The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-10-07

ana leave the UOOI W OJllclSs
Rep. Nawahi said the question is
whether we are to listen to the demands
of the people. The voice OF the people is
the voice of God. The Minister of For
eign Affairs says we are being policed by
foreign men-of-war, and that it is dis
grace to US. Perhaps the Cabinet are
ashamed. No doubt reports have been
circulated which have brought these
ships here-only to find things quiet and
peaceable here, and to find the Hawaii
ans peaceful and law abiding as they al
ways are. The Cabinet very likely do
feel ashamed and ought to. | think L
can prove that presentations have been
made by foreign representative to the
Cabinet-a certain Minister said so on
the street. When Mr.. Kalua inter
pellated the Cabinet, they said these
were matters which should not be di-
vulged Article 20 of the Constitution,
the Minister said was stumbling block.
l do not think that is any argument.
Everybody knows that he was a member
of the first Cabinet under this Constitu-
ton. He resigned probably with the
idea OF getting back and getting a share
of the loaves and fishes he has spoken of.
The hon. member from Kona says he
was sent here to make amendments to
the Constitution if necessary, and not do
away with it. He says We must take the
way prescribed in the Constitution. The
people who say that did not follow that
method in 'S7. That would be very well
if we wished to make few amendments,
but we can't make q new Constitution in
that way. If we should have an election
tomorrow, there would be an over
whelming majority in favor of new
Constitution. l hold in my hands a
copy of the platform of the National Re-
form Party. There is plank in it about
a new Constitution or amending an old
one. After the Cabinet were placed in
Office they called us into the Minister of
the Interiors room and said they were
on the side of the people, or our side. l
made a speech and said one of the
things we wanted was a new Constitu-
ton, and the Attorney-General got up
and said they would assist us. So now
l have no confidence in the Cabinet nor
in their statements. In 'S7 people did
not proceed as they advise us to do.
They held secret meetings and armed
themselves and frightened the King. Ac-
cording to the present Constitution, the
rich man has two votes to the poor mans |
one. Another defect in it is that it al |
lows the ignorant Portuguese to vote. |
There was nothing in the Constitution |
the passage of a law of this |
kind. Ii there should be any trouble, it |
would be begun by foreigners, not by |
natives.
Noble Kauhane said good deal had
been said on this subject, and it had |
been claimed that the demand for new
was the voice OF the Hawaii |
an people. The ground alleged was that |
the new Constitution was oppressive. He
had not found it oppressive. His obser-
vation was that the people were much
better off under this Constitution than
before. The people petitioned for roads
and bridges-and they got them in the
Bill, but they never got
any further. There was too much power
in the hands of the King, and too little
in the people. Our credit was getting
steadily worse, and / do not hesitate to
say that if things had gone on there
would have been no independent Ha-
waii left when the Legislature came to
sit in 1888. do not approve OF the way
it was done, but the object was good and
VIC AdNO Jul OOulblg
saved as a result of it. l have no SYM
Do they want the old
Constitution again with all its abuses?
The right to vote for Mobiles is a pure
gift to Hawaiians; it is privilege which
has fallen to them as piece OF good for
tune without any effort on their part. 1t
ought to incite every Hawaiian to make
4 man OF himself and go to work and
earn, SO that he can exercise the right.
Even admitting that the property quail
ication needs changing don't think it
ioes, but suppose so-it is very easy for
rs to amend it. This Constitutional
Convention will cost another $4,000 or
S40, 900, and to what end? To make a
lew little changes which we can make
now. II we pass this bill, supposing that
% be legal, it will establish very dam
,erous precedent which will lead us L
ion't know where.
Noble Baldwin The Constitution of
he country, which is the foundation of
ali our law, should not be lightly treated
or lightly changed. This view has pre-
vailed in other countries. The Ameri
can Constitution has only fifteen amend
nents. The uprising of 'S7, resulting in
OUR present Constitution, was the result
of bad Government which caused the
people to rise in a mass. 1t seemed
necessary at that time, and the only way
20 secure. This is justifable only in ex-
rene cases, where there are grievances
which cannot be borne and cannot other
wise ne remedied, and that was the case
It that time. One thing is certain. The
King took an oath TO the Constitution,
md so have we here, and SO have the
people. The people, it should be
noticed, never took the oath to support
he Constitution of 1864. In taking this
,ath we have sworn that all changes
hall be made in the way prescribed by
he Constitution. The reasoning of Rep.
Bush is illogical and untenable, as the
,nly legal way to get Constitutional
.hange is in the manner laid down in the
instrument itself. This is the opinion of
Judge Cooley. The two instances cited
" the committee are sufficient to show
he view of the American judges. 1t is a
ignificant fact that in one of these cases
he word ''mayn is used in the same way
IS in ours The particular method laid
lown is permitted and all others are ex-
.luded by implication. If that view is
correct, to alter the Constitution in any