The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-06-02

. .
the Cabinet, and that it is not the
universal intention of that side of
the house to carry every thing by
the sheer brute force of numbers.
Thus I was denied the right which
by every civilized nation is accorded
to even its vilest criminals, the right
which the constitution guarantees to
every citizen and every resident of
this land--the right to speak in self
defense. l was condemned unheard,
without the opportunity to defend,
to explain, to ask a question, with
out even a copy of the indictment
against me, and on charge without
specification of any kind. l speak
of this thus strongly, not merely be-
cause am personally affected by it,
but because il involves principle,
the principle of fairness, of equity
and of justice, without which no
nation is safe and no government is
sound. 1t is commonly supposed
that only thugs and professional as
sassins strike in the dark, giving the
victim no opportunity of defense.
But, acting on this same principle
the editor of so-called "independ-
ent Journal" without waiting to
hear any explanation or defense,
following the worthy example set
him, rushed to the rescue Of the
wounded dignity of the Minister of
Finance and the other Cabinet Min
nsters, and in half column editorial
denounced me as having gone out of
my way to insult his Maiesty's Min
listers and the house, restless under
the itch for notoriety.
would not advert to this fact
were it not that coming in the con-
nection which it did, and the Minis
ter of Finance in his remarks intro
ductory to his resolution having
based his resolution upon statements
made in the Duty Press, the state
ments made in that paper stand
part of the charge against me, and
l have the right to defend myself
against them.
l am friend of independent
journalism, and admire it, whether
it agrees with my opinions or not
truly independent journal is the
guardian of private character as
well as public liberty; but when the
editor of an independent journal
forgets the duties of his high trust
and turns his paper into an engine
for expressing his private dislikes,
he degrades the profession Of
journalism.
/ know that the motives which
actuated the editor of the Press
in this matter were not q
were purely personal ones, arising
desire for the public good, but
out of his imagination that l was
anonymously writing against him.
And this is how know it: A few
days since gentleman said TO him
in effect, 'What are you getting
after Thurston so for?" The reply
was, in effect, "Ile has been writing
some editorials against me in the
BULLETIN and is writing the column
in the Gazette signed Zip" That
there may be no cause for doubt in
the matter, i will give the name of
the gentleman-it is c. w. Ashford !;
and l can give other names if they
are needed.
l should not consider it any dis
honor to be contributor to either
of those papers, but under the cir
cumstances l think it proper to say
that since resigning the editorial
management of the BULLETIN year
ago last September, l have not
written line, other than advertise
ments, which has appeared in print
in the BULLETIN 'and that since the
beginning of the last election cam
paign I have written nothing which
has appeared in the Gazette except
over my own signature in full and
| sign my name Lorrin A. Thurston
and not Zip.
Now, as to the alleged insult. The
words which the specification fur
nished me charges against me are as
follows: BY moving to add to Sec
ton 16A, of an act entitled An
Act Amending Section 16, 16A.,
etc., relating to the regulation OF
the sale of spirituous liquors, the
words, "or to the Ministers of the
Crown" so that Section l6A shall
read, 1T shall not be lawful for
any retailer Of spirituous liquors tC
sell the same to minors or women,
or to any person or persons who
may be habitually Incorporate, ol
to the Ministers of the Crown"
incidentally it may be mentioned
that it is queer commentary on oul
so-called advanced civilization, that
women are classed in a certain cate
CORY without objection, and as Q
matter of course, while the bare
suggestion that it would be proper
to class Cabinet Ministers in She
same category is termed ''gros'
insult" This Assembly has, how
ever, recognized, and by its present
action emphasized its recognition Of
that corner stone of our liberties
that it is the glorious privilege of the