Ka Leo o ka Lahui, Volume II, Number 403, 4 March 1892 — Raw Material for Sovereigns. [ARTICLE]

Raw Material for Sovereigns.

We bave had somewhat to say of late about the Hawaiian monarcny. We have explained its transient nature and shown on what a slender thread the present arragement hangs. 80 far a%our remarks have 'oeeo in anr way pcrsonal, they bad reference to the present dvnasty only. Outside the very narrow limitfl of a reigning family, what do we find ? Fratically nothing. Let us expiain our meaning. The constitution requirefl that the sovereign ahall be a native A!ii. It is also provided th«t failing a direct heir, the Ki;igor Queen may. with a eonaeni of nobleg, appoint a successor. Kailine such appointment. the vac.vncy, when it occurs shall he fillcd t>y the Legi?lature. The old chief are about extinct. It 1« well known thdt, aside frotn the person already proclaimed that there is no one of either «ex that any legisLature would be likely to appoint v or that any c6nsiderable portion ot ti»e people would be wi!ling to accept. The person who combines the eonstitutional requirements as to birth with such persoual qualifications as could aione command respect or enlist effectual support does not exist in this country. Any one who cares to assert the contrary Qaay be safel? challenged to name his candidate. Tbe late King, iu what may be called his political will and testa ment, went into the question of the succeesion sotnewhat eztentively, exDressing hi« desire that it should fall to the fol}owitig persons in the order named; ftrst. his sister Liliuokah ni; second, his nieee Kaiulani; tliird, his widow Kapiolani; fourth, hersister I'omaikelani; fifth, her nephew», David and Cupi<i Piikoi, the sons of her deceased sister Kekaulike. This farmal expreafeion of Kalakaua's will have, of <x>urse, no legal force or effect what€ver. It ean have no moral weight, n<» inAuenoe in shaping the future beyond what reasonableaee* and expediency be found tberein. Of the persons named, after the preeeat Queen and heir apparent, Kaj&olani combines by far the most eleaeoie of fitness, and would undoobie4ijr be the most generally | acceptaible. Her uuimpeachable persoo*l <eharacter, her kindnese and amiabtiitf of dispoBition, her moderatioa and reasont»blene«a, not withoui firmrtess in oeeaeional emergiencies, together with her fiue pr«ence A«d 4ifnified beanng are all atrong eleueaU in ber favor. But her laek of any known aptitude or Uste for public aff«irs, her imperfect knowledge of Etiglish, aod e#pecial ljr her «ha tter*d*heaJth. all eouilnne to put her * practic.illv out bf the mee. Oi ht»r two nephdws the puhlie ktu#w verv tutle of them, They ar* gt»«»d iooking. woll hehaml. and plr.i«)«nt v«»u*»g #dlows, hul their cUims to ro/al )>onors ar* too attenuated to <ie

any serious conBideration. As for making a Qu©eo of th«ir aunt Pomaikelani, the idea is too ephemercal to be entertain d for a moinetit. | Outside of those ii«entioned in I Kaiakaua'K wi!l there remams one repre»en'«ative of the ancient Alii Btock, who is rurrently reported and generally believed to be & di rect, though not a ]egitimate de§cendant of the fiwt Kamehameha. If the current belief as to bis paternitv ie correct,. both his father and grandfather were kings, and he ranks far higher by b)ood than any living Hawaiian. On the other side of the house alao. hia progenitorB were chiefs of no mean rank. tiut unfortunately, at least forhim* self. his pereonal cbaracter and ha* bits are eueh as to effectually preclude his advanoement. We will not undertake to go into detailB; īn fact it is altogether perfluoue. So mueh for the po«sible or probable candidates for the throne, We have gone over ihe list carefully, and considered the elaim and chances of eaeh one fairly. The eonelu&on of the whole matter is siinp)y ihat there is notl»ing in it The weaknei * of the preeent dynasty may be accepted afi a matter of eouiinon notoriety. When that eomee to an end 3 and no one ean teM hōw soon that may be, the buttom will then atid tbere drop out of the whole roval bugiiiess.