The Hawaiian gazette., 1888-05-29
Waikiki, May 20.
HoNoLuLu. April 8. 1883

To Mr.. Goodale Armstrong, Wailu ;u,
Maui,
DEAR SIR Il am delighted to learn
that the voters OF this country-begin-
ming with Maui-mean to assume their
proper responsibility under the present
form Of government. There was no sort
of use formerly in public discussion Of
public affairs, as long as the King had
the power under the so-called constitu-
tional forms, to do precisely as pleased
the easily influenced mind of Mis- Ma
Jesty. But now that the power has
! passed out of his hands, never to return,
| it is essential that the brains and wealth
of the country see to it that the political
power which is thus set free, be properly
distributed, and its exercise by different
departments of government properly
guarded and checked.
You and | were born and bred in a
country which started off with a strong,
highly cultivated and intelligent self
governing people. Our ancestors went
from their English homes which were
| dear to them, to seek in the savage
wilderness for the blessings of liberty.
They founded as nearly an ideal Com
monwealth as the world ever saw, and
Notwithstanding the flood OF European
immigration, bringing the ignorant, de-
based, wealth hating and yet wealth.
seeking crowds OF voters, to pCllute the
very fountains OF civil liberty, still we
all have faith in the permanent and gen
eral prosperity.
But in seeking to establish here a self
governing commonwealth, under the
rph r1-hio
wisely retained, we must bear in mind
that we have not the same material
which made up the British American
Colonies We have here many Hawaiian,
Portuguese, and Asiatic, elements, which
are unused to self-government and which
only to limited extent will for many
years be capable OF self-governmenf.
The intelligence of the country must
| devote itself then to working out svs-
tenn OF government, by which political
power shall be safely distributed, and.
used in such manner as fairly to distri-
butte all the burdens of taxes, to develop
the national resources without doing
harm to any class or nationality, and to
cause the laws to be honestly, imparti-
ally, and effectively administered All
this may be called useless generalizing
or theorizing; but it is not. We cannot
ignore facts, if we would.
Now the attempt and intention of those
who sincerely took part in the Revolu-
ton, to make the King merely the orna-
mental and representative head of the
nation, somewhat like the position of the
English Sovereign, was all right, and
based on correct political reasoning. 1t
was the only thing to do, if Hawaii is to
remain an independent nation. But
much remains yet to do. | think it wise
to adhere to the new Constitution with
scrupulous care, to amend it slowly and
cautiously, as experience may justify
and require.
The turn which the veto question took
was disappointment to many, myself
among them. But | am not now pre-
pared to advise an Amendment of the
Constitution by which to secure, beyond
doubt, the control of the veto power with
the Cabinet think it would be well to
amend the Constitution so that two
thirds OF a quorum of the House-and
not two-thirds of all the elective mem
bers-can override veto. This would
give the Legislature sufici mt control
over its own enactments, and also secure
that later second consideration of its bills
which is not required by the present
system OF one-house assembly.
| also am inclined to think that Min
listers should be elected members of the
House OF Mobiles, so as to require them
to 60 directly before some electoral dis.
trict, and defend their course and policy.
This is the English method, and see no
reason why it would not work well here
But it ought to be carefully considered
l. the above mentioned amendments are
made, think that the calling of the
Legislature between its biennial Sessions
may properly rest with the Ministry.
As for the Governors, most of nv
friends thought they were a useless force.
They reasoned well that if the outer dis
tricts could get on as they have done.
with the functionaries which have been
appointed OF late years, they could get
on with none. They also deemed that
the country is too small for SUE b a COM
pllcated official system as it has had and
that the beginning OF reduction OF offices
would well be made with Governors.
think, Notwithstanding those facts.
that well regulated gubernatorial sys-
tenn, with men required to give substan-
tial bonds, elected in each gubernatorial
district, for definite term subject to re-
moyal for cause by the Legislature. and
placed in general charge OF the assess
ment and collection OF taxes, roads and
bridges, and the administration of the
local affairs of their respective districts.
would not only well repay the outlay,
but secure far better results in every WV
than are obtainable without such system.
The people must become used to the
suffrage. The qualifications of electors
for governors should be the same az for