_His Majesty's Speech on the Occasion of the Opening of the Session of
the Hawaiian Legislature of 1856._
NOBLES AND REPRESENTATIVES:--I have convoked you to meet this
day under the provision of our Constitution now in force,
which provides for an Annual Session of the Legislative Body;
and with humble thankfulness to the Ruler of Nations, I
felicitate you upon the prosperity which has attended us, as a
people, during the past year.
I am happy to inform you that since your last meeting I have
received from the Heads of nearly all the first class Powers
of the present century, assurances of friendship, accompanied,
in some instances, with promises of assistance should occasion
require it. Never did I consider our hope of stability as a
nation so well founded as they are at this moment.
One of the most important features in my Foreign Relations
during the past year, is that of the Mission upon which my
Special Envoy, the Honorable William L. Lee, proceeded to
Washington, where he was most cordially received, and whose
exertions have been attended with the happiest results. They
have opened, in the minds of our agriculturists and those who
study the progress of our people as producers, hopes, which
only need the confirmation of the Senate of the United States
to become permanently realized, and greatly conducive to our
prosperity.
Negotiations have, for some time past, been in progress
between my Ministers of Foreign Relations and Finance, and the
Commissioner of the Emperor of France, for a new Treaty
between that Sovereign and myself. For farther particulars
regarding my Relations abroad, I refer you to the Report of my
Minister of that Department.
My Minister of War will furnish you a Report showing the
appropriation, necessary to be made for the support of the
Military during the ensuing year.
The administration of Justice, during the past year,
especially in the higher Courts of Judicature, has been such
as to give general satisfaction.
Respecting the business of the Judiciary Department, I would
refer you to the Report of my Chancellor. The measures he
proposes are worthy of being seriously deliberated upon, and I
earnestly recommend to your early consideration that for the
suppression of intoxication. It is painful to notice the
increase of this evil in Honolulu, arising principally from
the sale of cheap and noxious compounds. In connection with
this subject, I would call your attention to the evil arising
from the sale of opium to Chinese Coolies, which, unless
speedily checked, I fear may spread among our own race.
In the Report of my Minister of the Interior you will not fail
to observe a valuable suggestion proposing a fundamental
change in the appointment of the officers intrusted with the
making and preserving of our public roads. It is to the effect
that persons chosen for their ability be appointed by the
executive, in lieu of the Superintendents elected at present
by the tax payers of each district, a system the experience of
several years has proved to be accompanied with many abuses.
I recommend to your notice the several other points contained
in that Report, especially that asking for an authorization to
grant Title Deeds to persons who have proved their claims
before the Land Commission, but received no Patents, in
consequence of surveys not having been made of the Kuleanas to
which they were entitled, and to Konohikis whose lands are
described in the Book of Division, but who have not received
their Awards. Also, the continuation of the Inter-island Mail
Carrier service, and, above all, an appropriation for the
purchase of a proper steamer, to assist intercourse between
the Islands of this group, and encourage industry.
You will perceive by the detailed Report of my Minister of
Finance that the liabilities of my Treasury have been promptly
discharged and the public credit fully sustained,
notwithstanding the large expenditure made for important
public improvements. The law for the more just and equal
collection of Taxes, passed at your last Session, has operated
favorably on the national finances, although I am of opinion
that some alterations in its provisions would still further
improve it.
In addition to the ordinary expenses of the Government, you
will see the necessity of appropriations sufficient to
complete the public works already commenced, even though it
should be necessary to resort to the loan authorized by the
law of the last Session.
My Minister of Finance has also called your attention to the
important subject of a Usury law, which I commend to your
favorable consideration.
He has likewise alluded to a proposed mode of payment for the
steamer before mentioned, which may, I trust, preclude all
embarrassment to my Treasury.
You cannot, at present, regard the law imposing duties on
imports passed at your last Session, as a basis for
appropriations, because it is uncertain whether it will go
into effect.
The state and progress of Education among my people during the
past year, you will learn from the Report of the President of
the Board of Education. The change in that Department, by an
Act of the last Legislature, has proved, thus far, to be
beneficial. It is particularly gratifying to know that
instruction in the English language is prosecuted with so much
success among my native subjects. I recommend you to make as
liberal a provision for the support of this class of schools
as the state of my Treasury will admit.
I feel so keenly the necessity of some new stimulus to
agriculture, in all its branches, that I very seriously call
your attention to that point, and shall be happy if in your
wisdom you can devise any measures to promote so important an
object. The Native Hawaiian Agricultural Society, lately
instituted, needs your fostering care in the form in which you
have manifested it towards the sister Association. The
decrease of our population, and the means of staying it,
occupy many of my thoughts; and a subject so important cannot
fail to receive your serious consideration. Intimately
connected with the subject last alluded to, is the still
unaccomplished wish of all the true friends of the nation to
see a Hospital established, and I sincerely hope that those
who have foretold difficulties opposed to the success of such
an institution, will at last allow the experiment to be made.
Fearful, as we all must be, of the introduction of any new
diseases to decimate us again, I beg of you to consider by
what means, under Providence, such a calamity may be averted.
I sincerely trust that the Ruler of all will guide your
deliberations to a result beneficial to the nation.