The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-01-31
THE REf0RM PARTY.
Mass Meeting IN TIE Fnur.h Dis-
trict. Large Atirahaar- ANA
Great Enthusiasm.

y
yesterday evening, in response to
the call for a mass meeting of the
Reform Party. Many representative
citizens from all over the city joined
fourth district electors in the assem-
bly,.
Mr.. j. II. Fisher called the meet
ing to order and nominated Mr.. L.
&. Porter rs chairman, who was
elected by reclamation. Mr.. T.. q.
White was then called forward as
secretary. Mr.. W. l.. Wilcox was
appointed interpreter.
Ills Excellency l.. A. Thurston,
Minister of the Interior, was the
first speaker. lie quoted Chauncey
Depew of New York as styling the
old Bourbon democracy rs having
learnt nothing and forgot nothing,
while the new democracy learned
nothing and forgot everything. The
speaker considered the Opposition
Party of Hawaii like this in having
learned nothing. They were familiar
with the history of this country for
years past, in its relations with
France, with England, with the
United States. The people had seen
bloodshed through the teachings of
that party the past year, yet the
talk employed by the Opposition now
was the same as that which melted
this bloodshed. The question was
live issue at this election, of our
relations with our great neighbor
the United States. The Opposition
charged that the Ministry were try
ing to sell out the country TO the
United States, and making faces to
that nation to get her to gobhlc us
up. They talked as if the United
States were waiting for chance to
seize this country, forgetting the
historical facts that abOunded against
such a notion. In 1889 French
man-of-war came to tins port under
the command Of Laplace, and made
demands for 100000 damages in
cold cash for purported injuries
done French citizens. a. The Govern
ment had to hunt round for money
to satisfy the demands, or allow the
ship to burn down the town. AT
the mouth of the cannon they forced
the Government TO sign q treaty
granting concessions to France most
unjust to this country, STIMULATING
that merchandise from France should
never be charged more than five
percent duty. In lS43 treaty was
made between England and France
not to interfere with the independ-
cnce of these islands. 1t was no
treaty with this country, but be-
tween those two Powers for their
own objects. Then in lS49 another
French warship came in with de-
mands containing ten specifications,
on the refusal of which the King
would be deposed and the islands
seized. One demand was that all
correspondence with France should
be in the French language, the
second that French inspector
should be appointed for the Catholic
schools, the fifth that the offense OF
boy who had dabbled in the holy
water in the Catholic church should
not be repeated, the sixth that COM
pensatiOn should be given for
damage done by English sailors in Il
Frenchman's saloon after getting
drunk on his own brandy sold them.
Further, the warship committed
various outrages here, ending with
stealing the Kings yacht and taking
1t to Tahiti. Some of the demands
were withdrawn, but soon after an
agent of this Government had re-
turned from France, where he was
trying TO secure guarantee that
similar Outrages would not be re-
peated, another French warship ar
rived with another string of absurd
demands. The Legislature then
passed joint resolution authorizing
Kamehameha ILL.,, in the event OF
further annoyance, to seek the aid
Of some friendly Power, or take
such other action as he deemed wise
in any emergency. The speaker was
now. going TO state some facts from
the secret history Of this country,
which were known 10 very few peo-
pie in this country. The King called
the British Consul, General Miller,
into consultation and offered to cede
the islands to Great Britain in order
to escape the exactions of France.
Consul Miller said it could not be
done, owing to the treaty between
Great Britain and France. The
Government then laid the situation
before United States Consul Sever
ancc, father of the present United
States Consul-General here, and
asked him il the United States would
undertake the protection of the in
dependence of the kingdom, and
Consul Severance said she would
(applause). lie would now read
the treaty then made with the United
States, thus making it for the first
time public:
We, Kamehameha H., by the
grace of God of the Hawaiian Isl
ands, King:
BY and with the advice of our
kuhina nui and councillors Of native
,.I, tnfa LAT, x.t.t 1,