The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-07-05

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necessary expenditures were struck CT there
would be no need for the Executive to run
around borrowing. The Members Of the
| Legislature must remember that it is I'M
possible to get money on loan, whether a
private individual or a country, unless
something is pledged or pawned. What
is this country proposing TO pawn2 One
other thing It would also be well to remem-
Der, and that is, the saying of the British
statesman, that diplomacy always follows
loan.
So the Assembly has voted the $4,000
for an armed force the money to be
expended as may be deemed advisable .
not by the King, by and with the advice
of his Privy Council as provided by the
Constitution, but by new, if not ncon-
stitutional scheme viz, the King and
Cabinet That such an appropriation
would secure the votes Of a majority of
the representatives might have been ex-
pected. hnt that any proposal SO utterly
evil should have met with support from
some honorable mobiles who ought to be
aware Of the folly they are helping on is
a circumstance OF note-an occurrence Of
evil omen. For the future, what folly or
eIldvagance may not be justified BY this
most unwise precedent
Ii may be said without fear Of contra
diction that so preposterous an appropria-
ton has never before disfgured the
annals Of any constitutional government:
only think what it is that has been done
Imagine the Congress and Senate OF the
United States, granting to the President
and his Cabinet some " tifty-five millions
expended. but not accounted for. for at
least two years And then what auditor
could certify, OF what vouchers justify to
taxpayers, so large an expenditure, spread
over SO lengthy period for the accom-
plishment of objects so ill-defined
The promoters of this item do not them
selves seem to know its object The Min
lister Of Foreign Affairs looks back on the
disturbance Of 1874, the Hon. President
looks forward to possible riots by his bug
bear the Chinaman. The Attorney Gen
eral refers to the large importation and
universal distribution of firearms, but
instead Of attempting to regulate or
restrict this danger, joins in the vote to
import more arms, and arm more men.
Is this vote then to be looked upon as
an unprecedented instance Of the most
touching confidence on the part Of the
Legislature piece of foolish indifference.
or a criminal waste OF money, and sur
render of legitimate inde egendence
The worst use that can be made Of pub
lie money, is the creation Of unnecessary |
armed force, and the worst form that un- !
armed force can take. is when |
the means arc provided, but the details of |
armament, etc, are left I'M |
cared about what will be the number, |
what the weapons Of this armed force |
where is II 10 be stationed and who are TO |
be the commanders All these vital ques-
tions have been ignored and the scheme
remains compact Of every evil. and unpro-
yided with any safeguard against abuse.
Speaking Of ominous signs in the ad-
OF State and dreading the
of militarism Burke wrote, If
ever the time comes when the House shall
be found prompt TO execute and slow TO
to grant supplies and slow
10 examine the account, ready to enter
ain notions Of the military power. as
with the Constitution" then
,vil is to be apprehended, and this bill
Exactly fulflls the conditions which Burke
oresaw as incompatible with free consti-
utional government.
-
In 1873 there was an armed force here,
he armed force knocked down its drill
took possession of the field
jieces, barricaded themselves in the bar
acks and for three days laughed at all
'fforts TO dislodge them. as also did the
'ystanders, and was only dispersed by
he personal influence Of the King
In 1874 a riot took place in Honolulu
esulting from the disappointment of the
lativcs in the election Of new family TO
he ingly Office The earned force -
vas simply not to be found, the enrolled I
olunteers were not Forthcoming, even the !
,olice were more remarkably absent than !
sual had there then been nondescript !
Irregular armed force such as is now !
oted for, the probability is that tn Y
fould have turned up in twos and threcs
nd joined the rioters
In this case the aid of foreign men-of {
'ar was called in, and the Premier trium- :
hantly quotes this occurrence as sufficient /
o prove the inefficiency of the provisions d
{ the Constitution. The fact is that the e
-ouldbe, or should be, regulars were :
aralysed by the recent mutiny i
ther possible force was either too in
ifferent 10 act or IN sympathy with the Z
oters and not to be depended on /
a%a
This incident has been quoted as an III
.ance of foreign intervention, which would t,
ave been unnecessary had there been a C
efficient force available, at the command a
the Government, to put down disorder /,
his may be so in way, but the foreign
on that occasion was not OF il
lie kind which lovers Of Hawaiian inde- .
endence have to dread The Captains OF Il
le men-of-war expressly disclaimed any S,
lea Of poidical interference as differing p
ON police. they simply restored order. =
aintained it for few days and then Ii
ithdrew their men. giving the Govern d
ent to understand that, competent or in II
,mpetent. they must manage their own Y
fairs f
Far other was the foreign Interference II
September 1880, then foreign interfer- q
zee was necessitated not by the rioting of p
temporarily excited mob, but by the
'oss maladministration Of responsible1
AulbIA Iuls htao IEdl- etIlDus- earliest /
plomatic Intervention. OF the Ministers T.
hose misdeeds brought on the remons- Be
ances from the Representatives of the Ia
reat Powers which had been wantonly r
suited. the present Minister of the In er
rior was one. The present Premier as Il
e editor Of the p c. L was subsidized ca
0 support the Government in its policy Se
the same time That storm blew over in
r the time, but left its record in the fo
chiyes Of the Foreign Departments in y
ashington, London and Paris This is n
e kind OF storm which may be raised as
ain by the same men especially if they n \
backed by the subservient votes Of a
ch House Of Representative as the 90
esent, and more particularly if they are by
to hope that they can enforce their n,
hey by an il-defned unascertainable IN
rmed force such as we are threatened tn
th at present During the troubles N N
ought about by the then September II
S0l Ministry, LOO were Withdrawn ab
nm the Treasury against possible riot e. e.
!. when we know what became Of those y. ~
200 we may be able to form some idea Sex