Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-06-01
Arthut Johostone, Editor and Prop,t


The special Order of the Day in the
Legislative Assembly, yesterday, was
the further consideration of the Appro-
priation Bill But that business was
not reached, the entire day, after the
presenting of few petitions, being
taken up in debating as to what should
be done with communication re-
ceived from the Judiciary department.
which we give in full in our report of
the Legislative proceedings and when
that was disposed OF, in discussing a
resolution arising out Of that Com
munication.
In regard to the communication
from the Judiciary department, there
was a wide difference of opinion in re-
gard to its ultimate fate. The subject
matter was Of great Importance, mas
much as in it the Second Associate
Justice informed-the House that one of
its members had been convicted during
the present month of violating the law
respecting elections, the inference be-
ing that the member held his seat in
the House through fraud. But what
we consider to be very singular fea-
ture of the case is this: the House, so
far has not received single petition
from The District the member repre-
sents calling attention to the alleged
irregularities, and asking to have the
Hon. member unseated. Many petit
tions on other subjects have been pre-
sented by the member from that Dis
trict, and it is natural to think that il,
as is alleged, the Honorable gentle
man has as many political enemies as
reported they would eagerly seize upon
any plausible pretext for unseating
him.
From the positive statements made
in the House yesterday by those who
argued for and against the immediate
consideration of the communication
referred to, it is evident that there lis
something about the whole matter that
has not yet come to light. One thing
is certain: either the Hon. members
conduct as one of the Inspectors
Of Election was such as to war
rant the finding of the Jury,
and the inhiction Of the the penalty-ra a
fine Of fifty dollars-or else the said
Jury were, as has been surmised, the
political enemies of an innocent man
whom they tried to crush. 1t remains
for the House to decide that point
when the proper time comes. That a
petition from Puma will be gotten up
very shortly, praying that the member
be unseated, we take to be a foregone
conclusion Meanwhile the commuhi-
cation lies on the table.
In regard to the resolution offered
proposing that the House declare the
seat of the member from Puma to be
vacant, in consequence Of the informa-
ton contained in the communication,
that was entirely too radical and arbi-
trary to be seriously entertained except
for the purpose Of being indefinitely
postponed. The doctrine was enun-
ciated over and over again that the
House is its own Judge of the qualih-
cation and fitness Of its members to
hold their seats, and this attempt to
pass judgment upon member without
havingthe evidenceagainst him--a copy
OF which accompanied the communica-
ton, even looked at is, to say the
least, absurd.
AS the Honorable member who is
called upon to apologize to the House
to-day protested vigorously against
doing so until he had, in black and
white, the specification Of what he had
offended in, SO, we think, could the
member whom the resolution proposed
to expel protest with much more show
Of reason against the act Of the House
had it seen fit to adopt the resolution.
That the motion to indefinitely post
pone this resolution was carried by a
majority Of nineteen TO elevsn--nearIy