The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-02-21
HAWAIIAN PRECEDENT.

L1bllOh III LlaIA IN
A good deal has been said about
foreign precedent, but not much
about Hawaiian precedent. Perhaps
the presidents of our own country
do not weigh much, considering the
many transitions through which the
kingdom has passed in its brief con-
stitutional history. Still, one who
believes that the interests of the
country would not be benefited by a
change of administration at this
iuncture, cannot honestly ignore Ha-
waian precedent, but should take it
up and examine it candidly in what
ever lights it may appear.
Kamebameha ". died November
30. 1868 The Commercial Adver-
tiser of December 10 following thus
expressed what appears to have been
the prevalent view of the question
then:
"Agreeably with the custom in
monarchcal governments, all public
offices become vacant at the death
of the King, for all offices are sup
posed to die with the Sovereign.
This beng the case, not only the
Crown Ministers, but all commits
stoned officers, require new appoint
ments. Because a man has served
faithfully as a Minister or other Of
ficer under the deceased King, at
fords him no claim to the office under
his successor"
The Advertiser believed that no
Ministers would be appointed till az
ter the funeral, but Dec. II c. {.
Harris was appointed Minister of the
Interior in place of His Majesty who
had held the Office before coming to
the throne, and the following day King
Kamehameha V. appointed Mataio
Keiuanaoa to be kuhina Nui (con-
fidentia adviser or Premier nnder
the system then in vogue); George
Morrison Robertson, Minister Of the
Interior; Robert Crichton Wyllie,
Minister of Foreign Affairs; Charles
de Narigny, Minister of Finance;
Charles Coffin Harris, AttorneY-Gen-
eral, and Elisha II. Allen to retain
his seat in the Cabinet Council by
His Maiesty's command. This was
the Cabinet that was in office when
the previous King died, with the eX-
ceptOn that Charles Gordon Hop
kins was taken from the Department
Of Finance and made Chamberlain.
Varigny asked the King to allow
Hopkins to stay in office to close the
accounts of the period and prepare
reports to the Legislature, which TN
selfish ~ request to be saved from
so much work His Majesty granted.
The Reconnaissance Ministry was
fiercely assalled by the Advertiser, -
fact which may or may not account
for the breadth of its doctrine of the
mortal partnership between the Sow
ereign and his commissioned SER
wants.
Kamehameha Y. died Dec. II,
1872, when the Mini ,ters in office
were: Fred. w. Hutchison, Int.
rior: Stephen II. Phillips, Attorney
General; Robert Stirling, Finance
Speculation as to the new King Luna
liIo's Ministry was soon put al rest
by the following appointments: Z.
r. Bishop, Foreign Affairs; +. o.
Hall, Interior; T. Stirling, Finance;
A. f. Judd, Attorney 6 oncraI. The
retiring Cabinet seemed to have heen
pretty well run down any way, bat it
will be noticed that at least one of
Its members was recomm ,-lonod
Again the Advertiser hncky but
more mildly than before, ho ding
that tie new Ministry leaned over IA
the side OF conservatism.
LunaliIo died Feb. 3, 1874, and
kalakaua was elected in his stead.
The new king lost 40 time in pro-
claiming the following new Miuiatry:
Paul Nahaolclua, Finance: William
l.. Green, Foreign Affairs; II. \.
Widemann, Interior; A. :. ha,tw ii,
Attorney General.
Such are the Hawaiian presidents.
1t is not necessary, and would not
be useful, to 90 back to more prim-
tive stage Of our constitutional his
tory than the foregoing starting
point. Which side Of the question
between the Queen and the Cabinet
do they favor? Separated from the
Of their time. they