The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-02-17
NNo5Iezs'~s-

S1S Noblecy aod Ges. Tbf
4 Legislature of 1878 by resolution affirmed tina
a monument, commemorative of the Discover,
of these Islands, should be erected, and appointed
a committee to lake charge of The work, and
voted a sum of money-a sum of ten thou.
sand dollars-for it's execution. The occa.
sion when this vote was passed was the
centennial of the Discovery. The committee
quickly concluded that the most appropriate
memorial of this event would be a statue OF
Kamehameha l., whose career dates from the
period of the Discovery. A statue was pro-
cured. shipped, and shipwrtcked on the way.
but with the sum recovered by way of insurance
a replica has been procured. which has safely ar
rived, and is now on its pedestal. The committee
are now ready to present this memorial Statue to
the Hawaiian people through Your Majesty.
As Chairman of the Committee, it is now nv
pleasing duty to declare the Statue ready for
presentation, and invite Your Majesty TO unveiI
it.
The Hon. j. NJ. Kapen interpreted the in
troductory remarks of His ExceIIency tbe
Premier, after which His Majesty proceeded to
unveil the Statue. simultaneously as the
Statue was exposed to the public view, a ROYAL
salute was fred from the Battery, the Band
struck up Hawaii Ponoi, and the assembIage
cheered most enthusiastically.
His ExcelIency the Premier then addressed 70
the assembled crowd a stirring speech in the
Hawaiian Language, which was received with re-
peated bursts of applause, after which he spoke
as follows in English Kamehameha was the
reputed son of Keoua, but it is well known
that his real father was Kahekili, who was in chose
days the King of West Maui and of Oahu and
Molokai, and whose name means " Thunder, -
However appropriate the name may hare been to
the father, who can gainsay the fact that here in
his son, whose effgy is here before us, we had a
veritable "Son of thunder.'' II was a saving
of Kotzebue, the Russian commander, with
many other commanders of distinction who came
in contact with him. Was greatly struck with the
character and department of the Hawaiian hero
saying which we And in Kotzebue's narrative
of his visit to these Isles, when expressing his
admiration of the King, that 'sKamehameha
ought to have a statue erected to his memory
The prophetic saying of Rotzebue is accom-
plishsd this day. This hero must eyer be the
most striking figure in the history of these
ISLANDS. He was "A hero of the TYNE which ala
Yates 1 nation. 1t was not by mere force and
conquring capacity that he became he Gre
# a nation out of the rude and
~ ~ from =
that ondition into national life. How pre- I
smineIt he stands above bis barbarous surround s
.ngs! 1t is not merely courage-animal courage 4
.whih distinguished HIM. la this he was EN-. b
nent; out ne was eminent also in his moderation l
n his elt-denial. in his pure regard for the well :,
are o. his people as a thing above all personsl :
ieslrei and claims. What a marvel was his co,. ="
Iuest and organization of these Islands He :.
in his career all those characteris,;c. y"
Vhiehlre developed by education, by the insu- :.
nee o tradition and by history. But no! 1t "
vas iFm the darkness OF bis age and surround. 9,
ngs w'hou. education, without the guide and y
pur oF'Fao.s'on and the history of great pre- p
e'eS'VS anq 'nelf works that this hero came a.
rnoplied with force, skill. and high capa- n
1a'ars ana Alexanders have done great HI
Se'S' 'u' what had they not of backing in