The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-21
KALAKAUA ABROAD
What he Thought Of i7afIan1 entary
Ruts-Mr. Cham sr:aln Once for
Freedom Of tre 8oers

King Kalakaua, with his suite, left
London for Brussels on the 25th of
July. 1881. He hal been the guest of
the British Queen for eighteen days.
and she. with the royal family, had en-
tertained him daily IL @ne way or an
other. Mr.. Gladstone "as at the time
Prime Minister. ard al dinner party
given by Earl Granville the TransvaaI
question was discussed There was
then pending a bitter attack on the
Government because it had made the
p1eent treaty with the Beers after the
British forces had heen badly beaten,
especially at Majuba Hill Mr.. Cham
berlain was then q member Of Mr..
GIadstOne's Cabipct md strongly de-
Tended its course. Mr.. Gladstone, on
information he had received, believed
that the Beers We're anxious to be an
nexed by Great Britain. He had sent
the British forces forward to subdue
the fractions minority, but while the
forces were advancing he believed,
upon later and more authentic infOr-
nation, that he had been misinformed,
and that, in fact, the Beers desired in
dependence. He had, therefore, sent
with them, by which independence was
recognized subject to the suzerainty Of
Great Britain This was acceptable to
the Beers and suggested by them.
While the commission was engaged in
negotiating with them the British and
Boer forces met at Majuba Hill, and
the British forces were nearly annihi-
lated Instead of suspending further
negotiations, Mr.. Gladstone continued
them, offering the same terms as be-
fore, and they were accepted. The Con
servatives criticized Mr.. Gladstone's
conduct because he did not vindicate
British military prestige before renew
ing negotiations. King Kalakaua was
by Mr.. Gladstone of his atti-
tude, and was told that a motion for
want of confidence would soon be made.
The evening of the day on which the
King left, being the 25th of July, 1881,
Sir Michael Hicls-8cach made the mo-
ton in the House Of Commons Of want |
Of confidence, and the report of the de- |
bate filled sixteen columns Of the Lon |
don Times on the next morning. The |
Government was sustained by over one
majority.
A copy of the Times containing the |
lebate was at once forwarded to the |
King, who was in Brussels, with the
stamp of the British Foreign Office
lpon the paper The King glanced over
t and handed it - the writer, and it
low lies before him.
The King did pot comprehend some
If the questions involved nor the mo-
ion Of want Of confidence He said
hat the British Queen ought to be
more respected by the House Of Com
mons and it should submit to her judg-
rent so long as she was Queen. TO
rote down the Ministry was an insult
O her, he thought He said that it was
proper enough for Her Majesty to dis
Mss her Ministers when they failed
0 carry out her wishes, but the people
lad no right to interfere and try to
ontrol her When he was told that
he House of Commons was the strong
st political power in Great Britain, he
aid the constitution was wrong.
The record Of the debate shows that
r. Chamberlain. then one of the Lib 5
rails and in the Cabinet, justified Mr..
Government in refusing to
mex the 1ransvaal "He thought
hat course was impossible for any
Overnment caring for the honor of
his country by the Sand River Con-
entiOn they had bound themselves to E
he Beers to guarantee to them their
dependence" He "could not under
and how those who talked so glibIy
the honor of this country could fail
} see that the greatest shame and hui
iliation would be in maintaining
lSu-uduu6u DItSFtI III IdILu anu uc" |
roying the independence Of a people J
hich they had sOlennIy engaged to
,spect.''
The above quotations from Mr.
hamberlain's speech indicate his at a
-ude on the Transvaal question at that
me.
Subsequently, as it is we'll known,
e diamond and sold fields were dis
oyered, and British settlers entered
e country in large numbers. Mr.. a.,
chamberlain, as a Conservative now q
dds that new conditions exist While
e Beers possessed the land entirely,
was theirs to govern, but the yOlun-
ry settlement OF many thousands of
'itish subjects in South Africa en-
les the British Government to inter I
re and protect them Whether his