The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-04-10
CONTINUED from Ist Pdge.)

he did not want to be treated like
negro. The proposed oath would
deprive them Of their liberty. A
man who took that oath would put
chain about his neck. There was
no law to compel them to vote, no
penalty upon them If they neglected
to vote. Why was it that all the
otfice-bolders had registered? Sim
ply to hold their places. Their hopes
for justice from the United States
we're not yet extinct; their appeal
was still pending at Washington.
JOHN PHILLIPS said it was not his
intention to speak until two hours
previously. He supposed he had
consented out of what Mr.. Castle
had once called his good-natured
simplicity. Other speakers had had
two or three days to prepare, while
he had but two hours. Therefore
his remarks would be- brief. Besides
what one speaker said would likely
cover what others would have said.
They were met to protest against
the constitutional convention cleo
ton. BY the cumulative vote pro-
vided for, the Government could Sc
cure complete control of the CON
vention. For all necessary purposes
the President might stand on the
steps Of the Executive building and
read that constitution out clause by
clause, because we believe the result
would be the same with the excep.
ton OF a few minor details. He saw
no reasonable objection to having
all the 30 members elected by the
people, for possibly no harm would
come TO the Government by that
process. As he had told one high in
the councils OF the Government, il
was a literal impossibility for the
Reform party to hold power any
length Of time. IL would fall by the
weight of its component parts.
What we want Is peaceable govern
ment by the people in this country.
tApplause.) We do not like to see
armed guards travelling about the
streets all hours of the day and
night. (Applause.) And we believe
that the way to prevent this is to
have free, representative govern
ment. (Applause.) Those who have
had time to prepare their speeches
can avoid saying anything Of a sedi-
tious nature, but II l keep on speak
ing without preparation I will be
liable to say something to cause my
arrest for sedition. (Laughter) Now,
all i would say is this, gentlemen Of
the Provisional Government, give us
a free, untranmeled vote In this
constitutional convention, and we
arc with you. (Applause.)
The band here played a selection.
&. W. ASHFORD said: We have not
come here to call vile names. am
not going to say anything against
the gentlemen OF the Provisional
Government, for they are nearly all
my personal friends, and they are
doing all they can to make the best
OF bad job. Uaughter.) II Is not
abuse they need, but sympathy.
They have bitten of more than they
can chew and are liable to get lock.
jaw. uaughter) ! am going To
give you some good American and
British doctrine, and when that is
sifted down il means good Hawaiian
doctrine. ! have always lived in a
free government until the 18th OF
January, 1893 American doctrine
~ found in the Declaration Of Indie.
pendence is that government has
only a right To exist with the con-
sent OF the governed. British
doctrine is practically the same,
whatever IL was a century ago.
Those gentlemen have proceeded
with this constitutional convention
on the plan Of a Mexican Congress.
(Laugbter) They are too prudent
to go before the people. Therefore
they propose To hold a constitu-
tional convention, Of which a mai.
GRITTY is declared elected already.
And elected by whom, BY them.
selves. There was n constitutional
ia California in 1879.
Would the people Of California have
To the Legislature having
enacted that itself was To constitute
the majority Of the convention?
(Noices--"Not much.") This Gov
ernment is not beyond the pale at
although ! have no doubt
some OF its members would like To
have IL placed beyond criticism.
We are not compelled to take the
oath or to vote for such a conven-
ton. The Provisional Government
has not yet made il a crime to do
nothing. uaughter.) suppose il
tho Attorney General knew that the
would be- guided by such
deviltry as to refuse to register, he
would have put clause in the Act
To make it n crime TO do nothing.
Laughterl The speaker then took
up the question Of foreign citizen
ship as Affected by tho oath, express
ing doubt OF the Attorney Generals
OF the law. No cousti-
tuition in the American system had
ever been adopted without submis-
sion to the people. The Federal
after being prepared
by the convention at Philadelphia
was submitted To all the States for
ratification by their Legislatures.
Little Rhode Island was the last to
give in its assent. You remember
. revolution that took place about