Part 5

It is to be regretted that the Chinese coolie emigrants, to whom has been given a trial of sufficient length for testing their fitness to supply our want of labor and population, have not realized the hopes of those who incurred the expense of their introduction. They are not so kind and tractable as it was anticipated they would be; and they seem to have no affinities, attractions or tendencies to blend with this, or any other race. In view of this failure it becomes a question of some moment whether a class of persons more nearly assimilated with the Hawaiian race, could not be induced to settle on our shores. It does not seem improbable that a portion of the inhabitants of other Polynesian groups might be disposed to come here, were suitable efforts made to lead them to such a step. In a few days they would speak our language with ease; they would be acclimated almost before they left the ships that conveyed them hither; and they might bring with them their wives, whose fecundity is said to be much greater than that of Hawaiian females. Such immigrants, besides supplying the present demand for labor, would pave the way for a future population of native born Hawaiians, between whom, and those of aboriginal parents, no distinguishable difference would exist.

May the issue of your deliberations be crowned with those successful results which the will of the Almighty only can bestow.

JUNE 16, 1855.

His Majesty's Speech and Proclamation on the occasion of Dissolving the Legislature.

NOBLES AND REPRESENTATIVES:--The Legislative Session of 1855 is now about to close.

For some of your acts I thank you in common with the meanest of my subjects, for they embrace the interests of all.

Newly admitted elements of action have operated upon you, and given to certain of your measures a vitality that authorizes me to hope much for the future.

For the relief you have given to the estate of my Predecessor, for the feeling of respect and love evinced by you in assuming with alacrity, the expenses of his obsequies; and for the loyalty you have shown towards me, and my family, I thank you.

Mixed with many circumstances that will always make the session of 1855 pleasant to reflect upon, there is one that must overshadow it forever in the minds of us all. The death of His Excellency, A. Paki, has stamped this year, and, indeed, removed a pillar of the State. From your own feelings on the loss of that High Chief and staunch Hawaiian, you may judge of mine. May the Almighty have us in his keeping, and bless, and perpetuate the Hawaiian Nation.

Nobles and Representatives, I regret that you have not been able to agree upon the details of the Appropriation Bill.

Therefore, in the exercise of my constitutional prerogative in such a case, I feel it my duty to dissolve you, and you are hereby dissolved.

PROCLAMATION.

TO ALL OUR LOYAL SUBJECTS, Greeting:

We hereby Proclaim that We have this day dissolved the Legislature of Our Kingdom, by virtue of the power vested in Us by the Constitution. The exigency contemplated by that sacred instrument has arisen, by the disagreement of the two Houses on the Bill of Supplies, which are necessary to carry on Our Government; and furthermore, the House of Representatives framed an Appropriation Bill exceeding Our Revenues, as estimated by Our Minister of Finance, to the extent of about $200,000, which Bill We could not sanction.

There seemed no prospect of agreement, inasmuch as the House of Nobles had made repeated efforts at conciliation with the House of Representatives, without success, and finally, the House of Representatives refused to confer with the House of Nobles respecting the said Appropriation Bill in its last stages, and We deemed it Our duty to exercise Our constitutional prerogative of dissolving the Legislature, and therefore there are no Representatives of the people in the Kingdom.

Therefore, We further proclaim Our Will and Pleasure, that Our Loyal subjects, in all Our Islands, proceed immediately to elect new Representatives, according to law, on the 10th day of July next. And We convoke the Representatives who may be so elected, to meet in Parliament in Our City of Honolulu, on Monday, the 30th day of July, of this year, for the special and only purpose of voting the Supplies necessary to the administration of Our Government, without oppressing Our faithful Subjects with unreasonable taxes.

Done in Our Palace of Honolulu, this sixteenth day of June, 1855, and the first year of Our reign. KAMEHAMEHA. VICTORIA K. KAMAMALU.

JULY 30, 1855.

His Majesty's Speech at the Opening of the Extraordinary Session of the Legislature.

NOBLES AND REPRESENTATIVES:--By virtue of the power which the Constitution declares to be vested in me, I have convoked you to this Extraordinary Session of the Legislature. Neither the late dissolution, nor, of course, this Session, would have occurred under any but extraordinary circumstances. The only public business of emergency left unfinished at the close of the late Session, was the passage of the Appropriation Bill--the most important measure of every Session. It is solely to pass the Bill I mention that you are now brought together. I trust that whilst your memories are so freshly charged with the circumstances that prevented unanimity between your two Houses in regard to the Bill of Supplies, upon which you were deliberating when lately I dissolved you, there will be a desire on the part of all to restrict the amount appropriated for the current year within the probable limits of the year's receipts. It is useless to make appropriations for appearance sake, knowing that they will not, because they cannot, be acted on. My desire therefore is, that you will reject at once, in your deliberations, every item that is not of immediate necessity, since the means at your disposal will barely suffice for those outlays that are indispensable. By acting on this suggestion you will save time and render less likely the recurrence of differences on questions not of public interest.

Nobles and Representatives, I hope the Session now opened will be a very short one, and that you will all cordially unite in appropriating our small means to the best advantage for the general good.

AUGUST 13, 1855.

Messages from His Majesty to the House of Nobles and House of Representatives, Proroguing the Extraordinary Session.

NOBLES:--The Extraordinary Session to which I convoked you having terminated with the completion of the special business which I recommended to my Parliament, I now thank you for concurring with the Honorable Representatives of My People, in voting the supplies indispensable to the administration of My Government.

I now free you from further attendance, and prorogue you till the Session of next year.

KAMEHAMEHA.

HONORABLE REPRESENTATIVES OF MY PEOPLE:--Having concluded the special business for which I convoked you to an Extraordinary Session, it only remains for me to thank you for the regard you have shown to the safety and welfare of my Kingdom in voting the supplies necessary to carry on the business of My Government, and to free you from further attendance in Parliament.

I therefore prorogue you.