The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-04-17
Nuts to Crack.
ItDIroR BULLETIN

As long as the "Bill Of Rights"
conferred by kamehameha Ill. was
in force, and the Constitution grant
eel by him and accepted by the peo
pie was the palladium Of our free
dom, the boast Of Kamehameha l.,
the, great Conqueror and UniGer Of
the group, was true--"the weakest
sleep by the wayside unmolested."
An arbitrary King abrogated that
model Constitution, and forced upon
an unconsulted and sullen people a
Constitution that deprived them of
certain powers which he assumed
and arrogated to himself. Many OF
our sagacious and far-seeing fellow
subjects never formally accepted al.
legiance to him under il, tho they
may have quietly submitted to take
the limited liberty left to them,
awaiting further developments. A
selfish, weak and misguided success.
sor on the throne stretched his pre-.
rogative till the suffering nation
could endure their wrongs no longer
with patience. A way to secure
changes aud amendments had been
provided even ia that one.sided
Constitution" but neither that nor
the manner prescribed in the pre-
yious one was adopted. This vacil.
lating King, who possessed no moral
courage, was overawed, and induced
, to promulgate a substitute which
had been prepared--wben, where or
by whom II has not been claimed to
this day. That the charge is true
OF his want OF personal courage and
the pluck to go through any serious
danger or trouble il shown by his
course at the time OF his election
II was then reported that while his
friends and supporters were under.
going that murderous assault at the
Parliament Hall, he was insisting
with his personal friends that he
wished to give up the contest to
save his own life. IL may be- n ques.
ton whether the movers leading in
the revolution OF 1887 relied on this
quality, or rather characteristic,
when they induced him to announce,
and act instantly upon a presump.
tuous and utterly false claim.
With abdication, as the probable
alternative, the King was led to as.
sert, that "by virtue Of the authority
vested in me, | hereby abrogate the
Constitution OF the Hawaiian Isl.
ands and proclaim the following as
the Supreme Law Of the land" His
successor (constitutionally so by the
provision Of this compromise ar.
ranged by no deliberative assembly
duly organized for the purpose) lost
crown and throne for an announced
wish to amend this foundling of
spring OF u putatiye father-a desire
aud intention, not a completed act.
Here is dilemma with big d., on
one horn is a vacant throne, and an
uncrowned monarch; on the other a
triumphant Council, the cynosure
Of a scrutinizing nation and wait
ing world. This is now seeking the
endorsement Of the people, but its
method is open to friendly criticism.
The Councils propose to retain the
control Of the endorsing party. The
example Of the United States, in the
formation Of its first Constitutional
Convention, is not followed or refer
red to--a convention "whose work" "
Mr.. Gladstone says, sis the most
wonderful ever struck of at a given
time by the brain and purpose OF
man That met at anot her and dis
tant city while Congress was in ses-
sion that it might be under no re-
straint or undue influence; and,
ignoring Congress, its results were
boldly submitted to the acceptance
OF the rejection OF the confederate
but individual States. This would
be like the assembly Of our chosen
delegates at Wsiluku.
As the proposed convention will
have only a small minority of its
members direct from the people
cumulative voting will not be- feast
ble), it may fairly be expected that
the majority will yield to the right
OF those concerned to accept or re-
ject the result by a "yes" or "no''
ballot to be cast by Hawaiian sub
ject.citizens, They only, influenced
it may be, but not dictated TO by any
class, are competent to declare the
measure of their rights and liber-
ties. An autocrat may dole out
favors to his subjects by degrees,
but that only breeds nihllism. An
imperial ruler may be more liberal,
but his subjects are in a chronic
state OF dissatisfaction, till even the
firmest throne on earth may be at
tackled through its hereditary prop.
The citizens OF Hawaii are now,
providentially, without a standard
by which to adjust their mutual SO
cial, moral and legal relations. II
the whole people are allowed to ac-
cept body Of compromises land that
is just what constitution is), they
cannot afterward complain, as they
will OF course provide for future adj
justments by establishing the man
ner in which amendments eau he
added.
"The powers that be were ordain-
ed" for special purpose, aud ir-
Irregularities, il such there were, have
been "winked at," for they have been