopling of your do
minions, and to the preservation of your nations in
dependence. And let this new departure of your
kingdom begin without farther temporizipg or delay.
1t is for you, o, Chief, chosen to be the Sovereign
and the leader of this feeble, yet most interesting
nation:-it is for you, indeed, to be its political
savior and its father You are the hope Of Polyne-
STA. You are also an object of interest to humanita-
rians abroad in respect to the preservation of your
race. Upon you devolves the great mission, not
only of the recuperation of your people, but the
successful illustration of a tropical civilization
therefore every device and measure of Your Males
tvs Government should be directed towards the
acquisition Of people, and the preservation of the
life of the Hawaiian State.
Pardon US, Sire, when we say that this must be
done. That is to say, the intelligence of the civil
lied world will require that the only ground for ac-
quiescence in the self government of this mere
nominal State will be in the earnest pursuit by its
Ruler and People of q policy for self preservation,
and to maintain O respectable independence. For
let US say, that this is an era of great States, aud con-
slider, also, that a State like Hawaii, with a mere bril-
gade of people, with a machinery Of government 90
largely in excess of its needs, with an official ex-
~penditure that precludes all hope Of internal improve
ment, and that is not at times sufficient for the pres
e%rvation of its own peace, can hardly be much longer
recognized among the family Of nations.
Therefore, there must be a radical change in the
policy Of this country, the PRONUNCIATION of en-
lightened measures for national resuscitation, TO be
followed up by q persistent course of action, which
shall include q determined retrenchment of expendi-
ture throughout all the departments of government,
beginning with the Crown even, whatever may be
the individual loss or disappointment until q large
surplus of revenue is secured for internal improve
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