The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-09-16
WEDNESDAY September 10th
AN INSULT TO THE KING.

We print in another place a very
extraordinary document, which was
published "by request yesterday,
prefaced by the statement that it
twas received in Honolulu by the
last steamer and handed to His
Majesty during the 9Th OF Septembe r,
1885," We give it the circulation of
our columns in order that the entire
community may have an opportu-
nifty of reading it, and realizing for
themselves the indignity attempted
to be put upon the King by certain
residents of San Francisco, in the in
terest of Mr.. w. H. Severance, late
Hawaiian Consul at that city. It
purports to be a memorial to His
Majesty setting forth the merits of
Mr.. Severance, but it really presumes
to censure the King for his summary
Dismissal of that gentleman, and
expresses "extreme surprise and re-
gret'' that this was done without
communicating to the memorialists
"the reason for it," Then follows an
impertinent reference to Consul Gen
eral Mckinley, and a threat, very
adroitly expressed, that unless Mr..
Severance be reinstated the Reel
procity Treaty would probably be de
feated, as it would lack the sympathy
and aid of the Pacific Coast.
If anything were wanting to justify
the Government in removing Mr..
Severance from an office in which
sound judgment and discretion are
prerequisites of efficiency, it is to be
found in this document, which we
presume was drafted at his own re-
quest, and which was certainly
hawked around California, Battery
and Front streets for signatures by
himself and his private friends to
whose personal solicitation the large
array of names is due. The history
of this precious document through its
various transformations is a dubious
one; and it's unauthorized publication,
in the absence of the King, assuming
that he received it, is a breach of
official propriety which makes a fit
ting finish to its previous stages.
There should only be one opinion
regarding the improperly of this
method of approaching the cOnstitu-
tionaI ruler of this Kingdom; but
when an attempt is made by the
citizens of a foreign country to control
the appointing power of the Govern
ment, and to review and censure its
IN. oVsfi
opinion cannot be divided on the sub
ject. A more impertinent attempt at
foreign dictatiOn and interference in
Hawaiian affairs has never taken
place. The "memoriaP' is an insult
to the King. It's unauthorized pub
LEGATION for political effect within the
Kingdom, identifies the small coterie
who procured such publication with
it, and renders the insult deliberate
act on their part, although they skulk
behind an array of San Francisco
names, which would carry weight if
they included the three leading firms
in the Hawaiian trade - John d.
Spreckels & Brothers, Williams,
Dimond & Co., and the Oceanic
Steamship Company. The absence
of these firm names is a significant
fact, which those who have Mr.. Sew
erance's case in hand would do well
to take note of.
For the rest, we deny that any
special credit attaches to Mr.. Sever
ance for forming opinion on the
Pacific Coast in faver of the treaty.
We say this of knowledge. He readily
furnished official statistics published
in this city, when asked, and also if |
requested by those voluntarily en-
gagged in advocating the treaty he
would go through his records and
furnish data, but as to originating
to form opinion on the
Coast or IN the States he was entirely
Innocent of It. Nine-tehths of the
articles written and printed on the
subject were produced wholly indie
pendent of him, although doubtless
.bev were duly transmitted to the
through the Consulate /