Nuhou, Volume I, Number 20, 17 Malaki 1874 — Cacobau and Fiji [ARTICLE]

Cacobau and Fiji

Are very probable no longer indepcndent } ' and !t is quite like!y that Briti?h Commissioner Layhrd is no\v Govemorof theFijian | Arehipefngo, hy the c6nsentj no donbt, of ' Cacoba\i and 'his ehiefs, When an enforeed ; American dck ,of $50,000 compelled the eesj?ion of 20b,000 aeres of Fijian soil :— ! poor CaeobauJ having no reeognized political | no Wyllie to diplomati?re him into the ft\vor of ;nation? ; nnd no people with nn' 'awakencvi pohtica! sentiment like the Ha- , waliaus, began to look io fore?gn help forthe 1 poliliea! settlement of hi? coitntry And to . this he hns been hnstened by the ' worry of facti and a newdebt of ! abont f300,<l)00. tf (!,'•? ol! chiof of ' Bau ha< nny patrio|i?m and loi** 1 for

Fijian independence, he has no in?tructed people nor any means to helj> carry out any patriotic purpose. The political sentiment that prevai!s in this Archipelago and whieh is eapahle of unitingand ra!lying Hawaiians is unknown to Fijians. The latter never had a Conqueror to create a national union. tradition and glory. And besides, Wes!eyan Methodism has not done mubh in Fiji no more than in Samoa. for creating nalional sentiment, But we do not lament for Fiji her loss of a hominal and perhaps impossible sndependenee, —when we think of her savage races and intestine wars, With her new government and association with neighboring grcat colonies, she will have security and all the capital and tabor she may need ; —and so her march of progress as a rich tropical colony will be assured and gretit. Hawail has sufßcient intelligence and hh? that eomplete peaee and order of law wifhin her borders, that she may well ho!d on to her independence, and obtain in the exercise of her autonomy, the means of increase and prosperity, that will be under | other inf!uences vouchsafed to Fiii.

A bili is before the Ameiiean Cono:icss to .-. . :;;■ ; ; i-"' :;- :j,, ! " ■'■ ;i .j--■ -,j. L k:;--. ■' ..-££■ i: abolish ihe office of Chief Justice. This urged by Conkling, Morton, and olher able mea of the Senate. It is contenjded ihai the presiding Chief of the Justices shou!d be selected by the voice of the bqdy, if it all, and that his compeers wouM be.best ab]e to make a selection whieh \vould btf satisfactory and creditable, If America ean find rea?ons for abolishing her Chief Justiceship, Hawaii «ean put forward still more cogent ones for abo!ishing the office in this Kingdotn; evev since (Ue position has eome <o be lookeii upon as a mere vantage ground for ]>oiltical maneuvei and influence. The dignity of our Supreme Bench, at the elose of two reighs, has been seriou«ly affected in being occnpied wit!i the political ;t inake up " and one of fhe most legrettable features of our presoni si?uation is a decline of public confidence in om Court of Law. Howefer, we $h not propose its abolitit>n. bnt thaf sotaethin£ .-ha!! he done to Chief J\i?tice, or actinjsr Ohief Justice, from b<ecom!ng thc chief polineal managet of the country.

! One of nur legislali>rs \vas vf»Ty"mucl\ put ' out on nccormt of thc riot Ho \vns oi;{ I <tf « firo storv \vindovr. !

■ •• A mau ean sn*ule a ,a poet; atvl we iinow how n|:\ny īu tlus eornrrmnity V:\n Vmilo, nn\l vpt V , y ! hft<«k-biters nt tho ?ame liiw.* !

• TiiOUjjh thc: I)utēb triX>ps liave " j.v?t>&&iou ot both si4f?s of th<- rivor runnin* tiuough tho citj - of Aehin," «!ocs not pi&yc uu\ms th.it thoīr u\iTu ;< 'eleuie iiu Saiuairu. Tho ?ul'tan ro:irOt- to t!,o;r,tc.rior, aud arouso.« thc wholo : <lar 't ■■ w ; \r |of indepcnc!onoo, 1 : • i . .. /. . i.: • . • . ; ;V: : • 1 " H