The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-06-28
The Arcade -EGAN & co.
Leader Of Low Prices.

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Concert Rec-The Battle of Ivry.....
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Music--Hallelujah Chorus. Handel |
An essay by one of the tirst class
boys, Charles Blake, on ''the new
Hawaiian Constitution" is worthy
of being published, as showing the
the authors independence of thought
and ability to write his ideas in
good and lucid English. The ideas
and the English are both Charles
Blake's, and not his teachers. The
Principal of the school is in nowise
responsible for the ideas expressed.
ESSAY.
1t was one year ago, the 30th of
this month, that there was held in
the capital city of Honolulu, the
largest and most important mass
meeting ever known in Hawaiian
History.
This has always been known as
the reform Meeting" This meet
ing caused a great excitement that
soon spread all over the islands.
HIS, no VIC stll huOW, was VIC UG-
ginning of our New Constitution.
This mass meeting was composed
of almost every kind of people to
be found in this Kingdom; but,
mostly were white foreigners and
natives, who came together to hear
and talk about the affairs of govern
ment. .
Many speeches we're made by
leading men in Honolulu, and they
all said that, the country was going
to ruin through the ill governing of
bad mad. They also said the con-
stitution was not a good one, and
that they must have new constitu-
| ton.
This assembly chose IS of their
number as committee, and sent
them unto the King demanding a
new constitution; and strange as it
may seem, the King yielded to their
| demand.
We do not know exactly why the
King gave this new constitution, but
| probably because this mass meet
ing had collected body of armed
men; for, had the King refused
their demand, bloody revolution
would surely have followed.
| However, a new constitution was
made, and on July was proclaimed
the constitution of the Hawaiian
Islands.
But, was this constitution law
fully made? believe not. Be-
cause, it was made by the men who
had no right to make it. And, if a
few hundred men had right to
change or make a constitution q
year ago, do not we possess the
same right to-day? Certainly we
do.
But this thing can not be so, for
you will find In the old constitution,
this clause written: "Any amend
ment or amendments of this consti-
tuition must be made in the Legis-
lature."
Therefore, by this, we understand
that no other body of men whatever,
had right TO change or make a
constitution.
And, if our present constitution
was not lawfully made, how can il
ever be held as our constitution, as
it was not made by the Legislature
in accordance with the constitution.
But, considering this as our con-
stitution, lawfully made, then let us
point out the good and evil there is
in it,
AS far as this constitution goes,
it IS pretty good one think, with
the exception OF a few places. The
1st l will mention is in the 48th
article, where it says. If the King
will not return bill presented te
him by the Legislature within 10
days, Sundays excepted, it shall
also become law, as if he ha6
signed it. Now, if the King should
be very sick so that he could not
attend to the bill in time, it would
become law, whether it was good
, law or bad law
, Second, is because, the right Il
, vote is not given to all men in this
} Kingdom. Are not the Chinese
J Japanese and the South Sea Isl
, anders as wise and able to know
what they are about, as the othel
people in this Kingdom? Very likely
they are. Do not they pay taxes
Y as other people do? OF course they
do. Why then was not given to
them the right to vote?
. The 3rd is in the 59th and 62nC
Articles where it says, that every
man who cannot read or write but wht
a voted last election can vote any tim,
to come whether he knows how Il
read or write, and those who cal
not read or write who did not vot
a last election, can not vote as long a
they are not able to read or write.
. There is no reason, why some ar
allowed to vote, and some who ar
Il of the same class of men are no
allowed TO vote.
. Now friends, so far as we thinl
4 think this constitution is right, lie
us sustain it, at the same time, lie
+ us try and correct the plumbers W
thus find, and, may God bless thi
Kingdom when it has q good an,
n rightful constitution.