Nuhou, Volume I, Number 9, 30 December 1873 — THE SUCCESSION [ARTICLE]

THE SUCCESSION

To a Throne is an eminently proper, and at times a paramount subject for puhlie discus- ... sion in all monarcliical countries \vhere the people are, as in these islands ? in the enjoynwnl of freedom and Constitutiorial ri<jh ts. We objectecl to such a discnssion, some niortths past, when publrc opinion was not so clearly and gcncrally defined as now : ānd ...wlien we thou-ght that the object of the disJussion 5 with somē. was evidently to thwart llie hope o.f a great majority of the people. But now. that the staie of the Sovereio-n's ® " iieahii is Vn every man's nnnuh, and as the hope of tlie people is clear!y indicated in respect to the rr)aintenance of the Hawaiian rhrone, we shall nnreservedly make lenown , our yiews upon the subject. . .We hasten, however, to premise our oxpression of opinion with the hope that, for iiiany years to eoine, no exigency may arise to give point and sequence to this discussion. We zealous]y advocated tiie accession of His Majesty, we have ever felt a wannth ofloyal regard for His person, and we kuow that we only repeat the joyal sentiment of the whole | country when we say, long live His Majesty King Lunafilo. But it must be said, that at a.ll times, and whatever inay be the condition of the person of the Sovereign, a doubtful succesion is a cause of anxiety aiul a detriment to public prosperity whereas the Settleinent of the Throne is peaee. ft would no doubt be far better for the stability of the Hawanan Kingdom, that the succession was hereditary; but inasmucii as there has been establiMied an election pi'ineiple, popular preference in regard to tlie succession, must be considered ; aud tlie royal *rerogative ought not to be disposed of in °.ccordttncc with any persona], prejudice, -H' pi'odilection : or in the interest of any fac;ion, or clique. The people's wish musi not be ionored, o * ;uul will not be by a patriotic Sovoreign, And it seems to us that this is a proper t\mp ior His Majesty to settle the succession. There are many liighly esteemed representatives of the ancient aliis,or royal Hawaiian s£ōek, who are regarded by the whole country as eligihle to the Thione These are : The fligii Chief Hon D Kalakaua. Her Majesty Queui Ēmma, the relict of His late Majesty Kamehameha TV, aud a mueh heloved and illustrious lady.

The high chiefess and acco!np!islied ladv, | Pau:ihi Bernice Bishop. j .The high chiefess Euth Keelikolani, Lalf-, sister to His late Majesty. i The young high chief Major Wm. Pitt| Leleiohoku, a youth of mueh promise. | Anel there|are o(hers who arc fitted hyj personal cul|tivation, and tiie qualification of ■ the Constitut|ion to supply the success]on to the Throne. ' But the one of this, stock of Chiefs, who is at this day, unquestionably preeminent aa^ the ehoiee of the whole nation as the Heir tol the Throne, in the absence ofa lineal successor, is the high Chief David Lonoikamakahiki Keola Keoma Kalakaua. The high| b!ood, and the experience in puhlie affairs of this gentleman eminently qualify him to be the successor of the Ka-s mehamehas and of Kino : Lunalilo. . i ° 1 Such an afrpfc»intment wouiil cause a gen-l eral rejoicing throu'ghout these isles, and the' rejoiq,ing would be all the mōre, if after it' was made r tlie people had assurance ōf His! Majesiy's co;nvalescence, and were assured that tlie Throne for many years to eome i woukl be filled by Him, w r hose accession they ! and we hailed with so mueh enthusiasin. I We trust tjfi'at His Majesty's Ministers will! advise this ; settlement of the succession, whieh we have indicated as being unquestionably the |)eople's wish. In this matter we wiii cordially sustain them. Should they so advise and successfully, they may redeem j a year of failure by a stroke # of polic.y thaf will satisfy ahd harmonize the countrv.