No. 29.
Interview with the Hui
Kalaiaina, Friday April 21, 1893.
At half past 3 a committee of the Hui Kalaiaina called at the head quarters of the Commission and presented resolutions from that society, which were read by the interpreter, Mr. Solomon Kaleiope.
In accepting the copy of the resolutions Mr. Blount responded as follows:
Gentlemen: Very much of the duties of my mission I can not communicate to you. I will say, however, that your papers which have been presented I will accept and forward to the President in the nature of information indicating the opinions of your people in these islands in reference to the inclination on your part to support the existing condition of things; that is to say, whether you are in favor of the Provisional Government and annexation or whether your preference is for royalty. I am gathering information on lines of that sort for the purpose of submitting it to the President. That is the extent of what I can say to you by way of response. I would like to ask, however, a few questions. Which is the chairman of your committee?
Interpreter. W. L. Holokahiki, Honolulu.
(These questions were given and answered through the interpreter:)
Q. On the day of the prorogation of the Legislature a number of natives were reported to have gone in to see the Queen—about thirty in number—and that their object was to ask for a new constitution. Was that a committee from this organization?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How many voters, people who vote for representatives, are there in this order.
A. Some thousands as we have it in our books; about 3,000 of native Hawaiians.
Q. What did the Queen say in response to your request?
A. That she was quite ready to give a new constitution, but her cabinet is opposed to it. Her cabinet refused it, so that she could not do otherwise. She told the people that they had to go home quietly and wait for the next session of the Legislature.
Q. When would that be if the Government had not been overthrown?
A. The time, according to our laws, was two years, and that would run us up to 1894.
Q. Then the information was that nothing could be done under two years on account of the disapproval of the cabinet?
A. Yes; the Queen could do nothing.
Q. She said she could do nothing?
A. Yes; because the constitution says she can do nothing without being approved by her cabinet.
Q. What did the committee do when they went out; did they give this information to the native people?
A. Yes, sir. This committee shortly after they came out they told the people they could not do anything now. That they would have to wait until the next session. Also the Queen came out and told the people she could not give them any constitution now because the law forbids.
(A great many petitions were exhibited; sometimes they were to the Queen and sometimes to the Legislature, asking for a new constitution.)
[Page 846](A book was also shown, containing the names of members of the organization throughout the Islands, as follows:)
(Oahu, 2,320; Maui, 384; Hawaii, 266; Kaai, 222, and Molokai, 263.
Q. (To interpreter.) Why don’t other natives join the organization?
A. They sometimes go to meetings. When anything happens they go together.
Q. These are active members of the organization?
A. Yes.
Q. In matters of this sort the natives followed the lead of the organization?
A. Yes, sir.
- A. Solomon Kaleiopu, Interpreter.
- W. C. Holokahiki.
- J. Alapai.
- John Kanui.
- J. A. Kahoonei.
- J. B. Kuoho.
- J. Keeui.
- T. C. polikapa.
- D. W. Kanailehua.