Hawaii Holomua, Volume I, Number 77, 17 Kekemapa 1893 — A Constitutional Monarchy. [ARTICLE]

A Constitutional Monarchy.

The S:»udwich Islands bave in the geogra|*hic.»l school-books been deacribcd as possessing a coustitutionni monarchy. By that term the civilized world undorst;md a form of governnient nnder wliieh the head is called sovereign. (Em}>eror, King, or Qaeen as the c«se may be). bnt under whieli the eonMhuiion and not the sovereigu is the rul»-r. The constitution is represented bv the c.»b net ministers, who are responsible for their actious to the people as repre sented by meu elected for tlie pinpose <>f representation. The sovereigu is virtually a a figurehead placed before a nation at the choiceof thenation as the embo<liment of ]>opular will and as the outward representative of that natiou. The huoineo* is altogether in the hand of ti.e Ministers and cannot be takon out of their hands in countries baving the most perfect constitulional laws except through the vote of the people’s representative6. We were not led to make these general remarks by reading the essay in the Advertiser on French - history, but the usual batch of rumors let loose overy morning in this citv have iuduced us to pass a few remarks referring to oiy loeal atiairs whieh may be beneficial to our friends and to the loyalists and other citizens generally.

A PUOPOSED COMPBOMISE. It is elaioienl tbat certain intluences are at work to secare a cabinet together with the restoration of the Queen whieh will be suitable to tbe loyal people as well as to the rebels, who have parade>d under the title of a “provisiona! governu3ent.” The

idoa is absurd if the pro moters of it ean believe that tbe Unitfcd States are going to help in furtheringsuoh a scheme. Anybody understauding £nglish who has read tbe message of President Cieveland m u s t realize that his iutentiou is not to interfere in the

absolutely domestic atfairs of the Hawaiian Islands by making -cabinets for tbe Queen, but his inteution is to make reparation and redress for the nsurpation hcadeJ by John L. Stevens whieh euded in the temporar\’ establishment of provisional governmeht and in the pmeiieal repeal of the constitution of 1887. lf the Vnited 8tates expross a regret for that usnrpatlon it cannot possibly be through the means of a committing anotber wrong and taking nponthemselves another violation of the fundaxnental law of Hawaii nei. Anv attempt to force upon tbe eountn* a iuiuistxy appointed contrar>’ to the constitution will be the final disas(er to Hawaiian independence. The restoration of Queen Liliuokalani to whieh 01eveland is now iu bonor bound means tbe restoration of the eonstitution of Hawaii &nd the Qoeen

j is aimpl)' a portion of that eon8titulion. back-stairs adtisebs. j Hawaii has known too many of the breed described above. ‘ The\' eome smilinglv and soflly. Thev aing their hymns and cast their snares under pretenses of frieudsbip and loyalty—sometimes ver_v mueh disguised. Let it be flnderstood onee for all that tbe Hawiiian nation has done for ever with such vermin. Legitimate and eonstitntional government is what Hawaii wants, and let anyone oppose the nation in that jnst demand, whether such opposition eome from the high or the low. from those who are rebels, or those who believe in ruling right, by divine grace, the result be eqaally disastrous. The American Government will make redress for the wrong done in its name here to tbe Hawaiian People, and not to any iudividual or clique.