The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-29
THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1898
AN UNSPEAKABLE SHAME Elk.
POSED.

N. Y. Evening Post upon the ad.
dress OF Hon. John l.. Stevens. One
passage in the Posts article which
we wish to comment upon, is as
follows:
So the Government is referred to
as "semi- barbaric monarchy resting.
on no solid or normal foundation,
dead in everything but it's vices,
COarsely luxurious in its tastes and
wishes, constantly sending out i'm
pure eXhalations, and spreading
social and political decentralization
throughout the Islands. This, be
it remembered, is language applied
to government to which Mr.
Stevens was accredited in a diploma
tic capacity, but in the matter of in
decorum it is far surpassed by what
follows. In the next paragraph the
address assails the personal character
OF the Queen, and accuses her of
having scandalous relations with her
chamberlain, a married man, who
draws a salary from the Government
Treasury. This kind of talk, if
spoken concerning a private Amer
can family, would naturally lead to
the horsewhipping of the person
making the charge. 1t ought to have
no less punishment in the present
case, quite regardless of the truth or
falsity of the accusation.
To the first part Of the above it
may be replied that the aforesaid gov
eminent to which Mr. Stevens had
once been accredited had been destroy
ed in consequence of its own suicidal
and revolutionary conduct. That
lawlesS and destructive conduct was
the logical sequel of the coarse, vi
cious, and semi barbaric character
which Mr.. Stevens depicts. No Just
or suitable statement of the case
could possibly be presented without
giving some such description of that
character of the abolished regime
which led to its fall. 1t became a
duty incumbent upon Mr.. Stevens on
returning home to give to the Ameri-
can people Just information respect
ing the political affairs of Hawaii in
which they are so deeply concerned.
The old government in its increasing
corruption and degradation had be-
come entirely incompatible with the
affiuent civilization which had taken
such deep root here. Mr.. Stevens
graphically described these essential
factors of the situation. He owed
nothing of courtesy to the extinct
government, with which his relations
had ceased, and which had always
repealed with insult his friendly coun.
sells which might have saved it.
The latter portion of the passage
quoted seems too recklessly violent
for decorous notice, and would receive
none if not found in a journal of the
Posts standing. 1t is true that the
publication of scandal about private
family is ordinarily simple cruelty,
and may deserve chastsement. In
the present case, the vices charged
are those of the political and social
head of the nation, and not those of a
private individual.
Those personal vices of the ruler
are also essential factors of the politi-
cal situation. We are not here con
cerned to establish their truth as
facts. 1t is sufficient to say that they
are generally believed. All will
recollect how openly they were assert
ed in the Ka Leo by John E. Bush last
year as well as in his speeches in the
Legislature. 1t should be remarked
here that the Post appears to have
misunderstood about the Queen beng
accused of scandalous relations with
her chamberlain, who was mentioned
by Mr.. Stevens only as a member of
the household whose presence rem
dered the scandalous presence OF the
alleged paramour necessary.
1t would be a grievous social insult
to a civilized community for the SOW
ereign merely to indulge in scandal
Gus relations as alleged, But when
the supposed paramours are elevated
to the highest positions of authority,
the shame and corruption became in
tolerabie. No other element con-
tributes so grieyously to the bitter
ness Of the present situation, when
the proposition is seriously made by
even reputable persons to restore a
monarchy which means a rule by
paramours. We thank Mr.. Stevens
for having openly exposed to the
American people this "unutterabe
shame" with which the civilized peo-
pie of Hawaii are daily and malig-