The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-06-22
CFrom an Occasional Correspondent
Letter from Hampton.
HAMPTON, Va, May Both, 1873.

g ~ fNH - 49,
Attorney General left Washington to attend the
annual commencement of the - Hampton Normal
and Agricultural School" Mr.. Shurz, the secre-
tary Of the Interior, was about to start with the
party, but was detained by some important business.
l met the party in Washington, and assured them,
that in case of any political disturbances during
their absence, they were sure Of protection and refuge
in the Hawaiian Islands, a spot always open to the
oppressed Of all nations. The trip from Baltimore
down the Chesapeake Bay was tranquil. They were
quiet, orderly, and worked of the exhuberance Of
their spirits in contemplating the water Of the
placid bay. In q word they behaved like respecta-
bic passengers on the old RiiGuea. AS the boat, in
the early morning, neared Old Point Comfort, the
guns of Fortress Munroe covered the coast line with
the smoke Of a salute. The President landed, and
was received by the artillery men, armed as infan-
try. At nine O'Clock, General Armstrong. the
principal Of the school, called on him, and the
President said, ~ am in your hands for the day"
On reaching the school grounds, the party first
inspected the great barn (the finest in Nirginia).
After that the different recitation rooms were visited,
and the examinations were watched with deep in
terest. The party took more than usual notice.
They took hold Of the matter. They had UNDER
taken this visit, at considerable personal inconyeni-
ence, and with the object Of knowing something
about negro education, as well as Indian education.
The Cabinet had been discussing the question Of
dlsposing Of the Mes P6rceg Indians, now prisoners
OF war on the frontier. Ii had been suggested that
nifty Of them be sent 10 this school, as an experiment.
50 the party took a deep interest in the recitations
OF the Indians. At noon, lunch was served TO three
hundred people on the verandah Of General Arm
strong's house. The President and bis Secretaries
sat under an awning made Of the American and
Hawaiian flags. The President noticed il. lie was
told that on these grounds, the mission Of the Ha-
waiian people TO America was being carried out.
Two ladies, Hawaiians by adoption, Mrs. Yoemans,
and a recent visitor 10 the Islands Joined the lunch
party. An animated discussion took place, as TO the
right method Of education. In his speech TO the
students, the President alluded 10 81 some ideas he
got at the lunch table, lie spoke freely and most
kindly Of the American Minister 70 the Islands.
After lunch, came the exercises. IL was the old
story, TO us who have been here long. First, inter-
est in the speeches and recitations then, close Mt
tention, and finally, under the all persuasive elo-
quence OF the old plantation songs, great enthus-
iasm. The President had already made one speech,
from the steps Of the house. He declined 20 make
another. The Attorney General made n short, strong
speech. When he took his seat the President rose,
and spoke with much feeling 10 the graduating class.
He closed by saying that This Institution is soly-
ing that momentous question Of the race problem
better than ! expected it could be solved" AZ six
O'Clock the President and party left for the Balti-
more boat, and the school scored another successful
commencement.
Two days afterwards, while some Of the visitors
yet fingered, a iuau took place. 1t was on a spot
named Waiala. bounded on one side by the pretty
waters Of the Hampton Greek, and on the other by
the broad Chesapeake Bay. On the verandah Of a
little cottage, as near the sea as the summer resi-
dences at waikiki, was spread n iudu. Hawaiian
flags dropped over the pillars, wreaths Of vines and
flowers trailed over the doors. From tho roof swung
calabashes, and TO the posts were fastened native
ferns, while in a niche, stolidly presiding over the
feast, was a Hawaiian idol. On the floor was a
mating Of leaves. The centre-piece Of the feast
was a taro plant in full bloom. Several calabashes
full of poi, real poi, were placed at intervals. At
one end was n dish Of "squid;'' not an imitation
squid, but the real article. as good and fresh as
when put into an air-tight can at Honolulu. At
the other end was pig. Ii was no common pig, no
member Of a degenerate race, but one Of the pure
Essex breed, fat and juicy. | venture 90 say, that
never at the Hawaiian Islands was such a noble pig
eaten. Put aside your cOnceits, oh IIawaiians,
and come to as for roast pig And then there were
from Waikiki, and grated kukui nuts.
