The trial and punishment of Aokahameha’s prisoners conceded,
finally, to range within army provinces alone, the administration
set about casting its net for a really more commendable example. A
great rebellion had been effectively suppressed by their twaddling
government, and the law’s penalty must be meted out to someone as
instigator.
Cole and Gutenborj sat quietly discussing the matter at executive
headquarters; the latter had come naturally to be the president’s, as
he had been the queen’s most substantial adviser.
“What do you think of him, anyway, friend Gutenborj?” queried Cole,
after the matter of Aokahameha’s apparent evasion had been threshed and
winnowed as far as understood or understandable.
“Oh, he’ll do--just give him a chance, and a bit of coaching; these
Hawaiians are susceptible, once you get their confidence,” replied the
planter king, unguardedly, basing his philosophy upon a lifetime’s
experience.
“It’s a pity somebody didn’t think of that long ago.”
“More is the pity they did. Were I as sophisticated as you, I might
have owned these Islands, natives and all, before now.”
“You seem still to be in a fair way of doing so.”
“No, thanks; there is too much authority and not enough certainty, in
these days, I trow.”
“Possibly the queen had suited you better; she might have been
more--susceptible.”
“Come, now; I am in no mood or position to quarrel. Liliuokolani’s head
must come off. I want it.”
“How so?”
“She is the only one in or out of authority who fully understands the
situation. On the throne, I am at bay: off, and there is no protection.
Make way with her, I say; she’s the best sort of example.”
Cole twisted in his chair, meditating long the moral of Gutenborj’s
red-handed proposal. Since the good queen’s overthrow she had lived the
life of a recluse,--a model sort of way, so far as their government was
concerned,--occupying the palace (as she had said she would), sitting
upon the throne at leisure or mending stockings at times for want of a
better occupation.
No one had raised so much as a finger against her; the property was
hers, of right; she possessed an income, privately, beyond the need
of apparent requirements; the home had come to serve her every want,
and Cole believed it both cruel and unwise to disturb that peace, thus
endangering their own security.
Gutenborj, however, proved unrelenting. Those excessive plantations
which he had successfully wheedled out of Liliuokolani’s predecessors
stood him in want of cheap and tractable labor. Should their state
fall into the hands of a foreigner, especially the United States,--as
he believed quite probable, with Liliuokolani at large,--the natives
would not only rebel against illy paid servitude, but another means
of supply, recently developed, might necessarily be restricted, or
perchance entirely cut off. With the government in his own hands, the
Orient lay spread at his feet.
“Come,” said he, in a commandatory manner, “you know full well the
reason of my support.”
“But I do not, however, quite comprehend the source of Kenlikola’s
supply; possibly you may know--something--about that; the queen is
certainly innocent?”
“Bother the queen! Let the court determine its own true verdict--you
did well in making Onslow chief justice, and Faneuil is, after all, not
so bad, as attorney general. The evidence shall be forthcoming; Ah Mla
shall attend--you may understand----”
“Yes; I do,” meekly replied the president.
“Then what?”
Cole turned ashen; his conscience cried against injustice. Yet some
unforeseen deliverance might arise, and were it right to jeopardize
security in the saving of an individual? The reverend statesman
prayed--and hesitated; then hesitated and prayed some more.
“Speak out,” growled the master.
Cole looked up imploringly: Gutenborj avoided him, whining
significantly in his face:
“Coward?”
“Very well,” snarled the other; “I’ll issue the order!”
Liliuokalani answered the summons, thereafter duly served, by closing
still more determinedly the palace gates. Nor would anybody, who
could, open them; their queen waxed invulnerable, and Ah Mla, plying
his trade, supplied her only with the customary white man’s weapons,
consisting in all of scarcely a dozen pistols and half as many
rifles; which, owing to the good woman’s own dread of fire arms, were
never unpacked, much less distributed; as afterwards revealed by
disinterested witnesses a-plenty.
She may have surmised, also, a better protection, for Aokahameha as
commander in chief, under the new order, became as well head marshal of
the Islands.
The trial, therefore, progressed as rapidly and fairly as occasion and
the circumstances would permit. A grave matter this seemed: questioning
the faith of a queen: solemnly provisioning the hope of a nation.
Gutenborj busied himself, as usual, at a distance, while each added
stage brought Cole one step nearer the climax.
A large number of witnesses, some for and some against the state,
were examined; testifying to all sorts of ocular demonstrations and
circumstantial happenings--shaded and shaped as public sympathy or
private fortune demanded; weight and authority determined, as measured
against right and wrong, that justice might be done.
This one saw a suspicious looking dray pass in the streets, when the
queen was nowhere to be seen; that one heard her singing lullabies, at
a time for prayer; another smelt gunpowder in the vicinity of Honolulu,
while doing an errand at Diamond Head.
The attorneys for the prosecution laid stress upon the law, in such
cases made and provided, surmising that the defendant might be
implicated: establishing the fact, as adduced from the testimony, that
treason and motive are not necessarily unallied.
The court charged the jury to heed well the law and seal their verdict.
A great and sacred right was then performing. Twelve men yawned in the
box. The clerk, bald and pale, arose in his place, calling aloud their
names.
“Here,” echoed back, each time in newly spun, deep-fetched, or highly
pitched tones.
The big room was packed, and the audience waged breathless. Only Ah Mla
remained composed, and transfixed. Sitting alone, in one corner, no
one had condescended to notice or found it necessary to call upon him;
but, studying every expression, observing each move, and deciding for
himself both the law and the case, Ah Mla awaited but an opportunity to
fling at the hated white man his own true story.
Suddenly quiet reigned; the jury should retire now: Ah Mla jumped up,
and clipclapping down the aisle, toward the bench, singsonged aloud:
“Ah Mla now spleak!”
“Order in the court room,” demanded the judge, sternly, and with no
intent upon recognition.
The bar sprang from their seats, both amazed and chagrined, while a
ruddy marshal hustled their ungainly, presumptuous intruder once more
behind the closed and made-fast railing.
“Melican man heap big fool: Chinaman velly much abused,” muttered he,
as the jury, broad-faced and relieved, marched forth to deliberate and
return.
Cole, however, had witnessed the proceedings from beginning to end,
and instinctively associating Ah Mla, a confederate’s good-intentioned
attempt with Gutenborj’s studied absence prepared himself at once to
act officially upon the final judgment and decree.
The jury filed in; there was but one verdict to find.
Onslow faced them, demanding, with great satisfaction, and no less of
pomp:
“Gentlemen of the jury, are you ready to report?”
“We are,” replied the foreman, promptly and knowingly.
“Let the verdict be pronounced,” commanded the court, addressing the
pinched-out clerk; who, breaking the seal, read aloud:
“Guilty, as charged!”
A hush spread over the place.
“It is the judgment of the court that the defendant be fined five
thousand dollars and imprisoned for a period of five years,” declared
Onslow, to the utter amazement of everybody there.
“And I as chief executive do hereby and do now remit the fine and
release the prisoner,” put in Cole, before either one or anybody had
time to regain his breath.
The queen thus stood vindicated, and Cole more than justified, even
lionized. Another veiling, hiding the hand that played them both fast
and loose was torn from the face of Gutenborj and cast at him, the rag
that he deserved; while the little republic staggered to its feet only
to stem but briefly that larger tide already set into world-wide motion
as a result of their own baser weakness.