Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-11-22
WISE AVN OTHETWTsE.

social he King OF this kingdom held
birthday reception last Monday night
1t was announced in the "by authority"
column of the Court Journal that the
general public would be made welcome
at the palace between the hours of $50
and 10. P. NJ. The public did not
avail itself Of the invitation very gener.
ally On Wednesday morning the
Court Journal employed all the feeble
vigor at its command in seolding the
public for its absence. Its zeal even
went to the length Of advising the king
to exclude the public the offending
major portion Of the public---from fu-
ture receptions or festivities at the pal
ace
Now one may fairly suppose that the
Court Journal has ready access 20 the
royal ear. SO it may chance that the
king may be tempted to forgive the
impertinence and accept the advice
We trust, however, that better counsel
may prevail; and that before the king
goes to the length his ill.advisers would
have him go, he will calmly review the
situation and try and arrive at salts
factory answer to the question why
was the reception so Unattended p
The Daily Hawaiian assumes to an
swer the question in part by saying that
the people stayed away because they
were tired" The answer is no answer
at all. There was no reason why the
reception should not have been well
attended by the general public, i the
Pnbhe had teen in harmony wih Me
paIaee boLfy. The public is not in har-
mony with that policy. The public is
not hypocrte; and so does not care
to put itself in an equivocal position.
"But" says some one, show is it
that the public is perfectly willing to
attend receptions to foreign officers,
and state balls or dinners when they
have the chance ?" Because in so do.
ing they compliment the guests of the
occasion, or the nations they represent.
The Court Journal says: " 1t ought
to be a strict point of court etiquette
that whoever neglects to pay his loyal
respects to the sovereign of the country
when birthday reception is given,
should be excluded from all entertain.
ments at the palace, and from any in.
vitation to important public cere-
monials." One may be tempted to
wonder what country is responsible fol
the production of the editorial writer
quoted. One ought to be pardoned fol
thinkinghe must have been born on the
high seas-so swelling his belief A little
republican elbowlng would do our fine
gentleman good..though, perhaps, the
Russian knout would be more effective.
Why should the eleetive monarch O
this kindomette be advised to ape the
etiquette of absolute empires2
at is Just about time that in thi.
country firm foot should be put dowr
in regard to the respect due to the
kingly office" says the official journal
list Is it not about time that the
: "kingly office" should begin to respec
itseli2
Is the kingly Office in Hawaii self
| respectful ? We submit the question
to the careful consideration of the kin,
. himself.
The kingly Office is great trust |
possible,an elective trust is greater thai
an hereditary one. The voice of tn
Hawaiian people, speaking through it
legislature, called David Kalakaua TO tn
throne OF the kamehamehas. Hi
power was limited by constitution
whose provisions were ample to insur
the royal dignity and protect popula
rights. The spirit of that constitution
was land is) good and only good. 1t
letter is defective in some respects ant
intolerant in others. 1t was the king
sworn drty to uphold that constitution
Has he done so to the satisfaction c
his conscience ? Ii yes, then his con
science is at counter purpose with tn
wishes, and with the best judgment, O
S the foreign residents here.
f Now King Kalakaua ought not t
4 persuade himself, or try to persuade tn
r nation, that he can fall back upon tn
y clause of the constitution which assert
e that the kings ministers are alone re
!. sponsible for the conduct OF govern
:, ment II the kings ministers violat
;. the constitution, and the king contir
d ues them in Office, then the king assume
i the responsibility, makes it his owr
y and consents to govern unconstitu,ior
!. ally. Can anything be palmer tha
y that And if the general policy {
O the government is opposed to the be.
: interests Of the nation, does not tn
IS ruler who keeps in power the me