_His Majesty's Address on the occasion of taking the Oath prescribed by
the Constitution. Extr. from =Polynesian=, Jan. 13, 1855._
I solemnly swear, in the presence of Almighty God, to maintain
the Constitution of the Kingdom whole and inviolate, and to
govern in conformity with that and the laws.
Immediately afterwards, His Highness the Kuhina Nui repeated the words
"God preserve the King," which were re-echoed everywhere throughout the
Church with loud cheers; His Majesty's Royal Standard and the National
Ensign were hoisted and a royal salute fired from the fort.
Afterwards it pleased the King to make a solemn and eloquent address, in
native, to His subjects, which was received by them with great
enthusiasm, a translation of which is as follows:
_Give ear Hawaii o Keawe! Maui o Kama! Oahu o Kuihewa! Kauai o
Mano!_
In the providence of God, and by the will of his late Majesty
Kamehameha III., this day read in your hearing, I have been
called to the high and responsible position of the Chief Ruler
of this nation. I am deeply sensible of the importance and
sacredness of the great trust committed to my hands, and in
the discharge of this trust, I shall abide by the Constitution
and laws which I have just sworn to maintain and support. It
is not my wish to entertain you on the present occasion with
pleasant promises for the future; but I trust that the close
of my career will show that I have not been raised to the head
of this nation to oppress and curse it, but on the contrary to
cheer and bless it, and that when I come to my end, I may,
like the beloved Chief whose funeral we yesterday celebrated,
pass from earth amid the bitter lamentation of my people.
The good, the generous, the kind hearted Kamehameha is now no
more. Our great Chief has fallen! But though dead he still
lives. He lives in the hearts of his people! He lives in the
liberal, the just, and the beneficent measures which it was
always his pleasure to adopt. His monuments rise to greet us
on every side. They may be seen in the church, in the school
house, and the hall of justice; in the security of our persons
and property; in the peace, the law, the order and general
prosperity that prevail throughout the islands. He was the
friend of the Makaainana, the father of his people, and so
long as a Hawaiian lives his memory will be cherished!
By the death of Kamehameha III., the chain that carried us
back to the ancient days of Kamehameha I. has been broken. He
was the last child of that great Chieftain, but how unlike the
father from whom he sprung. Kamehameha I. was born for the age
in which he lived, the age of war and of conquest. Nobly did
he fulfill the destiny for which he was created, that of
reducing the islands from a state of anarchy and constant
warfare to one of peace and unity under the rule of one king.
With the accession of Kamehameha II. to the throne the tabus
were broken, the wild orgies of heathenism abolished, the
idols thrown drown, and in their place was set up the worship
of the only living and true God. His was the era of the
introduction of Christianity and all its peaceful influences.
He was born to commence the great moral revolution which began
with his reign, and he performed his cycle. The age of
Kamehameha III. was that of progress and of liberty--of
schools and of civilization. He gave us a Constitution and
fixed laws; he secured the people in the title to their lands,
and removed the last chain of oppression. He gave them a voice
in his councils and in the making of the laws by which they
are governed. He was a great national benefactor, and has left
the impress of his mild and amiable disposition on the age for
which he was born.
To-day we begin a new era. Let it be one of increased
civilization--one of decided progress, industry, temperance,
morality, and all those virtues which mark a nation's advance.
This is beyond doubt a critical period in the history of our
country, but I see no reason to despair. We have seen the tomb
close over our Sovereign, but it does not bury our hopes. If
we are united as _one individual_ in seeking the peace, the
prosperity and independence of our country, we shall not be
overthrown. The importance of this unity is what I most wish
to impress upon your minds. Let us be one and we shall not
fall!
On _my_ part I shall endeavor to give you a mild, and liberal
government, but at the same time one sufficiently vigorous to
maintain the laws, secure you in all your rights of persons
and property, and not too feeble to withstand the assaults of
faction. On _your_ part I shall expect you to contribute your
best endeavors to aid me in maintaining the Constitution,
supporting the laws, and upholding our Independence.
It further pleased His Majesty, in accordance with a suggestion made to
him, to make the following _impromptu_ remarks, in English, to
foreigners owing allegiance to him, and others residing in his
dominions:
A few remarks addressed on this occasion, to you, the foreign
portion of the assembly present, may not be inappropriate.
You have all been witnesses this day to the solemn oath I have
taken in the presence of Almighty God and this assembly, to
preserve inviolate the Constitution. This is no idle ceremony.
The Constitution which I have sworn to maintain has its
foundation laid in the deep and immutable principles of
Liberty, Justice and Equality, and by these, and none other, I
hope to be guided in the administration of my Government. As
the ruler of this people, I shall endeavor, with the blessing
of God, to seek the welfare of my subjects, and at the same
time to consult their wishes. In these endeavors I shall
expect the hearty co-operation of all classes--foreigners as
well as natives.
His Majesty Kamehameha III., now no more, was preeminently the
friend of the foreigner; and I am happy in knowing he enjoyed
your confidence and affection. He opened his heart and hand
with a royal liberality, and gave till he had little to bestow
and you but little to ask. In this respect I cannot hope to
equal him, but though I may fall far behind I shall follow in
his footsteps.
To be kind and generous to the foreigner, to trust and confide
in him, is no new thing in the history of our race. It is an
inheritance transmitted to us by our forefathers. The founder
of our dynasty was ever glad to receive assistance and advice
from foreigners. His successor, not deviating from the policy
of his father, listened not only to the voice of a missionary,
and turned with his people to the light of Christianity, but
against the wishes of the nation left his native land to seek
for advice and permanent protection at a foreign Court.
Although he never returned alive, his visit shows plainly what
were his feelings towards the people of foreign countries. I
cannot fail to heed the example of my ancestors. I therefore
say to the foreigner that he is welcome. He is welcome to our
shores--welcome so long as he comes with the laudable motive
of promoting his own interests and at the same time respecting
those of his neighbor. But if he comes here with no more
exalted motive than that of building up his own interests at
the expense of the native--to seek our confidence only to
betray it--with no higher ambition than that of overthrowing
our Government, and introducing anarchy, confusion and
bloodshed--then is he most unwelcome!
The duties we owe to each other are reciprocal. For my part I
shall use my best endeavors, in humble reliance on the Great
Ruler of all, to give you a just, liberal and satisfactory
Government. At the same time I shall expect you in return to
assist me in sustaining the Peace, the Law, the Order and the
Independence of my Kingdom.
The preceding is the address, as it was taken down at the time, by a
practised stenographer.
His Majesty afterwards, from the portico of the church, addressed, in
native, a crowd of several thousand, who had not been able to find room
in the church, and who had congregated in front thereof, outside the
military. The crowd listened in breathless silence, and when the King
concluded, cheered His Majesty most rapturously.
The whole solemn proceedings were conducted with admirable order, and
His Majesty throughout appeared calm, collected and dignified.