The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-12-19

to his professional ability. Corn
well seems to have been much of
nonentity, except when he joined
his two colleagues in comforting
with the enemy. With her lady
ships estimate of her Cabinet W,
have no special controversy, al
though they might suggest miti
eating considerations.
One thing is sufficiently clea.
about these four statesmen of hel
majesty's selections, that in con
sentiDg to support her in subvert
ing the constitution, they were
undertaking an impracticable ant
fatal measure; if they did no
know it, they were fools; but i
they did know it, and pledged
themselves. to her for the sake o.
position, intending to prevent hel
action, then they were knaves Of
more than average magnitude
They were responsible for her tum-
bic down the precipice.
An important element in the
queens description of her chosen
counsellors, is the way in which
she brands as lying knaves the
two most conspicuous witnesses on
her side, and the two most capa-
BILE and active of the quartette,
best acquainted with the actions of
all parties during those days of
January, and so best able to testify
for her. Colburn and Peterson are
the two men who were rushing
back and forth between the Palace,
the Government House, and W. o.
Smiths Office all Saturday after
noon. 1t is their testimony about
the early proceedings of the Com
mittee of Safety that is supposed
to be most damaging to the latter.
1t is they who tell what dishonor-
able proposals were made them by
Thurston. Colburn has figured
largely in American papers as a
clamorous witness in behalf of his
ex-royal mistress. And now she
turns upon her jealous witness and
denounces him as chief traitor and
liar. There is no occasion to con-
trovert her estimate of her own
man, nor to try to mitigate the
force of her verdict against her own
chief witness. One may be content
to accept her undoubtedly we'll
founded opinion of him, and also
of Peterson, as well as of the other
two eminent statesmen, Parker and
Cornwell, who are known to figure
conspicuously in Mr.. Blount's valu-
able collection of evidence against
Mr.. Stevens.
The whole story is useful as a
of what kind of timber
this queen was accustomed to build
cabinets out of, and what grade and
style of men she considered good |
enough to run the Government of !
Hawaii. Here is a set of men whom
she brands as towards, liars and
,raitors. Yet they were the men of
ler special choice, selected to man
lge the affairs Of the kingdom at a
most critical period and under the
most perilous conditions, as she
herself recognized when she ordered
Wilson and Nowlein to be ready
against outbreak. For the sake of
having such servants she got the
legislature to fire out the eminent
y capable ministers who preceded
hem. The former Cabinet were
III men of success in business
lffairs, and all men thoroughly re-
led upon in matters of private
rust. In the new Cabinet there
vas not single man to whom any
'erson of intelligence would confde
ny important private trust what
yer. And the ex-queen now brands
hem all as above described.
Such was the government by de-
enerate Hawaiian royalty, from
,hich we have emerged. Such is
he monarchy that Mr.. Gresham
as threatened to replace over us.
f it is done it is highly probable
nat it will be done only over
erv large number of the dead