The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-08-16
FIRST AND GREATEST
CHIEF RULER in HAWAII
History Suggested By Bronze Figure on
Daily View Here.

The main pubic buildings mere with
their contents will long continue as at
present and always during their lasting
will hold the interest OF the resident and
command the attention OF the visitor. The
structures are modern and substantial
and well situated. They are adapted to
administrative uses and for long time
will require but small alteration. The
beauty of the Executive Building and its
historical halo combine to make 1t really
one of the notable Government houses OF
the world. Across the way from the Ex-
ecutive Building is the Judiciary Building.
having within its walls the chambers OF
the Circuit and Supreme courts, the land
sfiice, the tax office, the bureau Of regis
tration, the Office of the Board of Health,
the Office of the Commissioners of Educa-
ton, the Bureau of Agriculture, the I'm
migration Bureau. The grounds are not
so lovely as those of the former Palace,
facing.
In front OF the low-lying Judiciary
building. on a heavy pedestal IL the figure
of n dark man, with an appraised arm and
the majesty of his attitude accentuated
by the golden or yellow cloak of the
ancient Hawaiian ALI or chief of high
ha !, the Great. He will always be re-
garded as the first OF Polynesians. In
him were nicely put and carefully bal
anced about all the elements that few
times in a century make one man the
superior of all his fellows. Truly he was
Of Kingly quality and esteem OF him will
grow apace as time confirms and deepens
the impression of his might In statecraft
and war. lie was conquerer. but at the
same time a man of the people. Kane
hameha has his place in the history Of
the ages and deserved 1t and earned II
and will hold II.
Thoughts and emotions are quickened In
the presence of the reproduction of the
figure of this man. Tribute by all is read
lily and willingly rendered.
Those who look upon the statue consid-
err 1t perfect work OF art. 1t is the
product of the most discerning and best
trained designing and OF the highest man
ufacture or constructive skill 1t has an
odd fault, but one that does not at all
detract and that IL seldom noticed-pcr-
haps almost forgotten. The artist famil-
iarized himself with the Hawaiian type
of physique and there Is besides every
reason to be assured that the likeness Of
the subject IL excellent In every detail
The flaw IL with the appraised hand. The
the palm of the hand downward. In this
case the palm Is upward.
The statue at the Judiciary building Is
replica. The original Is In the district
of Kohala, Island OF Hawaii. The orig
inal was shipped from Europe in the YES
sci @. +. liaendei, which put INTO Port
Stanley, Falkland Islands, in distress.
The Haendal left her bones down there
and the statue Of kamehameha was
brought up from the sea with other
pieces of cargo and wreckage. chandl-
placed 1t In front of his establishment,
little thinking that II would In "A later
time go to the far-Off Islands to which IL
was first consigned.
on March ~. 1852. the British ship Earl
of Dalhousie arrived in Honolulu and the
rumor soon spead about that II had aboard
the damaged and lost and recovered
statue of Kamehameha. Those who Wis
tied the vessel saw the great piece of
work In the captains cabin, something
the worse for the wear and mutlated
hand quite prominent The captains story
was that he had called at the Falkland
Islands for provisions and had seen the
statue In front OF "A Junk shop" As IL
was known that he was on a voyage to
Honolulu. he was urged to buy the figure
on speculation. This he did after much
haggling, At the time of the visit here
OF the ship Earl OF Dalhousle. w. n.
Armstrong was acting Minister of the In
terror and determined to secure the statue
for the Government. The captain first
asked 5000 for his treasure but finally
accepted $1,000 Public opinion heartily
endorsed this transaction and while there
was no appropriation for such a purpose,
proper arrangements were made and the
money paid at once. The captain ad-
mitted that he had bought the bronze
from the chandler in Falkland Islands for
$500 The statue was set up on Hawaii
with much ceremony under the direction
Of Kalakaua, the late king.
The replica, now standing In front OF
the Judiciary building. was received in
Honolulu per the ship Aberaman. Febru-
airy, 3, 1883.
son, so long moving, striking and ac-
tive figure in the court of Kalakaua. that
the idea OF statue to Eamehameha first
occurred Mr.. Gibson had almost ven
Grafton for the founder OF the remarkable
dynasty. 1t was July 80, 1878, that Mr..
Gibson as member OF the Cabinet offered
In the Legislature the following, which
was at once adopted:
Resolved, That the sum of $4,000 he in
serted in the appropriation bill, for a
monument to commemorate this centen-
NAL year OF discovery and that n COM
mttee OF five members of this assembly,
are hereby appointed as centennial com
mttee to determine the kind of monu-
ment and to take charge of the expendi-
lure OF the appr9pria T8n NJ c,psor
Alolani Hale July 3d. 1878
The resolution was seconded by w. r.
Castle
Those named for service on the com.
nlttce Were; Walter Murray Gibson, A.
;. Cleghorn, John NJ. Kapena, Simon X
kaai and Jos. X. Nawahi. These were
lhe eloquent remarks OF Mr.. Gibson
speaking to his resolutions:
- DO not wish 10 see the Assembly OF
ieS close without saying a word in be
nan OF the commemoration of the intro
dncuon OF this archipelago TO the knowl
,uss OF the clNli2ed world, one hundre,
YEAR ago J snall regret, ana feel tina
an .nouthtiul friends Of IIawaiians would
cry pass by without notice.
,Ihere are those who VIII sucer at THU
Sommetnorauon, as there are many TO Il,
found who Will mock at every gontImen
and every hope that is not immediatel,
productive OF some result in the shane n
uollars. But what do ask you to com
You, representatives OF the people gath
cred here in orderly assembiage-in hi
noble hall. panoplied with the insignia