HONOLULU, _June 26, 1851_.
The Yankee character for enterprise is admitted to be a peculiar one,
whether productive of good or evil. On board of our vessel from Lahaina
we received two Americans who had established a circus company in
this place with great success, and had gone to the neighboring island
to try their fortunes, but were not permitted to play. They had come
here to present their petitions, and had numerous advocates, although
it was contended by their opponents that the Kanakas were so fond of
this amusement that they would exhaust their resources to gratify
it. It is contended by some that the laws and regulations enforced
by the missionary influence are too rigid, and that while the latter
are actuated by good motives, their remedies have proved worse than
the disease; that while the most stringent laws have been enacted
against immoralities, they are entirely ineffective of good, as it is
asserted that the most unblushing looseness of manners prevails in
the islands. Another charge is against the teaching in the language
of the country, and discouraging the use of other languages; and that
civilization cannot advance when hampered by a tongue which, in the
words of Onmittee Wyldie, abounds in names for every vice, but is
without a name for any virtue, and which is too loose and ambiguous
for official correspondence, permanent records, or civil contracts.
They say that the discouragement of manly exercises among the natives,
such as throwing the spear, and wrestling, in which they were so
expert, has gained them nothing but increase of idleness, inactivity,
and diminished cheerfulness, which are incentives to criminality. The
missionaries, on the other hand, refute the charges alleged against
them, saying, that they are not answerable for the acts of the Hawaiian
government; that church and state have never been united in the
islands; that the penalties imposed upon the people for their abuses
in manners exert a powerful restraint; and that the natives are the
only true judges, as they understand fully the nature, objects, and
operation of the laws. They state that they have taught English as
far as possible, but cannot teach an entire people a new language;
that they had other work to do, leaving the translation of the Bible
until such times as the people could understand it. They have been
without doubt instrumental of vast good, having civilized and partly
christianized these barbarians. They have had many difficulties to
contend with, and those who are now enjoying the benefits of the
present state of society, are the first to oppose them. They have
without doubt committed some errors in judgment, which is usually
the case with reformers who wish to make all classes conform to their
standard of right and wrong; but I have generally found them useful,
and obliging to the traveller and stranger, and desirous of imparting
information; standing as pioneers at the outposts of civilization,
and as useful in extending the area of knowledge and Christianity, as
the hardy squatter of the frontier, in his advancing the agricultural
pursuits of our western wilds.
When we reflect that in the year 1820 the first mission was established
among a nation of low and brutal savages, who have been reclaimed from
barbarism and instructed in Christianity, it must be admitted that much
has been done, although it is contended by many that the population has
been vastly reduced by contamination with the whites, and rendered less
happy.
The churches, of which there are several, are attended by natives to
hear the word in the native tongue, and large numbers are communicants,
and follow up the externals, and many are strictly pious, but very
many have to be dealt with, not being able to forget their former
practices, which causes much labor for their teachers. They have here
a House of Nobles, so called, whose acts are published with as much
consequence as if they proceeded from the Parliament of England. I have
been much amused in the island of Hayti with the supreme authority
and dignity of the black emperor, Soulouque; and cannot help but look
at some things here as a farce, but the advantages are that there is
American talent here to dictate and pull the wires. I have had the
opportunity of visiting and coasting through six of the eight inhabited
islands of the Sandwich group, which extends between 18° 50´ and 22°
20´ N. Lat., and 154° 53´ and 160° 15´ West Long., and which composes
eight thousand square miles with a native population of some eighty
thousand--supposed. I am thus particular in describing their locality,
as I had previously known so little of these remote specks on the vast
Pacific, which were so far removed from us by reference to the chart,
that I had never intended to visit them. As you may be interested in
the language, I give you the following notice with the translation; it
may be of service to those who wish to commence the rudiments at home.
_Fonu_--(_See Selom._)
OLELO HOOLAHA.--Ina. e. loaa ana kekahi. kanaka, mahope o ka
hooaba ana o keia palapala, e lawe ana, i ka PAAKIA.
_Olelo Hoolaha._--Ina e loaa ana kekahi Kanaka, mahope o ka hooaha ana
i ka Paakai o Puuloa, a me ka ja, paha o na loko, a me ka ja o ku Pa
Kuli, a o na Kanaka e loaa ana e laroe ana i ka Paakia i huna ia ma
Puuloa, ua kuai ia ku paha a kehahi Kanaka malaili me ka lohe, ole a me
ka ae ole o ka mea nono ka inoa malole, e hopo ia no lakou a hoopii ia
lakou, a e hookokole ia lakou ma ka ano aihu.
Honolulu.