The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-07-21
The Truth About the Libel Suits.

1t has been said that Government infu.
ence has been at work during the recent
trials for libel and that " the issue fully
proves the antagonism of the Government
against an Independent press, and thai
neither a native or a foreigner will afford
the slightest support to the Ministry in the
disastrous course it is pursuing" All this
talk has no foundation in fact; there cannot
be adduced the slightest evidence
that the Government in any way
prompted or took the least part, except
what was necessarily official, in the libel
suits. 1t is an unqualified f~alsehood tina
the Government has prompted any suits in
order to suppress a free or licentious press.
Now it is true that the Government, dur
ing a preceding administration, in the per-
son of an Acknowledgement Armstrong, did
attempt by a libel suit, originating in the
m%istranslatiOn of a letter, to embarrass an
Independent press called the PACIFIC COM
ADVERTISER, and to silence an
Independent editor named w. NJ. Gibson.
The trial was commenced and shortly with
drawn, and the result, although costing the
editor five hundred dollars in cash for coun-
sci, was decidedly favorable to his political
prospects because public opinion felt that
in that instance a prosecution was COM
menced by a high government official, a
member of His Majesty's Cabinet, with
out sufficient cause. The comments made
upon n certain m~istranslation were harm
less and readily explained away as soon as
they We're known. 1t was generally felt
that the Minister had acted unwisely in
commencing a prosecution threatening
penal results to a gentleman in opposition
on such slight grounds. But in the case of
the late libel suits, what Minister or other
responsible officer of the Government comes
forward in any shape to sustain any pro-
ceedings adverse to any public press. DR..
Fitch is peTsistently slandered and he COM
menced an action for personal redress en-
tirely on his own account. The same is the
case with Mr.. Richardson. These gentle
men employ counsel of their own
accord without the slightest hint,
suggestion or participation from the
Government to assist the public prosecu-
ton, and when a Honolulu paper at this
time says "theGovernment sustained a most
CALLING defeat, have tried their best, nave
engaged the most eminent talent at the bar
and that the failure has been most COM
statement, everybody, whether
for the Government or for the opposition,
knows to be. utterly false. There, is not a
particle of truth in such a statement, n
this editor says that abroad the signi-
of these trials will be understood"
we must say they will be utterly misunder-
if the only source of their informa-
ion is such a tissue of unqualified lies as
has been set forth in the opposition print.
Also when he "a 1.-THE result will show
.abroad) the temper of this country and
he patriotic action of our juries, and the
rue lovers of liberty and statesmen who
rive any thought to the progress of c~iviliza-
ion on these islands will view with salts
action the events of last week." then we
ay they will view them with no such feel
ng on receiving correct information as to
acts, and discriminating thinkers and OBJ
ervers abroad will merely appreciate that
he bumptious writer, who spoiled a toler-
bly, good Government schOolmaster in
wing to make a third-rate editor, is merely
citing off some of his usual bosh and
that has not, n never has had,
political influence or weight in this
ountry.