Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-11-12
SATU RDAY PRESS.
James o Meara's Reply to the Press" Crit.
cisms.
TOTEIfBER ~. 1881.
sAYrl RosA. October 18th. 1881.

EDITOR SATURDAY PRESS In the SATuR-
DAY Pass of September 18th, is copied an
article of mine from The Californian of
that month, and local reviewers notes
accompany your publication of the article
Ny purpose is to address what have to say
TO what may be accounted tho truth of his.
tory in connection with that article in rela.
ton to the Annexation Scheme of 1854.
1. Ny critic finds fault with the title of
the article" Schemes to Annex the Sand.
witch Islands" 1t was not the title put
TO the manuscript, nor am in any way re-
sponsiblo for it. That is matter which
every printer of gumption understands
head lines and titles of articles are mainly
the province of the editors or the foreman
of tho printing room.
9. did not undertake to give tho full
and accurate history of Annexation
schemes concerning tho Islands. Had I
done so my critic would have learned two
things-not to expose his own ignorance
while endcavoring to make mine appear
and the true facts, Of which he is grossly
ignorant.
3. The relationship of Queen Kalama in
no respect affects the subject matter, and Mt
worst is simply an immaterial error founded
on incorrect information.
4. Nor does the difference of personal
character and appearance between Prince
Alexander and Lot cut any important
figure in the case. But | will remark that
] saw them both in 1854, and had two or
three lengthy and very pleasant interviews
with them, together and separately. They
were then young mon, not corpulent ms
they afterwards grew, and in what athletes
call "fine FORM" and ] preferred Lot of tn o
brothers, both rs to appearance and char.
ncter. He had more regular features, less
of the thick lips and heavy nose which
characterized Alexander and his sister
Victoria. But all this is matter Of per-.
sonnl fancy aud not of absolute fact.
B.. did not say that DR.. Judd signed
any petition for annexation. What | did
say, and it is an incontrovertible fact, was,
that DR.. Judd was the nblest advocate of
tho treaty" especially among the chiefs.
6. The spelling Of Pakee" for "Paki,"
was adopted from Missionary writer but
it will puzzle my critic to show that tho
great chief was first named "Abner' by
his parents.
z. l re-assert, and can produce docu.
mentnry proofs to substantiate it, that
Minister Wylie did favor tho annexation to
the United States, md that he was the
most zealous in tho Cabinet or Ministry,
and in the Privy Council, in promoting the
project. Mr.. Allen, who was then Minister
of Finance, if living, knows the facts. As
to Chief Justice Lee, have to say this :
At his home, in DR.. Ford's house, in Homo.
lulu, he impaired to him the leading points
OF the arguments which | then wrote from
pI,,In N h> c., .
Transcript, in regular correspondence, in
advocacy of annexation and | personally
know that he was ono of Commissioner
Gregg's most valued and influential coun-
selors and helpers in the business. / state
tho facts from personal knowledge: my
critic essays to oppose his mere idea or sup.
position; for it is clear that he was not
then in tho Islands, and that he personally
knows nothing of the matter.
8. / refrnined from giving more than a
cnrsory account Of tho trouble with Capt.
Pnnlet and also of the difficulty with the
French Naval force, because neither was
material to my subject. But does my
bypercritical critic wish to be under.
stood as denying that it was the I" British
Government which acted in the matter !;
and that it was instead Admiral Thomas,
the servant, representative and accredited
agent of that Government? Ono must
speak by the card with SO hair.splitting q
critic.
8. re-asssrt that General Miller was
disliked by the people generally on account
OF his over bearing manners, and old re-
sidents of Honolulu, ut that time-except,
perhaps Englishmen-will bear me ont in
this. am writing Of what l personally
knew then aud there; my critic is caviling
merely to cavil.
10. Whether l Numbered in correctly
spelling tho names of the Hawaiian celebri-
ties, or tho printer and proof. reader, where
IN does it affect the facts ms stated. Printers
always understand and overlook such
errors.
IL. Against tho facts as they actually
were, my critic puts his 81 grave doubts -
very offensive yet harmless and intangible
sort of dead things" with which he ap.
pears to be vastly over.stocked.
IL. My critic asserts that that which l
stated concerning General Miller's condi.
ton of mind aud health is squire fiction. "
Very good. All need to do is to place
before you Mr. Editor, the faithful copy of
tho survey of surgeons and physicians,
made Mt the time, Of which the following is
faithful copy:
HONOLULU, October 18th, 1854.
We, the undersigned, physicians, ETC.,
having this day met in consultation to in.
quire into the state Of health Of H.B.M. Is
Consul. General, VIM. Miller, desire to
make the following report;
That the Consul. General has latoly been
suffering from reiterated alarming attacks
Of congestion Of the brain, threatening ap-
oplexy; that these attacks, as well as pre-
c~ding instances Of giddiness, pain in the
head, aud other symptoms, were invariably
brought on and aggravated by undue sx.
citament or application of the mind; and
that the last most alarming attacks Of
congestion was brought on by protracted
mental excitemen. growing out Of his Off.
cial duties.
We, therefore, from the foregoing causes,
considering that entire relief from mental
labor is condition sine qua non for the
restoration Of his health, have come to the
unanimous conclusion that the Consul.
General should bc advised to detach him.
seif teuporar,lv from, thu dnt, ~ h. IN,