St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-03-27
HAWAII, THE "PEARL OF THE
PACIFIC"
The Eleventh of Series Of Letters by
John K. Musick.

John r. Musick.
downright, 1896, by Funk & Wagnalls
Company, New York.
The feeling is still too bitter be-
tween the republicans or P. G.'s, as
they are contemptuously called by
their enemies, and the royalists for
the exact truth as to the overthrow
OF the monarchy to be obtained. The
political feeling here is at about the
heat it was in the United States in
1866. The royalists still call the
government PROVISIONAL" and re-
fuse to recognize it.
To understand the cause OF the
overthrow of monarchy one must
have some kno Wedge of the history
of Hawaii. In the latter part of the
18th century powerful chief OF
Hawaii, known as Kamehameha,
captured two American sailors named
Davis and Young. The latter was a
boatswain on the Boston frigate
Eleanor, the former on little sloop,
the Fair American. The latter YES
sci was seized, it's captain and crew,
with the exception OF Davis, killed,
and it's cannon taken on shore.
Young and Davis, being expert gun
ners, were spared to manage the ar
tillery for Kamehameha, who at once
began the conquest of the whole
group of islands. The two Ameri-
calls were his generals, they married
the daughters of chiefs or princes, and
were given high Offices.
After several years of war all the
Sandwich Islands were conquered,
and Kamehameha declared king over
all. He was succeeded by four direct
descendants known as Kamehameha
H., ILL.,, w., V. The natives having
abolished idolatry, in the year 1920
the missionaries sent by the Ameri-
can Board of Missions came to con-
vert them. They were kindly received
by the natives, but by this time the
islands had become rendezvous for
whaling vessels, whose officers and
crews were lewd. lawless men, and
they objected to the restraints of re-
ligion and decency.
The missionaries, however, had
come to stay, and, in an earnest
manner, began the conversion of the
heather. They were often threatened
by the lawless sailors, who regarded
their upright lives as standing re-
Duke to their own immortality. But,
in spite Of all threats and danger,
the missionaries held their ground.
They had the respect and confidence
of the kings, who remained their
friends, and the cause of Christianity
advanced until all of the islands were
brought under its sway. Mission
aries who came to the islands young
men, raised families of children, grew
old, and died. Children born on the
islands grew up, died, and left chill.
dren, natural born Hawaiians, the
same as any American citizen today
is an American.
The business interests ofthe islands
soon began to attract the attention
of the world. Americans came to en-
gage in agriculture or mercantile
pursuits. These dots on the face of
the globe assumed great Importance,
and the English, always jealous of
any advance of Americans in the &C.
QUESTION of territory, began to turn
their attention toward the islands.
AS the American Congregationalists
and Presbyterians had succeeded 80
well, the Church Of England, from
purely political motives it is claimed,
began religious conquest of the
islands. From this time on there
was a struggle between Americans
and English to control the ruling
monarchs.
Kamehameha III. gave the people
the first liberal constitution. All the
Kamehamehas seem to have been
friendly to the Americans, as they
were probably under the influence OF
Young and Davis and their descend
ants.
The anti-missionary party in time
became the anti-American party.
History shows how England has
sought in the past to get control oil
the islands, and how she objected to
the annexation of them to the United
States during the forties, as the trade
at that time with the United States
was increasing in proportions that
alarmed her.
The direct line of Kamehamehas
ended with Kamehameha V. After
one or two short reigns, David Kali
akaua was elected king. Though a
dissoute man, with many weakness
es, he seems ohave had an idea ofius.
tice and right. But he tried to please