The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-11-05
ALIBEL CASE

Hon. Walter NJ. Gibson was arrested by
warrant on Wednesday the "a inst, on the
complaint Of VIM. y. Armstrong, Esq.
The charge was "libel in the first degree, in
making Il publishing a statement in the
PACIFIC COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER otSept.
10th, ISL, charging w. y. Armstrong with
having committed the crime of treason.'
The article set forth in the warrant, on
which this charge of libel i founded, reads
as follows:
1T may be confidently said, that the chief
hope OF the country, in respect 10 the pOlit-
zeal advantages 10 be derived from the
Kings tour TO foreign states, was that inn
migration To this Kingdom would be large
~ promoted; and this hope was all the
greater IN some minds, because = gentle
man, w; y. Armstrong, Esq, whom they
esteemed a man OF ability, was to accom-
pany His Majesty, As a Royal Hawaiian
Commissioner OF Immigration"
There are now presented in this issue, to
he readers of the ADVERTISER. two ofIi-
cial letters Of the Royal Commissioner,
which are the first and the only Teport or
evidence of his official action, while abroad
with the king;-and hat do they say?
"tIeId Iaborers for the sugar plantations
are alone eeded.'
"AYery slight opportunity in the Hawaii
an Islands for the settlement of artisans,
or traders"
Before people come 10 the Hawaiian
Islands they must give up all idea of COM
forts after arrival
Is this the language OF q Commissioner
of immigration, of an officer seeking to pro-
mote the repOputation of his state by every
reasonable means2 Or Is ii not rather the
expression OF 4 man, who has no heart in
the Independent prosperity of the country
he represents, and who wishes TO establish
the necessity OF the surrender of its autOno-
my? Why, thiSC Commissioner of Immigra-
ton declares formally and publicly that
he Is opposed TO any emigration from
Europe al least, to the Hawaiian Islands.
"And what can be the value of the Kings
courteous reception, by sOVereigns and
princes, in respect TO the promotion of I'M
migration, when His Royal Commissioner
of Emigration is officially denouncing en-
igratiOn to Hawaii.
This is treason tofhe state. by Il so-caIled
Minister of State If not active treason,
that would warrant impeachment and pun
iShment; ii Is constructive treason, that
bellies the real needs of a country, that mis-
represents her character and opportunities;
that dlScourageS a spirit of adventure and
enterprise that would benefit Hawaii; and
that exhibits in its words of discussion and
encouragement, to eager enquirers about
the islands, an alien spirit, that under cover
of Hawaiian official character, seeks to pro-
mote the alienation of Hawaiian indepen-
dence.'
The letters referred to in this article are
reprinted below. one was addressed IN
English by Mr.. Armstrong to the Editor of
the Bey{iHer Zeituag. We give the Ger
man translation of the letter, with the
editors comments on it, and Il retranslation
of the whole from the German into English.
1t will be noted that the Editor of the
BerIinCF ZeituHg speaks of his translation
from. Mr.. Armstrong; manuscript as being
q word for word" CwOrtgetreuer). Curl
osIty as to the wording of the original
letter has been aroused by what Mr.. Arm
strong has written to the Gazette, and the
public are looking to him for a copy of it.
As it purports to have been written 'under
instructions from His Majesty King Kala-
KAUAI" it must have been an official letter
on the part ofthe "Staats-Minister,' and no
doubt a copy has been carefully preserved.
Mr.. Gibson was required to give bail in
81, 1000, and Hon. Godfrey Rhodes became
bOndsman. The case was brought up be-
fore the Police Justice yesterday morning,
when Mr.. w. 0. Smith, d, puty-Attorney
General, appeared for the Crown, II Mr..
Armstrong was present himself. Mr.. Rus
sell appeared for Mr.. Gibson, and asked for
and obtained a continuance to Tuesday
next, in consequence of a press of other
professional business having prevented him
from giving attention to the case.
Following are the letters which were
commented on in the article above quoted {:
DIE AUswANDEEUNGsFRAGE MACH DEN SAND
WICHS-ISSELNs