Speeches of His Majesty Kamehameha IV. To the Hawaiian Legislature Part 8

Relying upon your wisdom and your devotion to the integrity and prosperity of my Kingdom, I have the most entire confidence that the amendments proposed will receive your most careful consideration.

AUGUST 28, 1860.

_His Majesty's Speech at the Prorogation of the Legislature of 1860._

n.o.bLES AND REPRESENTATIVES:--In meeting you to-day at the close of your session, I have first to ask you to join with me in returning thanks to the Ruler of all nations for His beneficent providence in restoring to health one of your number from that dangerous illness with which he has been afflicted, whose loss would have been a grievous calamity to the welfare of my Kingdom.[B]

I beg to congratulate you on the termination of your labors, and trust that the new enactments pa.s.sed by your joint wisdom may prove to be for the advantage and welfare of my people.

I have to thank you, Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, for the provisions you have made for the expenses of the State during the current biennial period.

While I regret with you, n.o.bles and Representatives, that, owing to the near approach to the termination of this session, you have been unable to take final action on the Amendments to the Const.i.tution submitted to you with my late Message, I fully concur in the wisdom of your course--as made known to me by your Joint Committee--in deferring that important subject for that more mature consideration it requires.

n.o.bles and Representatives, in conformity with the Const.i.tution, I now and hereby do declare this session of the Legislature to be prorogued.

[Footnote B: The King here refers to H. R. H. Prince Kamehameha, who had been dangerously ill.]

NOVEMBER 28, 1860.

_Replies of His Majesty to the Addresses of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, on the occasion of the Anniversary of the Joint Declaration by Great Britain and France of the 28th of November, 1843, Recognizing this Kingdom as an Independent State._

His Majesty, in reply to Mr. Perrin, H. I. M.'s Commissioner, expressed himself deeply gratified with the repeated kind offices of the two Governments, whose congratulations had been so happily tendered by His Excellency, and his confidence in the continuation of the same friendly relations.

And to Mr. Green, who had addressed His Majesty on behalf of himself as H. B. M. Acting Commissioner and Consul General, and of the Consular Corps, His Majesty replied:

For the congratulations you have just offered in so genuine a form, that any doubt as to their sincerity would be impossible, I offer you my kind thanks. The Consular corps has always sympathized with me and my people in everything that regards the real and physical prosperity of these islands.

Indeed it could not be otherwise, for commerce makes our interests identical. It is with great pleasure that I see on this occasion the officers of a ship of war of that nation which concurred in the initiation of the declaration of the independence of these islands, the anniversary of which gracious act we this day celebrate.

FEBRUARY 9, 1861.

_His Majesty's Replies To the Addresses of the Diplomatic Corps, and to the Consuls of Foreign Nations, Congratulating Him on the Anniversary of His 27th Birth-day._

His Majesty replied to M. Perrin and the members of the Diplomatic Corps in the following gracious terms:

GENTLEMEN:--For the congratulations you have just offered me on the recurrence of the anniversary of my birthday, I thank you very kindly indeed. I do indeed hope that further experience may offer me new lights by which to be directed in my endeavors to secure prosperity to all who dwell within this Kingdom. But let me a.s.sure you that your felicitations on this occasion cannot fail to stimulate and encourage me, for they show that at least up to this very day the large and predominating powers you represent, are good enough to survey with satisfaction, and through you, Gentlemen, to express their satisfaction for the present, and their hopes for the future, in the conduct of my Government, and with G.o.d's help, I will not disappoint them. In justice to myself and your kind expressions connected with the names of the Queen and our son, I must express the peculiar pleasure with which that portion of your address has filled me.

To Mr. Reiners and all other Consuls of foreign nations, his Majesty made the following gracious answer:

GENTLEMEN:--To congratulations so warm and so flatteringly addressed, it is difficult to reply so as to be satisfied that I have done justice to your feelings as they have this moment been expressed. I and my house have, indeed, a great deal for which to be thankful to Divine Providence, and on this twenty-seventh anniversary of my birthday, I cannot but be sensible of the debt I owe to the King of Kings. Any occasion which is converted into an opportunity for the expression of satisfaction and cordiality on the part of those who represent great external interests, must be gratifying to one whose position is a difficult one, even when things are at the very best, if due allowance be made for the number of conflicting interests to be respected, and more than that, fostered.

At a time when our commerce is drooping from causes beyond the control of any Government, it is a source of high satisfaction to me to receive so many well wishes for the continuance of my rule from gentlemen so perfectly adapted as yourselves to judge of the benefits which my reign is likely to bestow. On the part of the Queen and the Prince of Hawaii, I thank you, most kindly and sincerely, for your prayers in their behalf.