No. 360.
Mr. Merrill to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Honolulu, October 19, 1886.
(Received November 6.)
No. 86.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the
Hawaiian Legislative Assembly was finally prorogued on Saturday, the 16th
instant, after the unusually long session of five and a half months.
Upon reassembling in August last, after a vacation of two weeks, a liberal
spirit seemed to be infused into the members of the Legislature, as the
appropriation bill will show. Instead of reducing expenses, as recommended
by His Majesty the King, and keeping the expenditures to the limit of
$2,633,169, as was proposed and mentioned in my dispatch No. 74, of July 27,
1886, the amount of the appropriation bill has been increased to
$4,552,477.16.
The currency bill mentioned in my No. 74, of July 27, 1886, was slightly
amended and passed in the last days of £he session, and I inclose three
copies of the same.
I also inclose a copy of the speech of the King, delivered by himself at the
prorogation of the Legislative Assembly.
It will be noticed that His Majesty refers to the “Polynesian communities,”
and hopes to assist in securing their permanent autonomy.
I have the honor, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 86.]
by authority:
AN ACT to regulate the currency of the Hawaiian
Kingdom.
Be it enacted by the King and Legislative Assembly of
the Hawaiian Islands in the Legislature of the Kingdom
assembled:
- Section 1. The gold coins of the
United States of America are the standard and legal tender at
their nominal value in the payment of all debts, public and
private, within the Hawaiian Kingdom.
- Sec. 2. The silver coins of the
Hawaiian Kingdom are legal tender at their nominal value for any
amount not exceeding $10 in any one payment.
- Sec. 3. All outstanding silver
certificates and all certificates to he issued under this
act—except the 10–dollar certificates—whether they contain the
words “silver coin,” or not, shall be redeemed, at their nominal
value on demand, in United States gold coin, and all
certificates so redeemed shall be forthwith withdrawn and
canceled by the registrar of public accounts.
- And it shall be lawful for the minister of finance to issue or
cause to be issued from, the treasury, from time to time,
certificates of deposit of the denomination of $10, $20, $50,
and $100, respectively, upon transferring from the general fund
and setting apart as a special deposit an equal amount of lawful
coin of the Kingdom as security for the redemption of such
certificates, the whole amount of such outstanding and new issue
of certificates as aforesaid not to exceed, in the aggregate at
any one time, the sum of $1325,000, of which not exceeding
$30,000 shall be in certificates of the denomination of
$10.
- Sec. 4. The certificates provided
for in section 3 of this act shall be signed by the minister of
finance and countersigned by the registrar of public accounts,
and the special deposit of coin in the treasury for their
redemption shall be used only for the payment and redemption of
such certificates, and shall he kept as a special deposit for
such purpose and no other.
- Sec. 5. Chapter XVIII of the session
laws of 1884 and all other laws conflicting with the provisions
of this act are hereby repealed.
- Sec. 6. This act shall take effect
from and after its approval.
Approved this 15th day of October, A. D.
1886.
Kalakaua Rex.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 86.]
The King’s speech
Nobles and Representatives: At the close of an
unusually prolonged and arduous session it is “pleasing to me to have to
congratulate you upon the character of the numerous measures which you
have passed to which my assent has been given. Many of these measures I
recognize as being of great importance in their relation to the
promotion of health and education, the advancement of commerce and of
manufacturing and agricultural industry, and of the general welfare of
my people. Among them there are measures which give a definite
settlement to questions which have been long debated, and I entertain a
well-founded hope that the results of your deliberations will under a
patriotic administration redound to the permanent advantage of the
country.
I thank you for the liberal supplies you have generously voted for the
royal family and for the administration of my Government and for the
development of the resources of the country. I feel assured that the
ordinary revenue of the country, augmented as it will be by the laws you
have passed together with the proceeds of the loan you have authorized,
will suffice to allow my ministers to carry out to the fullest extent
the policy of progress and development which is embodied in the
appropriation act.
It is a source of satisfaction to me that you have provided measures
which will enable my ministers to carry out various matters of national
policy which I brought before you at the opening of the session.
That large part of the capital which was the scene of such serious
disaster in April last has, in consequence of your legislative action,
been laid out anew with full regard to sanitation and to its protection
from a repetition of the conflagration which laid it waste.
You have wisely provided the means for carrying out the policy of
advising and aiding those Polynesian communities, of the same race as
the Hawaiian which still preserve their independence. I entertain a
sanguine hope that these kindred peoples will, through your liberality,
be assisted to secure their permanent autonomy by the establishment
among them of stable governments and a reliable administration of
justice.
The subsidy you have voted for ocean steam service will secure for the
country that regular and frequent communication with America which is of
vital importance to the Commercial and agricultural interests of the
Kingdom. Other measures for the, development of commerce and maritime
enterprise which you have passed will be of permanent value.
The wants of the country in regard to its internal communications and
facilities for shipping have, I am happy to say, received thorough
consideration at your hands.
[Page 564]
I am pleased to recognize that for the proper organization of the forces
of the Kingdom you have made a judicious provision of law.
Reviewing all that has been accomplished during the session I can,
without hesitation, congratulate you upon the results of your labors,
and thank you for the earnest consideration you have bestowed upon the
important matters on which you have been called to deliberate.
I pray that the Almighty will have you in His holy keeping.
Nobles and Representatives, I now declare the Legislative Assembly of
1886 prorogued.
