The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-01-31
A R0USINI MEETING.

Yesterday evening 4 mass meeting OF
the fourth ward was held at the Old
Armoy. There was large attendance
including many prominent citizens. The
meeting throughout was OF the most en-
thuslastic nature. 1t was called to order
by MIR. J. II. Fisher who nominated MIR.
rheo. 9. Porter as chairman amid APP
plause. Mr.. h. .. White undertook the
duties oil secretary and Mr.. Luther VIII
cox was interpreter.
Mr.. Porter said they had met to hear
the views and expressions OF their candi-
dates end others. He would first call
upon His Elk. Mr.. Thurston, Minister OF
the Interior.
Mr.. l.. \. Thurston who Was received
with applause, said: The course OF the
Opposition for the last few weeks re-
minds me OF statement recently made
by Chauncey NJ. Depew in connection
with the recent election in New York
He stated that formerly the Democratic
party learned nothing and forgot moth
ing, that its present opponents learned
nothing and forgot everything That is
Just the situation with the present Oppo-
Sltion, although this country has . his
tory concerning is relations with France,
England and the United States for the
past fifty years they have learned moth
ing from IL, and have forgotten all Of il
that they ever knew. They ignore facts
and history and are running campaign
on ignorance and prejudice. They are
pursuing the same course and using the
same lncendlary arguments and appeals
to race feeling that they did prior To the
Both OF July last. 1t led to bloodshed
then and will not be their fault If it
does not lead to bloodshed now.
The question OF our relations with our
great neighbor is live issue with us. 1t
effects us, our children and our future.
The only argument of the Opposition is,
that the Government is trying % sell out
the country, and that the United States
is trying To gobble us up. They state
that we shall have to keep a watch on
the United States, or else they will come
and take away our independence. 1t
shows they have learned nothing OF our
past history. | will state briefly what
the history of this country with France
and England has been. In 1889 French
man-of-war arrived and demanded
$40 900 damages. The Government was
very poor and had to scratch around for
money, finally getting it from white peo-
pie, to save bombardment. At the point
of the gun the Captain forced the Gov
eminent to make most unjust treaty,
one claim OF which was that there should
not be more than five peg cent. duty
charged on imports from France. In
1913 France and England entered into a
treaty. They agreed not to interfere
with this t,nyArpplnnt which not "A
party to it. Ii either country chose to
take the country to-day they could, the
treaty is between themselves, so far as
that treaty is concerned. In 1919 an
other French war vessel arrived, and
trumpiug up lot of charges, said If the
Government did not come TO terms, the
King would be deposed and they would
take the country. He would not weary
them with all the demands, simply men,
ton four as follows: l. That all CORES
pondence between the two countries
should be in French. =. That the Catholic
schools should have paid Catholic in
spectors; The schools had an Inspector
for both Protestant and Catholic schoOls.)
3 A small boy having gone into the
Catholic church, made fun OF the priest
and stuck his finger in the holy water,
that such sacrilege should not be re-
peated /. Because certain English
sailors had gone into Frenchman's sa-
loon, got drunk on his brandy and broke
his glasses bill was made out Tor dam
ages. This last demand was 80 ridicu-
lous that the merchants subscribed So 90
each and paid the damages. That clause
was withdrawn. While the Government
was trying to arrange matters, and while
the Prime Minister WAS on board the
French man-ot-war, squad OF soldiers
was sent ashore who took possession OF
the fort, dismantled the guns, threw them
into the harbor, went TO Governor keku-
anaoa's house, smashed the furniture
and threw it into the yard. As a finale
the French took the private yacht be-
longing TO Kamehameha Ill. and sailed
it to Tahiti. 1t has never been heard OF
since nor has any compensation ever
been made for IL They finally with
drew their claims. Next year Or. Judd
went to England and France and tried to
arrive at some definite settlement with
the French and see that it should not
DE repeated He was put off, and re-
turned to the Islands in 1851. He had
not been home long before another
French vessel came in with similar de-
mands The Government at that time
was weak, and in desperation the Legls-
lature passed the following:
JOINT RESOLUTION.
| Be it resolved by the Mobiles and Repre-
sentatives Of the Hawaiian Islands
in Legislative Council assembled;
That, in the sense of this house, the
| demands of France are so clearly unjust,