Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-02-03
HAWAIIAN CONSTITUTIONS
Continued from 1st paqe.l

man, who graced the position
but did not exercise its author
ity or have much to do
with the affairs of the 1nte-
rior Department of which he was
Minister. The last Premier was
Victoria Kamamalu, the sister of
KamehamehaIV. who countersign-
ed his Royal Patents and Official
papers as matter of form. Kong
before her day the kings had hid
responsible Ministers who did The
actual work of the government,
and the office of Premier, not be-
ing snlaried, and not having poli-
teal importance in the subsequent
Constitution Of 1852, was dropped
altogether in the Constitution of
1864. Its existence was incom-
patible with that Of a responsible
Ministry under a Constitutional
Monarchy, and by process of
inverse evolution it did not sur
NlN6, uOU DtluS hI'
The Governors were important
personages in those days. They
were in sense Viceroys, but act
ed as sheritfs, also executing the
laws. There were four, one each
for Hawaii, Maui and adjacent
islands, for Oahu and Kauai and
adjacent island. They were sub
ject to the king. They had author
ity over the tax collectors and the
petty magistrates in their respec-
tive islands and appointed them.
They had charge of the forts,
arsenals, munitions of war, police
and soldiers of their respective
jurisdictions. They were to re-
ceive the taxes and pass them
over to the Premier. In times of
emergency his word controlled,
unless the King or Premier was
present. He must transact all
the kings business, have charge
of the taxes, public improvements,
the increase of wealth, and all
government officers shall be under
him. All authority on the island
was his except what was delegated
to others. Ii a Governor should
die, all the chiefs were to assem-
BILE at place to be designated by
the king and they should consult
together as to the successor, and
the one agreed upon unanimously
and commissioned by the king
should be the new Governor. In
this latter provision we again see
the great power of the chiefs. The
governorships at that time were
fat offices. They could easily get
all their simple wants satisfied by
either the enforced contribu-
tions of the people or by
the willing offerings of those
who knew the easiest road to
official favor. There was also a
certain general understanding as
to the succession. None but High
chiefs we're eligible and effort was
made to keep the governorship in
certain families. Some of the
young chiefs were early designat-
ed to fill different governorships.
But, like the Office of Kuhina
Nui, with the growth of courts of
justice, tax collectors responsible
to the Minister of Finance, sheriffs
responsible to the Marshal, and
the dismantling of the various
forts, and the centralizing of
power at the capital, Honolulu,
the Office became less and less
important until it was an honora-
ry position with a small salary,
nominating a few offices, and
Governors were often nonresident
on the islands of their juris-
dictions. Finally they died with
the monarchy on January II,
1898, and an Act re-establishing
them in 1890 was repealed by the
Legislature of the Provisional
Government.
The next subject is that of the
chiefs below the king. threads, SIN
the Council of the Chiefs, the fol
lowing are those now having the
right to discuss (decide) public
matters" They were Kameha-
meha III. (the king), Kekauluohi
(premier), Hoapiliwahine, Kua.
KIM, Kekauonohi, Paki and Ko.
MIA tparents of the late Mrs. Bis
hop), Keohokalole (mother of the
ex-queen), Leleiohoku, Kekuana
GA Gather of Kamehameha Nv
and W, Keliiahonui (son of the
last king of Kauai), Kanaina (fa
ther of Lunalilo), John Ii, Keon
| Ana (John Younp) and Haalilio