The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-05-04

APPLICATION has been made, and leave has been
given. by the members of the Cabinet for Consuls
to visit the other Islands in despite Of the regula-
tons Of the Board of Health. Nay more. there is
one instance where a gentleman, having been re-
fused permission one day, appeared the next
ststing be was delegated by Coasal to visit the
Island Of Maui to look into certain matters there
connected with the Consulate, and that upon these
grounds he claimed permission to 20. and actually
he was permitted; and 10 our mind a dangerous
precedent was established.
We have studied the respective rights and priv
ileges Of Ministers Commissioners, and Consuls
as laid down by Yattel, and We cannot find any
grounds for the latter claiming to be above regu-
lations laid down by the country to which they
are accredited Yattel says: . The Consul IS no
pablie minister, and eaasof pretend 70 tie prfvegss
anBszel 70 sn1h character" We know that Major
wodehouse and Mons. Ratard have visited the
other Islands during the time our quarantine
regulations have been in force but this has quite
been within their rights, and those Of General
Comfy. because as Commissioners they enjoy an
entire independence Of the jurisdiction and au-
thority Of the State in which they reside :: but by
the quotation made above from Vattel no such
privileges can be claimed BY a Consul. We con
sider the privilege which has been conceded in the
case we cite as q far more important matter than
the case of Mr.. P. c. Jones' which the 4drerfise5-
took up on Saturday last. (By the way, why was
nc mention made Of Mr.. Pierce and his gang of
men p We have here a principle involved, and
our authorities have been weak enough either not
10 understand their own rights or else TO have
culpably neglected them. Our country is certainly
small, but II Is an independent State and as such
its rights VIII be readily recognized by all coun-
tres if II VIII only take care that in all cases these
rights are respected. and that if they are not pro
test be entered and appeal made to the law of
nations. Small as we are. 1t is doubly necessary
for rs to be punctiious IN everything that is con-
nected with our national honor; II is incumbent
on Us to exact TO the utte-mosi what Is due to Us
Among men, 1t is not always the big who are most
respected. little man, in stature, VIII frequently
command more Difference than giant Foreign
nations VIII give the same honors 70 our SOW
ereign as they do TO the sovereign OF the greatest
nation upon earth They may MT exert themselves
50 much IN the way Of private entertainments, bat
IN all official acts they viii receive him as they
would the ruler Of thirty millions Of people The
size Of a country has nothing whatever to do with
its legal stains under the Law of nations.
Nov. IN the case 70 which we have alluded, two
points are involved In the frs. place. this Gov
eminent have allowed that Consul should dele
gate his power to another; If he can do so to
one, why can be not do It to twenty. He may have
interests IN and about everT plantation IN the
Kingdom, and If the Government recognize his
right Of appointing deputy, with consular power.
why should be not delegate such power to every
sugar boiler or plantation manager with whom lie
may be connected, and thus save them from sitting
on juries? People are apt 70 say, Oh, this was
special case; sich combination Of circumstances
is not likely TO happen azain.- Truo enough I;
but where principle is involved, one ought TO be
very careful how a precedent should becNne
established The second point Of course Is the
one already touched on-that IS, that the Consul
cannot icl2im the privileges extended 10 diplo-
matte representatives. and that permitting Con-
sui. Yghf, &c disregard the quarantine laws is
again establishing precedent which may some
day be appealed to.
Before We Close We would ike to point out that
those gentlemen who are Consuls, and are at the
same time Hawaiian subjects, are Obliged IN al