The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-18

1ouru on tile Islands.
Everybody here agrees that President
Dale is an exceedingly courteous, polished
gentleman, who is fulfilling the duties Of
his peculiarly difficult Office in highly
satisfactory manner. e is very digni-
| fed, handsome man. tall. with long gray
beard and silyer-gray hair. parted in the
middle.
All those about the Provisional Govern
ment building were exceedingly kind to me,
though they could not conceal their astoDish-
ment that the responsibility Of describing
the events of a great political crisis, the
details Of which will furnish material TO r
future historians, should have been In
| trusted to a woman.
On February the Hon. s. NJ. Damon was
chosen Vice-P President Of the Provisional
Government of the Hawaiian Islands by
the unanimous vote of the Executive and
Advisory councils. Mr.. Damon is one Of
the leading American residents of Hawaii,
and is man who is highly respected and
| holds the confidence OF all classes Of people,
natives and foreigners alike. His addition
to the Government gives it further strength
and greatly increases business confidence,
as Mr.. Damon is one of the firm Of Bishop
& Co., bankers. and is " ell known as a man
Of fac executive ability.
Pending negotiations at Washington re-
garding anneXation-or. if not that, the es-
tablishment Of a perpetual protectOrate-
the Government Is thoroughly reorganiZlug g
the military, to be hereafter known as the
National Guard Of Hawaii. The object of
this thorough reorganization is TO be fully
prepared for the unexpected in event of any
delay in the action to be taken by the
United States The strength Of the new
guard will be for the present as follows
One company Of regular infantry OF 100
men, three companies of volunteers of 120
men each, and one company of artillery of
six pieces viz: four brass field-pieces and
two GatlDg guns. The artillery company
will be composed O. a body of trained sharp
shooters. The entire force will be armed
and equipped under the army regulations Of
the United States, whose military tactics
will also be adopted. Orders for all the ac-
couterments above mentioned and for one
half Of the uniforms will 90 forward by
to-day's steamer to the United States.
In her private residence. to which she
retired from the palace, the Queen is rest
ing quietly. She has very few adherents,
who make ur, however. in loud-mouthed
zeal what they lack in numbers and dscre-
tiOn. They are more than glad to take up
the story OF the Boston outrage" from the
moment Minister Stevens landed marines
from that ship in the streets of Honolulu,
but they are apt TO pass over the arbitrary
act of the Queen in attempting to force a
new constitution on the people which LED to
Mr.. Stevens action.
The ex-Queen is surrounded by guard
Of sixteen Kanaka soldiers, and with few
trnsty retainers Is awaiting word from
Washington. She conveyed through her
chamberlain a courteous greeting to The
Calls correspondent and thanks for the
interest shown, and the chamberlain stated
that she is very well and kindly treated by
the Provisional Government, the only
restrictions placed being in the display Of
the royal flag. Her officers, for her, deny
emphaticaliy that she has appealed to Eng
land for aid.
The Provisional Government owing to
numerous scandals which have repeatedly
clustered around the Custom-hOuse officials
since the death of King Kalakaua, and
even before have wisely determined 10
thoroughly investigate this branch Of the
revenue service. The Government is m0v-
ing secretly In the matter, and VIII begin Op-
erationS early next week by placing the
CustOn-h house i q the hands and under the
exclusive control and management Of Hon.
w. T. Allen. member of the Advisory COun-
ell and several years sgo Collector General
OF Customs under Hawaiian rale. The
Government has decided TO remove all offi-
cials, including A. s. CleghoTn, present
Collector. during the progress Of the in
YestigatiOn. Only those who come out of
the test with clean skirts will have any show
of reappointment. and even those will prob
ably be restricted to few sub-officials.
The frequent opium scandals connected
with the heads of the department are al
most certain to cause their removal in any
event, as the Government proposes to put
a stop to the opium traffic hereafter by he
roc measures II necessary, and by all
means TO start the Custom-hOuse on its new
path without charge standing against any
of its officials. The present customs Off
cials are ignorant of the contemplated
movement. and will first lie notified thereof
by their removal.
saw Colonel Cleghorn at his Office. He
was evidently unaware of the intention Of
the Government TO suspend him from Office,
pending an investigation of the Custom
house de denied that he has any brother
OF representative of himself or the young
Princess in the United States, and expires sed
great amusement at the phantom relative
whom the enterprising Chicago papers hur-
ried across the continent ahead of the dele
CATION from the Provisional Government.
Colonel Cleghorn states that Liliu okalani
has expressed herself as willing to abdcate
in favor Of her niece, should a prOtect0rate
be established.
Since the 18th of January the island Of
Oahu and the city Of Honolulu have been
under martial law, at least n0minaly so.
AS soon, however. as possible alter the
American protectorate was proclaimed, on
February l, an order was passed by the
Advisory Council restoring the right Of the
writ Of habeas corpus and suspendng mar
tial law from and after 12 o'clock noon of
February 3.
On and after February 13 the sessions of
the Advisory Council of the Provisional
Government. which have heretofore been
conducted with closed doors, will be opened
to repre- sentatives of the press.
The scandalous opium license passed at
the last Legislature is now being consid-
cred by the council, and tie determination
has already been reached to kill the meas
ure. 4 new bill has Been prepared by the
Government and has passed first reading,
which virtually re-enacts the old prohibitiye
law, with some stringent amendments that
will make Ii much more effective in its
operations against Opum-smugg ing, either
within or without official circles The
measure is aimed at the general prevalence
OF official corruption which has existed here
for five years past
The Provisional Government has already
repealed the obnoxious lottery law and is
evidently bent Oh reforms which are heart
lily desired BY all who have the best inter
ests of the Islands at heart. Among other
things. commission has been appointed TO
investigate certain charges brought against
the Board Of Health. concerning alleged
swindles perpetrated by contractors fur
nishlng supplies to lepers and to the de-