The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-04-23

lHE IlTtStul 1lllllSltI AOl i DlNltsh AN'Au
tions dubbed himself on every occasion,
Premier of the Kingdom, when he came
into power a couple Of years ago. The
matter was regarded merely as the silly
arrogance of vain man and for long
he was known to the Honolulu public as
the Primate, the allusion being to his for
mer position in the Mormon Church, OF
late the habit Of calling him Premier has
inspnsibly grown upon all, and in the
native papers he is constantly alluded to
as the E,jiiaa N,a. Ii Is unfortunate that
the word Premier has been translated ku
hina Nui. for the latter is a title TO which
distinct powers and very great powers are
attached in the native mind: and in usurp
ing this title the Minister of Foreign AT
fairs tries TO appear to them, not merely
as the head of the government, but as
something far different, sort of vice King,
the holder of a dignity which has only
been filed by the very highest of Hawaii's
chiefs. He. mere Mormon adventurer,
an OK buccaneer Of the Java seas TO aspire
to fill position once held by Kaahumanu.
Kinau. Kekauluohi. Keoni Ana and Vic
toria kamamalu
To properly understand this matter it Is
necessary to refer TO the old constitution
of 1910 In that constitution we read as
follows:
sEsspscfiag n, Prr,aiss ~ fhs EpgdaS':'
lit shall be the duty of the King 10 appoint some
chief Of rank and ability, to he his particular Min
isier. whose title shall BE Premier Of the Kingdom.
His office and business shall be the same as that
Of Kaahunanu l. and Kaahumanu IL"
Even in the time of Kamehameha /, life
and death. condemnation and acquittal
were in the hands of Kaahumanu. When
Kamehameha died, his will was: The
Kingdom Is Liholiho's and haahumanu Is
his Minister That important feature of
the government. originated by kameha,
meha / shall be perpetuated in the Ha-
waiian islands. but shall always be in sub
seryiency TO the law"
'sThe following are the duties Of the Premier
All business connected with the special inter.
csts of the Kingdom, which the King wishes to
transact, shall be done by the Premier under the
authority Of the King. All documents and busl
ness Of the Kingdom executed by the Premier shall
be considered as executed by the Kings authority,
All government property shall be reported 30 HIM,
Cor herr and he or she shall make It over TO the
'Ffhe Premier shall be the Kings special c1uE-
sellnr in the great business Of the Kingdom
a'The King shall not act without the knowledge
Of the Premier, nor shall the Premier net without
the knowledge of the King. and the veto of the
King on the acts of the Premier shall arrest the
business All important business u the Kingdom
which the King chooses to transact in person, he
may do u hut not without the appreciation Of the
Prpmier-7
In the Constitution Of 1852 the name
Premier is dropped and the style in the
English as well as the Hawaiian version
Is Etl,iJia Mi of the Hawailsn Islands.
and his title in English Is Highness and
.NE Eiolic in Hawaiian He is to have
charge Of the Great Seal Of the Kingdom,
of the Royal STANDARD and of the National
Flag. and in the absence of the King, to
preside in the Privy Council; to perform
all the duties incumbent on the King while
the Throne may be vacant by the death of
the King. or otherwise. and during the
minority of the heir to the Throne.
In 1864 the present constitution was
substituted for that Of 1852 and the office
Of EzliiHa Nj WAS abolished.
The present constitution says: The
Kings Cabinet shall consist of the Minis
ter Of Foreign Affairs. the Minister Of the
Interior. the Minister of Finance and the
Attorney General of the Kingdom. and
these shall be His Majesty's Special ad
visers in the executive affairs OF the King
dom"
All acts of the King are to be counter
signed by Minister.
Each Member Of the Kings Cabinet
sh. all keep an office at the seat of govern.
me,7t. and shall be accountable FOR the
con, luct Of his deputies and clerks
His (the Kings Ministers are respon
sible..
IAN titles of Honor, Orders and other
distinctions emanate from the King"
What warrant is there under the present
constitution for the suffx Premier.
What does it means Is it b be confined
to any particular Minister, OF may it he
attached 10 either! II was not Mr.. Green's
title. nor Is it anybody's title. Is it mere
designation of precedence which may be
given to either Minister for the time being
And Is the style huii9d Nh to be used as
the HsEaiian equivalent of such bastard
Premiership as now exists9 The Minister
whom the King may name TO take prece
dence in matters of ceremony, or TO make
up a Cabinet. might be called 6siliaa Ma,
but not EuliHa Ma What Is there graf
about such position7 The office created
by Kamehameha / was groR position,
and intended to be filled by great chiefs.
1t is piece of presumption for any Min
lister Of the present day to use that style.
Shall we not soon hear Me- hi9ie Gibson,
or something equally absurd. Ii he can
find men willing to take the other position
and submit to his interference and dicta-
ton. and c;n persuade the King to appoint
them. who can say how much he may ar
rogate to himself, or how much the other
offices may ba degraded VIII the title Of
Majesty satisfy, or viii he want to attach
Ma toiti