Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
RESPONSIBILITr.
We, too, are friends we love
The king who loves the law, respects his bounds,


The king who loves the law, respects his bounds,
And reins content within them Cosvpe,.
1t is gratifying to know that while there is
an individual here or there who is so obtuse
as to become apparently Mortified at any but
a trucking and sycophantic mention of the
kings name, the population of these islands,
almost to a man, are fast beginning to realize
the necessity Of handling that, or any other
name, as it ought TO be handled; not as di-
munitive and contemplate ring Of sycophants
would wish to see it, When the royal person
age has so far forgotten the aim and object OF
a kingy Office as to take advantage of the let
ter of the law in regard to regal rresponsibility
TO further personal aims, it is time the fact
were known and published, and that is only an
abject press that would shrink from response
bili,y in the matter. We are among those
who believe that there never was an act done
for which some one was not responsible. The
son Of the king is inviolable and sacred. His
ministers are responsible" But the minister:
are not responsible unless it is the kings wish
they should be so. In reality they may com
Of the people in the most fragrant and open
manner without chance Of punishment, II the
king but wills il so. The constitution says
that ministers may be impeached, but the effec,
Of successful impeachment can not extend
beyond removal from Office and disqualifi
cation from further holding any place of honor,
profit or trust II oonsieted upon inpeaehmenf,
then the person shall be liable to Indictment,
trial, judgement and punishment, according to
the laws of the land" I, will be seen that il
it should happen to be the wish Of the king
that any delinquent cabinet officer should evadt
the just consequences Of the law, it is onli
necessary that he be dismissed from office 4
some time prior to the actual trial before thu
court Of mobiles who are supposed to sit on such
occasions In reality the king may assume on
such occasions towards the Impeachment uibu-
nal a position analogous to that Of an attorney.
general in an ordinary solls pyoSsgmi. Further.
more he may Immediately thereafter re.instate
the same party and indefinitely repeat the same
process as often and as long as it is his wish to
defend him, or to retain his services. Yet the
constitution tells US that the king is not respon-
sible, but his ministers are. In reality, then,
the people have nothing to say about the ap.
pointment or dismissal Of cabinet officers; and
il has come to this that the king, recognizing
the fact Of his own iuesponsibiliy according to
the letter OF the constitution, has determined
to defy public opinion and keep in office a set
OF men whom no one can either respec, OF
trust. Upon the same doctrine OF his own
hresponsibility he has been able, without
hnderance, TO directly violate in more instances
than one the very letter OF the constitution it,
self-where ior instance it provides that "the
king conducts his goveremenl ior the common
good. and not for the profit, honor, OF private
interest Of any one man, family. OF class Of
men," and where il says that the legislative,
executive and judicial branches Of the govern.
ment "shall always be preserved distinct. "
No, long since the government organ, in an
article which We have every reason to believe
was either VT l,cn by. OF at the dictaiion Of
the premier himself, came out in defence Of the
kings position as an "active politician" II
is this man who is guiding the councils Of the
nation to-day, and he is able to thumb his
nose at the public behind the kings assumed
responsibility, The public have been told
that their funds, under the guardianship Of this
kind u men. arc short by over SO. .ooo; and. to
a demand BY the people that its disappeamnes