The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-11-17
(Conciaded from the End poge.)

being for life, the representatives
elective. The lower house had the
initiative of all financial bills All
legislation was subject to the kings
consent. The second constitution
took an advance step in declaring
that the executive, Legislative and
judicial powers were to be preserved
distinct.
The third constitution was ''grant.
ed" by Kamehameha ", August 20,
1864, shortly after his accession. 1t
united the two houses of the legisla.
ture, left out the provision of "A pre-
mier (kuhina nuI, and made a pro-
perty qualification for voters and
representatives An assembly of
specially-elected delegates had been
called 70 frame constitution. The
delegates would not pass the changes
desired by the king. He thereupon
dismissed them and declared a new
constitution without their sanction.
Fog this .he basel his right on an ex-
press oral reservation made by Ka-
mehameha Ill. A single-house legis-
lature gave the king a control over
Legislation which was impracticable
with two houses. Under that regime
government patronage was freely
bestowed on members of the legis-
lature, which facilitated the execu-
tive's control of the legislature.
The speaker next reached the cleo
ton of Kalakaua, on the death of
Lunalilo. A constitutional point
arose as to whether the old house Of
representatives, or those just elected
for the next session, that of 1874,
should elect the new king. 1t
was decided in favor of the latter,
by which Queen Emma lost her adj
vantage.
On July 6, 1887, King Kalakaua
signed the present, or fourth, consti-
tuition, which was promulgated July
z, 1887, without Legislative action.
Its main features, as distinguished
from the earlier constitutions, are
that the sovereign no longer has alb
solute veto upon legislative acts,
cabinet ministers are removable only
upon legislative vote of want of con-
fidence, constitutional acts of the
sovereign require the advice and con-
sent of the cabinet, no executive or
judicial officer, or any contractor or
employee of the Government, or any
person in the receipt of salary or
emoIument from the Government can
be elected to the legislature, and that
mobiles shall be elected instead of re-
ceiving their appointment from the
sovereign.
The oath to support this constitu-
ton was formally taken by Her Maj
esty Queen Liliuokalani, and it is
now the law of the land.
Mr.. Hartwell compared the pro-
perry qualifications in the old con-
stitution, which were abolished in
1876, and those in the present one.
He then referred to the manner of
establishing the present constitution,
saying it was perhaps too soon TO
form a disinterested or impartial
opinion on the question. No one
could deny the Importance Of observ-
ing legally established forms in every
Legislative step. Yet the articles
introduced by the present constitu-
ton, limiting the absolute power of
the sovereign and making members
of the Cabinet responsible for execu-
tive acts, were in consonance with
the principles of representative con-
stitutional government, without
which no government can expect
long to receive the support of an en-
lightened people. That such changes
could have been made by regular
amendment of the constitution of
1864 was generally supposed to have
been impossible. 1t argued well for
the good sense of this community
that they were made peacefully and
that, if the property qualification for
mobiles and their electors be excepted.
these changes have received general
and unqualified approval. The
lecturer argued that the extended
suffrage to foreigners was a neces-
sity, from the numbers of diverse
nationalities gathered here, who bore
their share in supporting the govern
ment. He concluded by the follow
ing practical remarks
In 1887 then the country started
upon its destiny.
And what shall that destiny be?
Shall intelligence, integrity and
enlightened patriotism shape the for
tunes of Hawaii, or will legislative,
executive and even judicial abuses
run riot, and the country finally be
left to the mercy of any great power
which sees fit to lay hands upon and
seize it,?
Of course the present condition of
things permits and encourages de-
magogues. There are Away voters
who can be misled and cajoled, by
preposterous lies and fallacious pro.
misses. The mere fact, that there is
a good system of laws under which
the Government is carried on, and
that the system admits reasonable
and proper amendments or reform to
be made by established legal
methods, although an essential re-
auisite, il not Of itself guaranty of