The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-08
Mr., JULIUS A, PALMER JR.
HIS "MEMORIEs OF HAWAII
ABLY REVIEWED.
citations of His Many Misstate-
ments of Fact.

letters written from San Francisco and
Honolulu by Capt Julius A. Palmer, Jr.,
as special correspondent of the Boston
Transcript, between January 3D. and
March 10Th of the present year. In these
letters he undertakes to investigate and
give just conclusions about the ques-
tions at issue in the late revolution in
Hawaii. The importance of these
letters, if any, lies in their publication
by so influential paper as the Trans
cript.
Captain Palmer frequently recurs to
the value of his early acquaintance
with the Islands, obtained by few
months sojourn in Honolulu in 1867.
He also supports the value of his CORE
spondence by the declaration that,
"In thirty years miscellaneous contri-
buttons to the press, often severely at
tackled, the essential truth of my state
ments has never been impeached.'
1t is to be feared that Captain Palmer
will not be able to escape successful i'm
parchment of the truth of n number of
important statements made in these
letters. His letters bristle with minor
blunders. No attention need be given
to those. He deserves to be credited
with manifestly honest effort in
his earlier letters, to present
accurately the opinions and statements
received from various persons met in
San Francisco and at the beginning of
his sujourn in Honolulu. During those
weeks he bears himself as an impartial
investigator. He then seems rather
suddenly to choose his side with the
Royalists, and with a singular credulity
TO accept as facts whatever statements
they make 10 him.
A majority of these misstatements
occur in his defense of the character
and actions of the queen. They give
the impression of having been derived
directly from the lady herself, or from
her immediate adherents. Chief perhaps
among these misstatements are those
about the Queens connection with the
Lottery bill. eyes, it has been shown
me that this measure was carried
through both Houses, Endorsed by the
Ministry; in fact, made IA law contrary
TO her wishes" Up. 1900. He slys again;
The Lottery bill was advised by many
OF the merchants and first citizens in
signed petitions Up. 113). 1.-THE Queen
was told by the Ministry that she could
not veto it without giving incontestable
reasons" Up. 1l3). "Actuated by a de-
sire to use the license money in the EN-
ployment of the idle on public works
the Queen acceded to their petitions
Up. 129),
The well-known history, fully acces
slide to Mr.. Palmer, was that the
Lottery bill was carried on the 18th OF
January by vote of 90 to 90, only on,
white man voting for it, all four Of Thu
Ministers rOting against 1t. Two more
white men joined the natives the mex
day, making the twenty-five necessary
to remove that Cabinet.
So far from the merchants or citizens
generally favoring the lottery, thu
Chamber of Commerce sent the Queer
unanimous and almost violent protes
against it. The alleged petitions in it
favor were signed in August, six month
before, under secret canvass mad
before it was publicly Known that
lottery was ever proposed. A violen
opposition Immediately sprung up i
which large number OF those signer
Joined. The bill was shelved until sud
denly resusctated at the latest momen
by the Queens own agency.
There was nothing in the consttutio
to prevent the Queen from vetOing tn
bill ii she chose. She did not choos,
1t was, in fact, her own pet measure, a
is now lpcontestably known, althoug
she chose 10 dissemble her interest in
TO the ladies who waited on her to as
her to veto it.
Mr.. Palmer also adopts without IN
quiry the following utterly false and III
founded statement about Mr.. w. i
Castle, OF which the latter gentlema
has sent refutation to the Bosto
papers:
Further, when the means Of this il
stituton (Kawaiahao Seminary wei
insufficient, the managers went to H'
Majesty; she heard their story, an
drew seventeen thousand dollars fro
her own funds, which she gave to the
for investment, the income to be us'
for their good. What was done vii
this sum- 1t was put into constructiC
bonds of plantation railroad compan
from which no income has been derive
and on which probably not cent
income will ever be paid; and the mi
who was responsible for the loss to Il
Queen OF her intended beneyolence, al
to the seminary for its fund, was one
the commissioners who hurried
Washington with the anneXati
treaty." Up. 1920.
The Queen never gave any sum
that sort for the use Of that seminar
No manager or agent OF that school eN
invested any of its money in any railro
or construction bonds or stocks I
whole story is a purely gratuitous
vention, which Captain Palmer open
his mouth wide and swallowed.
what value are the investigations a
conclusions of such correspondent?
Captain Palmer treats with +
contempt all imputations against
Queens personal character, and
charges against her OF idolatrous pr
tees. 1t is unnecessary here to disc
those questions. They are unessen
to the main issue. But the value OF
opinion upon any such question OF
may be estimated by the extreme or
t,ilfv uhoNa chou-n hv him in