The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-21

BOOK
THE HAWAIIAN Ex-QUEEN TRIES
HER HAND AT LITERATURE.
Both an Argument from History and
"A Plea for Mercy to n Fading Pco-
ple-Rather CreditabIe Work.


Queen Victorias golden jubilee five years
ago reigning queen, undauntedly battling
for the preservation of her peoples ma
tionality; and to-day a widowed exile, en-
feebled by Imprisonment, although I'M
broken in spirit; with but three of all her
subjects in her train; with the crown lands,
her constitutionally inalienable property,
in the hands of her enemies and openly
offered to the United States, Lilliuokalani
of Hawaii may we'll claim to be schooled in
adversely. Never, however was deposed
monarch less inclined to submission, and
never had one a stranger tale to tell.
Judged by missionary report, the Ha-
waiian princes were the most agreeable saw
ages that ever fell to the lot of an evangel-
list. They accepted the gospel for them
selves; they permitted their children to ac-
quire the learning of the Americans, and
displayed so much tractability that mis-
sionary after missionary decided that the
further work of conversion might safely be
left to Providence, and, Withdrawing his
own assistance, went into trade wherein
he almost invariably prospered. The new
converts both royal and subject, retained
their admirable savage habit of serving
their friends without expectation of re-
ward, and never accepted the American
theory that the son of a benefactor has no
claim upon the gratitude of the beneficiary.
So labor was cheap, and the missionaries
sons found the favor of the monarchS con-
tinued to them. They acquired land, they
traded, and they also acquired fine con-
tempt for those by whom they profited,
and were highly scandalized when the edu-
Gated princes and princesses showed a dis
position to apply their knowledge to
strengthening the national spirit. Still, I'M
til the extinction of the Kamehameha line,
the foreigners were fairly content with the
submissiveness of the sovereigns.
Kamehameha III set a brilliant example
before his successors by changing the en-
tire system of land tenures, thus giving
his subjects and his high chiefs the liberty
to sell their acres if so disposed, and he
divided the royal allotment with his cab
met thus inSuring it revenue equal to
his own and making it entirely Independent
of him. In return, the missionaries per-
mitted him to insert clause in the new
constitution whereby the crown lands be-
came the personal property of the king and
his successors. and Mr.. Dole has admitted
ton, and this clause was respected until
a form of abdication was extorted from
Queen Liliuokalani The treaty was signed
while in durance. and the form used, Lii
iuokalani Dominis,'' was illegal, the regal
signature being Liliuokalani r., and the.
name officially used by the republic being
Liliuokalani of Hawaii, but even had it
been legal, a Judgment of the Hawaii Su-
preme Court gives the land forever to the
heirs of the sovereign, and she is kala-
kauas sole heir. The republic judges other
WISE keeps the kingdom and reckons the
lands as it's own possession
AMIABLE RULERS.
Kamehameha w, although he retained
his royal power of life and death, even as
the Ameer of Afghanistan retains his, was
upon the whole not amiss in foreign eyes,
and his wife, Queen Emma, who visited
England after his death, was the idol Of
English missionary societies. Kamehameha
" was tractable; Lunalilo, the scapegrace
of the line, did not add the sin Of self-wilI
to his other peccadilloes and upon the
whole the missionary party found no rea-
son to expostulate with heaven until the
accession of the Keaweaheulu line in the
person of King Kalakaua, who had been
baptized David, and was not much easier
to govern than the original bearer of the
name. In Hawaiian eyes, he was patriotic
working steadily and devotedly for his peo-
pie, making long Journeys in their behalf;
consulting other rulers as to the best modes
of government and effecting treaties highly
beneficial to them; indulging them with the
splendorS of a coronation ceremony, and
thus convincing the simple outlying island
ers of his regal dignity. The missionaries
found him highly troublesome. National
ideas, popular talk of Hawaii for the Ha-
waiians; the royal disposition to spend the
royal income not only in the creation and
endowment of public charitable institutions
but also in making the Hawaians capable
of being their own legislators and ministers
struck them as disgusting and even inn
pious. Consequently, in 1887 they COM
PEELED the king to sign a constitution
whereby he was compelled to accept any
measure adopted by his cabinet, and to
dismiss his cabinet whatsoever the legis-
lature voted want of confidence" The un-
reasonable David did not enjoy reigning
after this fashion, and his sister attributes
his death to the notification and ankle
ties of his reign.
If ever, she says, there was a man who
was pure in spirit if ever there was a NOR
tai who had perfect charity, he was that
man. In spite of all the revilings uttered
against him, he never once opened his lips
to speak against another, whomsoever it
might be.
Her own reign began almost against her
will, for her brothers cabinet compelled
her to take the oath of office the very day
that his dead body was brought back on
the Charleston, on which he had embarked
for Washington to look after the interests
Of the sugar planters. However she very
soop found that her cabinet had no idea of
encouraging any Elzabethan proclivities
but intended to spare her the trouble of
responsibility. They had had some expert
ence of her keenness of mind when during
one of Kalakaua's absences, they had sug-
gested that a regent should be aided by
a council of regency, and she had replied
in substance that either or the other
seemed to her to be a Superfiuity. Again.
they had tested her by suggesting that
Kalakaua should be forced to abdicate and
offer had been repealed so Indignantly as
to make it evident that she believed in
the divine right of kings. 1t was evident
that travel in the United States and her
visit to England, together with years of
reading and association with the white
race had produced a princess not in the
smallest degree resembling the model KAN
ehameha III. This was not to be borne.
1t is very well to educate future sover-
eigns. incidentally teaching them frugality
and industry, by giving them bread and
molasses for supper and letting them for
age for themselves when the diet becomes
monotonous it is excellent to teach them
benevolence by inviting them to join all
manner of Dorcas Societies and other pious
clubs and allowing them to subscribe roy
ally; it is good to teach them to revere the
United States of America and to wear
American clothes, and it is best of all to
use them as instruments to control their
people. That they should profess to know
what is good for that people is intolerable.
No trust that had bought a governor and
found him disposed to act for himself could
have been more sadly grieVed than the
missionary party when they perceived
peal to the United States navy, and the
familiar chain of incidents which ended in
her present visit to the United States, and
the signing of the treaty now before the
Senate.
SOMEWHAT RESENTFUL.
The whole tale is told in "Hawairs Story
by Hawaii's Queen" TO be published by
Messrs. Lee & Shepard and. considering the
circums tances. it is told with admirable
good temper. 1t is hardly in human ma
ture not to feel some resentment towards
the foreigners who have taken possession
of her country, and her defense of Kala-
kaua against the charge of undue extrava-
fra-a &c aH