The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-12-16
Hawaiian Independence.

ON his political letters. 1t Is much
easier to find fault with another
mans writing, than to present orr
ginal ideas of ones own. But as
personality has really nothing to do
with facts and conclusions derived
therefrom, and as ! hope always to
maintain a tone of courtesy unim-
paired by the assumption of a nom
de plume" | shall boldly proceed
with a second body of suggestions
on Mr.. Bishops remarks. | shall
adopt my own order considering
them.
| do not admit that the cruiser
Boston can overawe this Kingdom.
If Hawaii were determined to resist
intrusion, it would be hopeless
task for the Boston to undertake
coercion. Except for pressing emer-
gency, and quelling a partial distur-
bance, venture to say that the Bos-
ton would soon sigh for relief, if OPP
posed to rising of the population.
The fate of the Twenty-fourth Regi-
ment in Zululand. where 800 magni-
ficent troops, fully equipped and
strongly laagered, fell before the
assegai of the Zulu. proves that
numbers, even inadequately armed,
must prevail against a handful of
unsupported men.
When Great Britain sent four
ships of war through the Dardanelles
at the time of the Russian occupa-
ton of San Stefano. it was not the
ships that restrained the Russian
advance on Constantinople, but the
power of Great Britain which sup
ported them. The historic sentry
placed by Wellington on the bridge
of Jena saved the bridge from Prus-
sian vengeance, merely because he
represented the power of England.
forbidding the demolition of the
bridge.
l cannot believe that the Boston is
here for purposes of intimidation.
If so. who is inundated? Nor do |
think the correspondent to whom
Mr.. Bishop refers may fairly be
made to represent anybody's view
but his own. imagine Mr.. Bishop
himself attaches but little impor-
lance to the strange statements
which appeared in the letter which
that correspondent wrote.
really fail to follow Mr.. Bishop
in the conclusions he draws from
his considerations of Malta and
Bermuda.
If Malta and Bermuda be "strate-
gle outposts," they certainly ought
not to belong to Great Britain, but
to Italy and the United States re-
spectively. Besides, neither Ber-
muda nor Malta has, within the
memory of the Oldest inhabitant,
been free, Independent and self
governing kingdom. 1t is one thing
to occupy an island which is at best
merely strategic outpost, and an
other to destroy the political indie
pendence of kingdom so rich. so
fertile and so populous as the Ha-
waiian Islands.
The Inconvenience arising to Am
erica during the civil war goes to
prove that Nassau should not be in
the hands of hostile power. But
| have not heard that Mr.. Blaine or
any other American statesman con
templates sending cruiser in that
direction. Nassau is in close proX-
unity to the United States. A few
hours sail and the trip is over. But
Hawaii is far differently situated.
More than two thousand miles from
the nearest American port, it would
he desperate game for blockade
runner to play. Moreover American
cities would be blockaded and it
would be much to their advantage
to have Hawaiian produce intro
duced through the blockading fleet.
Our heterogeneous population
may be a source Of danger to us,
but, if ! may compare great things
! with small, shall ask whethe Their po-
pulation of the United States be so
homogeneous that she should pro-
tect others from a danger which, if
Mr., Bishop be correct, must be felt
alarmingly at home.
liberty cOrrpctlv understood iS