Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1880-09-25
SATURDAY PRESS.
The Hawaiian Crisis.
SEPTEMBER rs, 1880.

There is no disposition on the part of the
conservative citizens of the Hawaiian King
dom or on the part of foreign property own
ing residents to exaggerate the Importance
of the ministerial crisis which has lately
occurred in that Island. The events from
the l4th TO the 10Th Of August, or indeed
we may include the last four days during
which the Legislature was in session, max
ing eight days in ALL are the most eventful
week that the little Kingdom has passed
through since Kamehameha First CONSOLE
dated the several chieftainships and made
Kingdom out of tribal government.
Not only have we no disposition TO exag-
gerate the dangers the country has passed
through but we have no desire to impugn
any motives to his Majesty King Kalakaua
than what are good and loyal TO the people
of whom he is the constitutional King. 1t
would be useless to conceal that the great
excitement which prevailed in Honolulu
from the l4th to the 9th of August to a
lesser extent spread to this city when the
story was told by Honolulu newspapers and
private correspondents. The action of his
Majesty in suddenly discharging his cab
met, which had just received by an over
whelming majority vote of confidence
from the legislature, and his immediate ap.
pointment, apparently without consultation
with any Of the intelligent and conserva-
tive citizens, native and foreign born of
whom there are so many in the Islands,
of a ministry repugnant to the best of his
subjects and to decent people of all shades
of politics and all nationalities, might well
excite alarm. The following is an outline
of what occurred in the four days: On
Saturday, August 14th, The Legislature, to
the relief of majority of the most enlight-
ened and substantial residents of the Island,
was prorOgued. This cheerful condition of
affairs was quickly broken up by the pro.
mitigation of news that the King had sent
letters to all the members of his cabinet
dismissing them from the ministry. The
public was naturally enough on the gm
viye to know who were their successors.
The names were shortly announced, and
we can well understand that, in the opin.
ion of the Hawaiians the King, Ms an hon.
est gentleman, conld hardly have made n
worse selection for portion of his cabinet
if he had desired to do the worst instead of
the best for his people. The appointments
were Celso Caesar Moreno for Minister of
Foreign Affairs; General J. S. Walker,
Minister Of Finance; John Bush, Minister
Of the Interior, and Judge Davidson, At
torney General. Messrs. Walker and David
son at once declined to take Office with
Moreno. 1t should be here explained that
Moreno is well known in San Francisco as
a man without character, as lobbyist and
an adventurer, who having exhausted his
opportunities in California left the United
States and has resided for some time in
China, and for the past few months in
Honolulu. On receiving the refusals of
Messrs. Walker and Davidson, who are
well known aud reputable citizens of Ha-
wai, the King, unfortunately for all parties,
instead of reconsidering his one most OBJ
jectionable nomination, appointed w. G..
Jones, Police Magistrate, and the Rev. NJ.
Kaaea, a native preacher, in the places re-
fused by these gentlemen. When the news
of the Kings persistence in his choice of
the intriguer Moreno for Minister of For
eign Affairs, was bruited about, the PEG.
pie of Honolulu expressed their Indignation
very freely. Protests were sent to their
several national representatives by foreign
merchants, planters and capitalists, setting
forth the evil effects which they feared from
his Majesty's ill considered conduct. In
these protests the appointment of a disre-
putable advent1rer like Moreno to one of
the most important positions of the cabinet
was characterized as dangerous to the well
fare and prosperity not only of the country
but also of all foreign capital invested in
the Islands. On receipt of these protests
the several foreign representatives hoisted
their flags and notified his Majesty that
they would not recognize his cabinet or
hold any relations but those on the most
urgent business, with his new minister, I'M
til further instructed by their governments
Following quickly on this remonstrance of
tho representatives of friendly foreign pow
ers, came mass meetings of the people. In
some of these meetings resolutions couched
in strong language and censuring the King
were passed by reclamation and i'm
mediAtely forwarded to his Majesty. An
attempt was made by old friends of his
Majesty and by delegations and commit
tees to obtain personal interviews in which
matters might be explained, and course
of royal action agreed upon that would be
mutually satisfactory. His Majesty, on
some inexplicable grounds, possibly con.
ceiving himself misjudged aud the victim
of popular clamor, refused to see any one.
This state of affairs, with its growing bit
terness of feeling on the part of the popu-
lace, continued until the afternoon Of the
18th, when meeting was called of all for
eign residents, for the purpose Of taking
some more decided steps in the matter.
While that meeting was in session, and
after some resolutions strongly condemns
tory Of the Kings action had been passed,
word was brought from the palace that
Morenos resignation had been demanded,
received aud accepted. The obnoxious Min
lister. after four short days of office, was
out. The meeting good-humoredy amend
cd the resolution already passed, soften.
ing their tone, and nominated a committee
consisting of @. R. Bishop, G. Pfuger, A.
j. Cartwright, H. May and W. G. Irwin,
to wait on his Majesty, and convey to him
the grati6cation of the meeting at learning
of the iudicious action he had taken. These
gentlemen went to the palace, but ,cere dc.
nied m audieace By ms Majesty, though
his royal thanks were conveyed to the com.
mittee for calling.
The removal Of Moreno. one of and the
most Questionable member of the Cabinet
allayed the public excitement somewhat
INIT still there was feeling of underground