Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 205, 1 June 1891 — CONSTITUTIONAL. [ARTICLE]

CONSTITUTIONAL.

T: :v i- :t'i ;lj i univi-]'Mi! f Ji:it \ve ;i m-w :• >n- i'ution. Thc }-n-sont one is a uii»:;-.- iji \vlm? 'V»':* lij:ht it mav bo vi»jvtvvi. It t'.:iie<] tot.;»]]y - t ) 1 ulfill I 1 : o e:;uc , <- , .dtio:i- oT its T...-e ulio ii wouM InmU .. - - Piili!gi>nb]ic<»f--j! y : ]i 1-LV'">; most vv*oc- ; in th<' rvcnt. ; 'i". " wi;<»*«tp<'ct(•<] t:) scc 111* po- , '■ i'i i];t % ii;i:i< 1 ~ lbo pt'»m>l«■ ; >: .v •-"«'n ;i r'4"i oi ' inin.imo an<[ ":::S>*"-ii< wlio i"on«lly in*;i- -_ <i t'vī ī in jk rp' :u:ii ;■ w. h;i\c 1 i.ui :i n :ir alr<\uiy i.: 4 ! r 1 •«:•••-:•.' : o:'tting haek. > ih' 4 ha \in no wis r * hcrn ti:u-f- i"xi sl . oī* 1 In* in>trunicntj *.7iv-:v !t «v.i.io int > clīoct a.s tiic j--.]v.'n;c lav>* vf thc ]and. _ ! A\'iiat < ;m tho hope for v.*hon tlit- s;;}>i c:iic l:iw of the laiul is < :)i.e.)ctc(l in 111e haek oiiiee of-;snmo :'likfer'.-: <m-ii nn Kaahumanu Strect? fhurston or any other Ja\vyer who T night fce< a divine <-all to draft a <.'Onstitution t]iinks iirst of the effect of e;!ch separate section on him- ! >elf and ]iis ?ot. . The peopie and. ihe nced <>f the country,. the ::d--:nini.«tr:ttion of jußt lee, the integreiy of ]>üblic ofiicers were very u_nimportant matters comparative«y. The Thur.ston eonsi)irators made :he pretent <-:)nstitution with the distinct intention of being niinisters under ii indefmiteiy. With this cxpectation tliey very naturally javc the ministry full po\ver and dis;Tetion in all niatters \vhatever. T]ie whoie government is left to four ministers. There is no divi>ion of po\ver or responsibility. No one is elected by the peopie, nor hy the iegislature. The framers of the constitution thought to secure themselves in perpetual by providing that they shoiīld not be dismissed by the king, but oniy by the legislature. The legislature they could control by several verv cunningly divised schemes that like mitriy jngenious patents have onty one defect—they will not work. The first idea was that their successors ishould be nominated witli their approval and consent, if by any unforcscen event they should be ,voted out of office, This idea does not appear to have obtained long. Then the voting power was so distributed that every employee of a plantation should havo about t\veuty times as mueh representation in the Legislature as the eommon worker. Tliey caleulated tnat the ilesire to get and keep the job would enable the money interests to use the nohle vote as might be desirable. yOf oourse tho iiiinisters were tc\appoint judges and ingpeciors »f election whieh was to be another safe-guard against thei power of the peopie begQupng 3s|iarit. was in" eeHed that the 9ilid ®£rve without pay, «n*nging no poor "setve in that branch without )ieiiig subfildiped by sotue cap talist. Ve»y

few nobles were in the last legisl:tture whose expen«eB j\nd hire were not paid bv those who pulled the wires. The representatives niMpt servo also ]:ractically without pay ; t-here being no ehanee for jan honest~compensation for ser- | vicc. ij . The ela.-.-» who go to the legisi t:itjjr<' is more easi]y swayo<l h}* | l *iiiihu , n< , < 1 ." i l)ut the w-liole. systeni is so ra- ! dica)iy wrong that it is useless to, 1 point out minor' <lcfe<'ts. The i wliol 1 plan and".p % urpose is to oonccntrato" all the power of the gp- ' vcrn;;:< nt in tho hands of four niinistf-rs who have all the. v<A\l> diserc-tion of aelual tyrant& Or.r f;.tc aml our honor are;'sur-rc,idi.-r«^l* < iiito their kecping, and ihcy rc ' roFponsihle—in theory wo' r,cnuire n? the* t J ,cp tow:iVl popular goverii : nr nt i.-' d(.'centrali?;;itioiL. —the dis- i tributi<in of p<;wer. t!ie . popular i eiee'ion of ofiicors and the right of| c\*(.'3*y <*;t iz<*ti to enfor< e the la\vs, i:istea?.l- oi il romaiinng as now w*ithiiv t!ie d'!.-!■ rotion of tho Attornov (ltnoral, thc ?vīarshal and ?her!tf to say wi ether any law •sliall he operativc or a <icad lc-ttor on the statuie hook*. Buch a condition of things and a kno\vledge of the causes should \varn our ' eitizcns *to forever be\vare of constittitions constructtdj in la\Yyers'. of uc« s an<l srjrun£ npon j the pe:>ple \vitli nothing to make! them legal, bnt tho extorted t ure of a' weak- kneed prin<-e or princess. Tliere is one of those v-sgue unpleasant rumors floating around 1 that the Thurston clique is going ! to meet ller Majesty on her return j aiul demand that she sigti a new ! constitution. ' W'nile \ve do not 1 cr«'dit llie report we wish to warm i everv one against constitutions springi-ng up from se.ore.t placeb.! We \vant and have long advocated I a new constitution; but \ve wish it to bo formed by a' convention electod by the people and fmally to be adopted by the whole country at a general election.