The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-24

came premier, loidlIS TINS Responsible
office for life.
1870 and 1864, virtual rulers, the kings
being enfeebled mentally and morally,
by vicious self-indulgence and conse-
quently unfit or unwilling to govern.
Kaahumanu, a fitting wife for the
great Kamehameha, was the first to
hold the dual office of Kuhina Nui and
premier, ruling efficiently from 1870 to
1882; Kinau, her successor and chosen
by Kaahumanu, was in office until July,
1880; Kekauluohi until June, I845, and
Kamamalu until 1864, when the Office
was abolished and Anglo-Saxon infiuz
ence began to dominate the islands. Ka-
ahumanu and Kinau were women of re-
markable force of character and intel
lectual vigor OF Kekauluohi it is said:
"she was far inferior to Kinau in fitness
to rule, but had been carefully trained
in her youth and made repository OF
traditional lore, while of Kamamalu
there is little to record Kaahumanu,
the most eminent of the Kuhinas, labor
ed faithfully to ameliorate the condition
of her sex, who suffered seriously
through the oppressive civil and rel1g-
ious rule. Fearless and independent,
she, with Keohuolani, a sister queen,
determined to put an end to the hated
tabu. The initiative steps were taken
upon the very morning of the death of
Kamehameha |.
AS soon as "his iron hand was with
drawn" writes Professor Alexander,
''the whole structure was ready to crun-
Bile into ruin" Upon the accession of
the new king, Kamehameha II, ten days
after the death of his father, the regent
arrayed in superb cloak of yellow
feathers sacred to royalty, her at
PENDANTS surrounding her and waving
their kahilis. the ''plurned stats of state,
proclaimed the new king, and then and
there proposed to sit at the table with
him and otherwise defy the tabus. The
king. unlike his father, was weak and
dissipated, and it fell upon Kaahumanu
to quell a very serious rebellion foment-
ed by the priests. In the battle which
ensued, in which the insurgents were
routed and dispersed, Manono, the wife
of Kekuaokalani, the rebel leader, dis
tinguished herself. Her husband was
severely wounded early in the action,
and was finally killed. The heroic Ma
mono, we are told, during the battle
fought undaunted by her husbands side.
A few moments before he expired, she
called out for quarter, but almost at
the same moment was struck by a bull
let in the left temple, and falling upon
the dead body also expired. Having
thus suppressed a. dangerous rebellion,
and restored peace. Kaahumanu became
in the schools that were being
began to study reading and
writing, by setting an example, and en-
couraging the missionaries, and finally |
embraced Christianity. From that time /
there was a marked and radical change /
in her demeanor; from an arrogant and 1
cruel ruler she became humane and !
lust So pronounced was the alteration /
that she was called thereafter by the ma
tives, ''the new Kaahumanu." In 1880 |
she made tour through the windward +
accompanied by the young king,
with a view to tightening the burdens of .
the people, encouraging their education |
and improving their morals. 1T was I'M
der her regency and by her order that
the first council of chiefs was convoked,
in which commercial treaty with the
United States was negotiated-the first /
ever made by Hawaii with any foreign
power. Kaahunnanu finally retired to a
cottage in the .Manoa Valley, near Ho-
1oluIr, now part of the city. where
she died, June 5, 1882. Professor Alex
,nder says, her place could not be
illed, and the events of the next few
years showed the greatness OF the loss
which the nation had sustained The
laws of Kaahumanu were long remem-
,ered as days of progress and prosper
ty." Kinau, the successor OF this great
woman and chosen by her as premier,
while possessing many admirable traits
was not her equal, nor could she scope
With the difficulties inseparable from her
,osition. and others, graver still, grow
NO out of the conspiracies of hostile
,hiefs. and of Charlton, the jealous and
neddIesome British consul Both his
lative advisers and the Englishn1an pam