and fish baked in leaves. Each visitor was received
an aloha and a " wall " which could be heard
for half a mile, and each visitor was arrayed in Ieis,
and leis which had already served under the shad-
Of Punchbowl, served again, though faded and
old. AS the group, numbering sixteen, sat down ON
the hOor around the dishes, from the lips Of a must
concealed behind a screen (and a musician who
had never seen the Islands), came freshly and
sweetly the Hawaiian national hymn, with a pronun-
singularly correct. ! think there were some
moist eyes as that music filled the still air and
went out over the water. 5. C.. A. made a speech in
on the importance Of squid and poi, while
at the other end Of the spread, on a native mat, Law
General Marshall, wrapped up in "A kappa, tanning
himself after the native fashion. The poi and squid
and the fish baked in leaves were eaten. The COCOA
nuts were broken and tasted. The wheels OF time
were reversed. The twice-told tales Of Island life
were repeated. When the twilight deepened. ana
the outlines Of Fortress Monroe grew dim, and the
near waters where the .Merrfmac and the .Moaifoy
grew dark, the grim old idol. 30 long stolid
and silent, nodded twice, and spoke out Of the grow
darkness these words, Mattai; ga pau. Then
the iuau ended, and the guests descended 10 the
lower plane Of American civilization.
Tho panpVg apprunaoI aIav 49, 80
Woman's Hotel, - in New York, is TO be closed.
Judge Hilton (the papers say has announced that
it has a capacity for a thousand bOarders, ia
has now only fifty. He also says that " the young
women, for whom the place was intended, will not
go to it, because they will not sacrifice their male
company they will prefer poor boarding houses,
and put up with bad bedrooms, and skrimp furni-
ture, and have their gentlemen, rather than take
the luxuries Of Stewart without them" Now men
we're not excluded from this place, but were admit
ted with certain limitations, in order 20 avoid scan
dal. Mrs. Stewart preferred to have no rules. That
was impossible. There were most excellent reasons
for some regulations. Ii is a rule Of all the first
hotels in New York City, that no lady can OBJ
accommodation if he enters alone. Experiences
teaches them that unless they enforce il, the obArae-
ter Of the hotel quickly lowers. The explanation il
A simple one, but cannot be given here. Mrs. Stew
art had TO meet the difficulty, and She did 70 by max
ing it a rule that gentlemen should be received ia
he parlors only, and Of which there are plenty.
There is a curious history TO this matter, but known
10 q few only. After Stewart had expended some
two millions on the building, be met, casually, a
Mr.. johnson, who had always taken a deep interest
IN improving the condition Of sewing girls. Stewart
old him what be intended 10 do. johnson replied.
. You can't make ii go. IL will be n failure. Sew
Of us tried il, by taking a house down town and
lifting it up for girls. IL was a purely charitable
The moment we made . regulations as 10
he reception Of male visitors, the girls left and went
TO wretched quarters. You can't make IL Ro.b
from that time till Stewart died. nothing was done.
The loss Of interest must have amounted TO a million.
lie seemed TO have lost faith in the project. Eyery-
BODY wondered why the building stood idle. Only
few knew the truth. After Stewards death, Judge
Hilton completed the building I met him one wear
this week, and asked him what he intended 10
10. He said, We shall finish the place and Gil Il
young women. Ii is nonsense 10 suppose that
me thousand young women can't be found in this
TO FIJI it,. They will be glad Of the chance. I
IAN fill it from my store alone. The young women
ire not all fools" And now the great experiment
8 tried, and il is a failure. Though it is n fairy
palace and gives to young women for six dollars a
week, surroundings that the nobility Of Europe can
hardly command, it stands empty, while the dirty
boarding houses Of East Broadway are
tiled. Here is a fascinating study in human nature.
Those who wish "a do we'll nv The race mnat raoon-