The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-01-16

deliberate will to override in a
few days" the law which secures
the rights and guarantees the lib
critics of all of us. To the people
assembled before the Palace she
complained of the perfdy of her
Ministers and told them that she
would give them the Constitution
she had promised, at the earliest
opportunity. How long is "a few
days?" When will "the earliest
opportunity" arrive? Is it to be
this afternoon or tonight, or will
the readers of this paper this
morning find the city already
in the hands Of law breakers, the
Constitution set aside, leading citi-
zens under arrest and the town I'M
der martial law? These things
may or may not be done. WHAT'S
certain is, that they are all part
and parcel of the deliberately ex-
pressed will of the Queen, to be ex-
ecuted Sin a few days"
There is no blinking a situation
like this. It's features are unmis-
taxable. 1t is a condition of an
archy, pure and simple. No one
can know when the intended, the
openly promised coup will take
place. The blow may fall at any
day or hour. 1t is simply a ques
ton of force.
What, then, is the duty of citi
zens in a situation like this? 1t
would be the madness of utter folly
to imagine that the crisis had
passed. 1t is here and now. The
party of revolution is holding con-
slant consultations. 1t at
tempted Saturday to overthrow
the law; it plotted to do so
yesterday, and it will conspire
again to-day. In such an emer-
gency the course marked out for
every law abiding citizen, for every
man who "knows his rights and
knowing dares maintain" is per-
fectly clear. He must resist aggres-
sion, passively if he may, actively
if he must. All rights, in the last
analysis, rest upon force, and those
who are not determined to uphold
them at all events, are at the mercy
of every usurper. Rights are not
rights, which people are not ready
to fight for, and if we hold ours at
so cheap purchase that we are
willing to risk nothing for their
preservation, we deserve to lose
them and Will.
This day is critical one for Ha-
wall. A mass meeting has been
called at the Rifles Armory, and
it should be attended by every citi-
zen of whatever blood or belief
who wishes to uphold his rights as
a freeman. We are not counselling
to any deeds of lawlessness or VIC
lence. This meeting is called tc
maintain the laws, not to see then
at defiance, and it's purposes are
peaceable and lawful. Those who
resist aggression by every NEAR
which may be necessary, are no
breakers but upholders of the law
and are discharging a duty which
devolves upon every good citizen
In the case at issue, we have
every reason for resisting revolu
ton which man can have. TIL
material prosperity of the islands
the stability of its government, tn
security of life and property unde
its laws, the maintenance of it
credit at home and abroad, ar
all jeopardized by this rebellion
against the law, and they all de
mand that it should be put down
But there is more at stake her
than mere money and goods. Their
are rights which must be preserves
at all hazards. Political libert
should be as dear to US as on
lives. The rights which attach t
US as members of a free and indie
pendent State are q part of GU
personality, of our self respec
of our very being, and we cannc
submit to lose them without losin
our honor too. We cannot 81
tamely by md be shorn of GU
liberties by q treacherous woman
as Samson was shorn of hi
strength. Self interest and Sc
| respect, regard for our material ii
terests as well as love of homo
prescribe a single course. If W
do not follow it, these days viii h
Inrr nf humiliation hnf IL We d