The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-04-28
Communicated
The Decadence of the Native Race.

EDITOR GAZETTE Your article of the 14th inst
upon the evils of sexual license among Hawaiians
appeared to me sound and just, and the Adrerti-
ses very broad denial of the general facts alleged
seems truly surprising Whatever the facts are,
they are familiar enough to old residents among
the people, and should have no more expected
to hear the very briefly stated assumptions of your
article denied, except for bunkum, than l should
expect to hear it denied that ships visiting these
ports in the old times were accustomed as a rule
to have their decks swarming with the females OF
the towns, with the openly accompanying orgies
1t is little over fifty years since this was wholly
heather people, with the wretched sensuality of
heathenism at full riot in high and low Two gen.
erations of christianizng and civilizing influences
have worked immense changes, but race character
and ancient habit alter slowly, and much of the
faint of heathenism continues to deform the social
life of the people.
The Adrertiser seems to put an extreme con-
struction upon the expression general sexual
license" General" means neither "absolute,' -
nor Unlimited nor "that Hawaii is modern
Sodom, where female virtue is almost unknown ''
l. for one gladly subscribe to the statement that
the pure native race can show goodly proportion
Va NuoItlH IeIQale virtue and
chastity are priced and honored, and are some
thing more than mere name.n This class of
families however, which are the hope of their race
are still in rather small minority. Even in them
it Is not safe to say how many have preserved an
unsullied virtue in youth, however pure their pres
ent life may be nor do they escape the physical
penalties of early errors.
As to the actual facts / challenge the unbiased
testimony OF the best Witnesses whose occupations
have rendered them intimately acquainted with
the social and domestic life of the people such as
old planters, magistrates and missionaries from
whom as well as his own long observation the
writer's knowledge is derived. In confirmation
suggest the every day facts that woman living in
open concubinage does not in the least lose caste
thereby, but is socially the equal and intimate OF
decent married women. Again, that the exchange
of wives is openly practieed among the common
people without loss of social position, except OF
church standing. Again, that women whose youtI
has been notoriously irregular, do commonly
marry and hold a high position in native society
without material detriment from their early his
tory. Of the prevailing vice among the majority
of youth and even children of both sexes the
teachers of our schools have the saddest TESTIMONY
to offer. 1t is at that early period, that occurs
that prostration of procreating and reproductive
force which is leading cause of the decline OF
population.
The social condition illustrated by these facts
well-known to all who are intimate with Hawaiian
life, is that which maintain to be the prepo,sdera
ting cause for the wasting of the Hawaiian race
ANY measures for checking depopulation must be
unsuccessful if not combined with vigorous re-
preston of the social distemper, and an earnest
building up of pure domestic life.
1t Is In its bearing upon this subject that the
present question of legalizing the sale of ardent
spirits to Hawaiians has Its greatest importance
1t is In Just this vital matter that drunkenness In
all races, but especially among this people, is a
debaucher and destroyer. The moderate amount
of self-control and regard for character, which a
Hawaiian possesses when sober (and 1t is often
considerably gives way when intoxicated and free
rein Is apt to be given to animal propensities II
is to be remembered that such propensities are BY
inheritance and race-character, In excessive force
They can be controlled only in sober and orderly
habit of life. How often box of gin or a tub Of
fermented potato will convert a quiet hamlet into
brothel. 1t is Just this fact which renders the
present vigorous effort to legalize the use of IL
quors among natives so portentous peril.
The instinct of chastity among this people is
still feeble In growth. Purity of family life is
still struggling to root itself in society Into this
frail and struggling growth of healthy life it is
proposed to unchain and turn loose raging fend
OF liquor to tear to pieces and scatter with frenzed
talons the little good that long effort has gained
scarcely know what yigor of denunciation mighi
not be justified against such measure. To set on
fire the animal propensities of the whole people
to shatter and craze their feeble self-control-tc
make free to them that which dethrones the rea.
son, the gOd-hke in man, and sets raging all thai
Is OF the beast-far better land smallpox at everl
port, or distribute our epers into every hamlet tC
propagate disease. We are for g H0oHln LGIHi,
not Pspshi LahRi % Yours, KAl<AAnA.