The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-10-07

among foreigners here. | hope the mem
bers will vote for the passage of this bill.
Zone of the members here asked to have
the remarks more fully interpreted. The
Interpreter said the hon. member had
not said anything fresh.) | think the
foreigners here are inclined TO favor
and help the native Hawaiians. l am a
half-white and have got to help the
! foreigners. / think the present Consti-
tuition was not obtained by proper
means. was in Hilo at the time, and
took the oath, but really believe | COM
mitted perjury by so doing. l did not
believe it. The House ought to consider
the bill. pass it and have it tested. We
| do not know whether it is unconstitu-
tional or not. 1t is simply waste of
| time getting up here and saving it is IN
| constitutional. We had better have the
| Convention and have the Constitution
amended. l do not belong to the Ma
tional Reform Party. lam independent.
Some of the members of the National
Reform Party have said this matter was
only brought up quite lately. l heard
some of them say before the election the
present Constitution was rotten one,
obtained by the bayones, and that if
they were elected they would tear it all
to pieces. Some of them would not have
been elected if it had not been for that
kind of talk. / like to see consistency.
1t is not right for members to talk one
thing when outside OF the house and
another when they are inside. This dis
cussion has been carried on principally
by native Hawaiians, showing they are
the ones oppressed by the Constitution
I move the committee rise and report
progress, and ask leave to sit again to-
morrow. 1 have not yet got through, as
do not propose to let the authorities
quoted in the majority report 60 unchal-
lenged.
The motion to have the committee rise
was carried.
The committee rose and the chairman
reported to the House.
Noble Macfarlane moved that the COM
mittee reports with the bill be laid on
the table. He asked the indulgence of
the House to make few remarks.
Rep Nawahi said the motion could not
be entertained at this time. He moved
the report of the committee be adopted.
President Walker-Noble Macfarlane's
motion is before the House.
Noble Macfarlane-I regard it as
very serious matter to change the funda-
mental law of the land. Whatever OBJ
jections there may be to the present
constitution, we are bound to remember
that it was proclaimed by the constitu-
tional sovereign of the Kingdom, and the
people have sworn to support it. l am
fully aware that the present constitution
is faulty, and needs amending, and
should be amended. As whole it could
be objected to on two grounds. The first
is purely sentimental, by reason of the
way in which it was brought into exist
ence, but such grounds should fall away
when we come to consider the real inter-
ests OF the country. The other ground,
that it was hastily made and hastily
adopted, has more force, but will we fall
into the same error by forcing a sudden
change as proposed by this convention?
The organic law of the land is OF such
nature that it should be amended only
with caution, and after mature delibera-
ton, but only under the stress of the
most urgent necessity should it be set
aside altogether. The very idea of the
assembling of convention at this time,
with an unknown field of changes, must
affect the tranquility, the material inter-
ests and the well-being of the Kingdom.
A continuance of any apprehensions on
the part Of the people cannot be otherwise
than harmful. This can be avoided by
abandoning the proposition of a consti-
tutional convention at this time, and
placing before the people of the Kingdom 1
fairly and squarely such amendments as
this House may deem it wise to support.
There is ample, but claim not too much,
time to reflect upon and weigh deliberate
ly the amendments which are to be pro-
posed, and the advisabllity or necessity
Of passing them, but we must not fall
into the same error which was committed
by the people who rushed through the
present constitution. In avoiding that.
we do our duty under our oaths as leeis-
ators, and at the same time emphasize
the Objectionable, illegal and revolution
ary way in which the present constitu-
ion was brought into existence. The
policy of pushing through constitution
n the present condition of strained poll
.lcal feeling is calculated to keep alive
and intensity political strife and disturb
ances, which would largely prevent the
adoption OF just, fair and statesmanlike
document in the interests of the whole
Kingdom. L am firmly convinced that
hese present conditions will be modified
ind softened within the next two wears.
10 that a convention at later period will
accomplish the results impossible to be
cached now. I am further convinced
hat few iudicious amendments, legally
made and agreed upon in the present
legislature, would hasten the return of
formal political conditions, if they did
lot in fact ultimately do away with the 4
necessity Of future constitutional con.
ention. The commercial interests of 4
laval, as well as the demands of LARGE
lumber OF conservative voters. must
eceive the consideration of the party in
over, before a stand is taken In favor
I radical and immediate change in the
law Of the Kingdom Thaee
re both likely to be antagonized hv
asty action, where by autborized
mendments they viii be protected and
the same time harmonized with the
olicy OF the party in power. with
lch views as have expressed. 7 deem
In good conscience that one road oniv
open to me, and that is to oppose 4
invention at this time, and I would