Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-22
HONOLULU ATTORNEYS
Submit a Protest Against Methods Of
Enforcing the Laws.
Mr.. Geo. ID. Gear Calls at the White
House and State De-
partment.

George D. Gear, a Honolulu attorney.
was at the White House and State Depart
ment today. He says that he has been
sent here by the attorneys of the Honolulu
bar to submit a protest against the meth
DDS of enforcing the laws by the supreme
court of Hawaii. He asserts that the Con-
stitution of the United States is hagrantly
violated, when all the officials took an Ga III
to obey it. He says that a Japanese Is
now under sentence of death on a convic-
ton of ten men out of jury of twelve.
The majority rules on Hawaiian juries. 1t
is also desired by the lawyers to require
an indictment to be brought by grand
jury.
Petition Submitted.
The following petition submitted by
Mr.. Gear at the State DEPARTMENT.:
To His Excellency, William Mckinley,
President of the United States of Amer
The humble petition of the undersigned,
me mbers of the bar of the Hawaiian
Islands, humbly showeth unto your excel
Ter cy-
First, that it is provided by the joint
resolutions anneXing the Hawaiian Islands
to the United States, ard approved by your
eXcellency the It'll day of July, 1882,
that the municipal legislation of the Ha-
waiian Islands contrary to the Constitution
in the Hawaiian Islands.
Second, that the formal transfer of SOW
ereignty from the republic of Hawaii to the
United States Of America took place at
Honolulu on the 18th day of August, a. d.
1898.
Third, that tn honorable the supreme
court of the Hawaiian Islands. in the
month of June, \. d. 1899, rendered and
FLED the decisions attached hereto and
made a part hereof, declaring that certain
provisions of the Constitution of the United
Stats are not in force in the Hawaiian
Islands.
Fourth, that the justices composing the
said supreme court are Hon. A. f. Judd.
chief justice, and Hon. w. f. Frear and
Hon. w. Austin Whiting, associate justices.
Fifth, that your petitioners contend that
the language of the joint resolutions is
plain and Ineligible, and that the Consti-
tuition of the United States is in force in the
Hawaiian Islands, and that such municipal
legislation as is contrary to the ConStitu-
ton has been annulled, and is no longer
law or in force in the Hawaiian Islands
Sixth, that the liberty of the citizens and
a large amount of prop srty is involved in
the decisions rendered, and your petition
ers humbly pray that your excellency sub
nit the decisions attached hereto to the
honorable attorney of the United States for
his opinion thereupon, in particular as re-
spects the operation of the Constitution of
the United States in these islands.
Seventh four petitioners further show
that the decisions of the supreme court are
final and conclusive upon litgantS and de-
PENDANTS in criminal cases, unless resort
be had to the federal government for
relief, and the refusal of said supreme
court to allow the Constitution of the
United States to be invoked in these
islands will work great injustice and hard
ship.
Your petitioners, therefore, pray that if
the opinion of the Attorney General sus
tains the views of your petitioners. your eX-
celency will be pleased to communicate
his opinion to the proper officials of the
Hawaiian Islands, and that the Constitu-
ton may be invoked here, as in other parts
of the United States. Your petitioners
pray for such other and further reli-f as
your eXcellency may be pleased to grant,
and, as in duty bound will ever pray.