The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-01-27
I fno q ~ as fA*hf fes'
The Convention Continued.

and in great effort 20 arrive At this frsi result. which
was due In = great degree 10 the energetic attitude o.
the King and the i1dsf.iigshls perseverance, Of
the Attorney general. Mr.. Harris. An the burden
Of discussion fell upon him and upon me ne fonnd
no assistance 10 our colleagues from the start. what
ever right We had to expect ii from them. Designs
ted by the King to speak 10 bis name and called
consequently 10 direct the debates. this temporary
role isolated as tive. IN some degree. from MsssrA
wyilis and Hopkins the hrst bad become very IN
popular since bis campaign with the King. and vas
excessively irritAted BY the attacks % the opposition
press be spoke oftsa bot with violence. end Ia aas
always with terror that We saw him take the noor.
His age add his rank permitted No only most respect-
fal remonstranees. to which he gave little heed. He
was = dangerous uneOmpromising ally. Me-. Hop
kins hardly concealed his chagrin a, no, having
been chosen by the King 10 do these duties. He GA.
WED Us very much this perilOus favor. for which To-
deed his habitual incidence would have badly fitted
him. He was an orator when be pleased, popular
among the natives, whOse Language he spoke sdmira-
bly,. aud whose manners and mode Of life he had
adopted. but be was held in moderate esteem 40 o
public man by the white populaiiOs. ne assisted
with Indifference. at the sessions Of the convention.
and affected 20 hold himself sioof or 10 shssnt hm-
self at decisive moments. We told him very frankly
our opinion. but that was all the Satisfaction We got
from him.
Disseminated with himself aud with ne. be wished
TO reserve himself Tor better times. and speonls,sJ, AZ
I believe. upon our fall. which he believed i~nsvita-
bic. The truth commenced however 10 make itself
felt among the public they understood better the
end to which our efforts were directed. and rendered
justice to our good intentions our arguments, i'm.
pressed with our own strong conviction, had rallied
round ma n CooH nuunhar Of alharanta from au.n..
the masses Of the people. which had az hrst been .
little hostile. To put an end 90 all misunderstapd-
ing. we caused TO be printed and placed upon The
table Of the Assembly, a oomplese text Of the Con-
stitution as We had revised IL In the council, indicat-
ing the notifications which We deemed Indispensable.
as well as those which we deemed advisable but In
regard to which we were willing 10 make all ncces-
sary concession. after they had been examined aud
discussed. The American press, stili under the In
Huence Of its late defeat. made some criticisms re-
garding the details and was silent upon all impor-
tant points
so THE cosvKsrfox CONTINUES usrL rr sixth
or August.
The discussion was very lively upon the 6lst Ari.
Gle. but we succeeded In carrying our view, and n
was decided that a Representative Of the people. In
the Legislature. must possess . property Of ~ least
Eve hundred dollars value, or show q net yearly
revenue Of at least one hundred and any doiisrs.
Less could hardly have been enacted.
We had but two majority among the Delegates, and
1t was evident 10 ne that The 62ad Artas. which
20 require q sman property. Qualification
for q voter would meet with a desperate resistnnos.
Our influence was obliged to be ussd 10 the utmost
every day. Mr.. Harris and myself always In the
breach. were obliged 20 multiply ourselves In order
10 make head In the debates which we're necessarily
arisiDg We fsli ourselves isolated our colleagues
little or no s,.is',1cs; 10 'nsssiDios the fatigue:
Il-heslth. withdrew to one Of bis estates, ssd there
waited the course Of events. Every day, q special
messenger carried him the result OF the session , be
wrote 70 congratulate Ne. bat his voice. his vote.
md his frHuanea Msra waoftn0 N az Tha A.
before the discussion OF the end Article, We iusis-
that be should return, which he did with q bad
The discussion opened on the eighth OF August,
md we allowed the Opposition 90 commence the
attack; on our side we asked that the voter should
how that be was Hawaiian born. or had been
two years. knew how TO read and write,
lnd was possessed OF property TO the amount Of
800. or bad earned during the year preceding the
Election $50. One Of the Delegates moved 10 sub
titute the 18th Article Of the Constitution OF 1862,
limited by anything except want Of natorailssron.
he discussion lasted i've days The speech Of Mr..
Aauahi and the arguments suooessively presented
the Attorney General and myself. bad shaken
he majority against us, but had not succeeded In
ssuring IL TO va. Each night destroyed The little
eadway that we had made durAg the day. and We
ound ourselves every morning. at the same point
Ie we're the day before. The Chiefs Of The oppo-
ition felt themselves this time, on more solid
round. They commended, M they said, for the
maintenance Of the rights Of the people and the
Constitution granted by Kamehatneba l1 The
iinisiry wished 70 take away from the poor glasses
be right Of Suffrage. 10 deprive them Of Political
and 20 constitute an oligsrchy " ~slecfors from .
,hish al those who posses notAieg would ks foroibly
The King, DESTROYS Of putting an end 10 the
ebate. himself addressed The Assembly 10 an able
nd firm speech, throughout which was apparent a
ecided will TO attain bis end. lie rsfated the prin-
pal argomenls Of the opposition. and sIluding 10
treats Of insuFrecton. which bad besn uttered he
nd |" that be would not humble himself 70 examine
ITO the grounds Of them and held them Of no
The question. says he. 10 not Of insur-
sction. Are the rights Of the people threntensdf
Q. The electoral franchise is q privilege at arst.
duty afurward, bat never an absolute tight In
constitntionh government. the people ought 70 be
but what psoplei The vicious. the igno-
INT and the improvident. or the intelligent classesf
hese last are the people who should exercise the
ght OF control. For myself I will say, .hat
suffrage cannot coexist with the Mon
rcby; do not believe in the stability Of Mon
on q Republican basis, NOR the stability Of
on q Monarohisal basis. Il 10 nscsssary.
choose between the two and upon this point the
loiee OF the nation 10 already made By an lmmssss :
alGr,'y. ana 90 wei made. tina, tho most ardent
y time. 70 show forth before the people, the abso-
tie consequences Of their principle." The King
bis remarks BY saying. that n the majority
the Delegates should refuse 20 adopt the ertiois
nder discussion. he should adjourn the Assembly
r tWenty-four hours for the purpose Of considering
I'd committing upon what measures he should
iopt. what would be these measuresf asked the
For my own part I knew what to
.pect, for in my frequent conversation with the
l had not failed TO take into Consideration the
which had now presented itself, and 10
inverse with him upon this possibility. I knew
rfectly well, that he was resolved 20 10 10 extreml-
II II were necessary. 10 dissolve the conventios.
declare the Constitution Of 1862 A~brogaied and
proclaim a new Consultation. I was Of the same
inion, though I always insisted upon the necessity
having patience until the end and, Of trying
cry means Of discussion. by which We ,sould A.
edit our adversaries by giving them the character
a factious opposition. which they sndesvored 20
ssemble under the appearance OF an ardent seal
popular rights. The King had admitted the
-ength Of my reasons and for several days had
messed the discussion In silence which be had
W broken. 1 UNDERWOOD immediaislK that be no