The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-06-01

1here was no po1np or ceremony
observed in the opening of the Con-
stitutional Convention Wednesday.
The hall in the Judiciary building
formerly used as the meeting place
of the Legislature was crowded,
and great interest was taken in the
proceedings. By half-past 10, the
room was fairly well filled, and at
II o'clock, the time set for the
Convention 70 meet, there was not
a seat to be had and the doors and
corridors were crowded.
Promptly at II o'clock the mem
bers of the Convention entered and
took their seats. After a prayer
by the Rev. H. H. Parker, Presi
dent Dole gave the following ad-
dress:
COUNCILLORS AND DELEGATES, MEM
BERs OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION, 1894:
In calling the Convention to order,
ask your attention to some matters
relating to the work for which you
have come together.
The delay which the project of po-
litical union between Hawaii and the
United States of America has expert
enced has brought up the question of
modifying the present provisional sys-
tenn in order to give the Government
q permanent form, aud to more fully
introduce the principle of representa-
tion by the people.
The subject has been carefully con-
sidered, both from the standpoint of
the responsibility of the Executive
and Advisory Councils, and that of
the rights of the people and the ne
cessities of the case; and while such
a change is imperatively demanded
by an intelligent public sentiment, it
also appears cohsonant with our sltua-
ton, which is naturally favorable TO
the growth of free institutions.
This being conceded 1t became nec-
essary to decide whether to reach the
desired result by taking the present
that, or by wholly reorganizirg the
Government.
The latter method was adopted as
giving more freedom of action and
better opportunity for establishing a
system suited to national conditions.
The question of the composition of
the Convention to be called for max
ing new constitution was peTplex
e. A., "A 4 .
have direct popular representation to
as great an extent as might be possi-
ble, the Councils felt that they could
no, consistently with the trust i'm
posed upon them by the proclamation
Of January 18th, 1898, relInquish to
other hands the whole responsibility
in an enterprise so vital to the future
welfare of the country. 1t was there
fore decided to cOutide the work 10
body made up of the Councils and
elected delegates.
/ need hardly remind you Of the
difficult and delicate character of the
duty which the Convention is called
upon to perform. The monarchy, af-
ter period of decadence which was
threatening and prejudicial to all pub
lie and private interests, came to
logical end-through its own plot to
turn back the movement of public
progress and to sunjugate all national
energies and aspirations in the inter
est of despotism.
This attempt conferred upon that
portion of the community who Were
L. sympathy with the political devel-
opment of the State as an organiza-
tiOn, both the right and the duty to
intercept the threatened retrOgrade
movement; for no part of a nation
which has made progress in civiliza-
ton has right to drag the other part
back To bdrbarism; and no ruler has
the right TO initiate such a relapse, re-
lying upon the Indifference or want of
political sense OF portion of the
population. Those who submit with
out protest to such a scheme, thereby
confess their inability to accomplish
or defend their own civilization, and
surrender the task to those who are
willing to do it for them.
There il, therefore, in the assump-
tion of power in such crisis by those
who would protect aud foster the civil
progress of the State, no violation of
the rights of those conspiring against
such progress, or of those who may
contemplate such conspiracy with
helpless Indifference because unable
to understand the magnitude of the
injury with which they are threat
ened.
The Provisional Government thus
springing from the ruins of the mon
archy has administered public affairs
until the time has now come to read
just the civil system upon more rep
resentative lines.
The work of making a constitution
for the government of these islands
upon a republican basis is oeset with
perplexing questions which require for
their solution a large degree of patri
Otisni, wisdom, industry and courage.
To express in constitution and
laws the political ideas of a people
with a common origin, common re-
hgi0n aud common purpose is an
easy task in comparison with that #
formulating a system for the govern