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Blount Report: Affairs in Hawaii

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                            HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS.	579
No.--. HAWAIIAN ISLANDS,
Island of ---, District of ---, sa.
I, the undersigned, inspector of election, duly appointed and commissioned, do hereby certify that ----, aged -
---, a native of----, residing at ---, in said district, has this day taken before me the oath to support the 
constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom promulgated and proclaimed on the 7th day of July, and the laws of said 
Kingdom.
Inspector of Election. _____ ----18-.
These ignorant laborers were taken before the election from the cane fields in large numbers by the overseer 
before the proper officer to administer the oath and then carried to the polls and voted according to the will of 
the plantation manager. Why was this done? In the language of the Chief Justice Judd, "to balance the native 
vote with the Portuguese vote." This same purpose is admitted by all persons here. Again, large numbers of 
Americans, Germans, English, and other foreigners unnaturalized were permitted to vote under the fore-, going 
form.
Two-thirds of this number were never naturalized, but voted under the above form of oath and certificate. They 
were citizens of the United States, Germany, and Great Britain, invited to vote under this constitution to 
neutralize further the native voting strength. This same action was taken in connection with other European 
populations.
For the first time in the history of the country the number of nobles is made equal to the number of 
representatives. This furnished a veto power over the representatives of the popular vote to the nobles, who were 
selected by persons mostly holding foreign allegiance, and not subjects of the Kingdom. The election of a single 
representative by the foreign element gave to it the legislature.
The power of appointing a cabinet was left with the King. His power to remove one was taken away. The 
removal could only be accomplished by a vote of want of confidence by a majority of all the elective members of 
the legislature. The tenure of office of a cabinet minister henceforth depends on the pleasure of the legislature, or, 
to speak practically, on the favor of certain foreigners, Americans and Europeans.
Then it is declared that no act of the King shall have any effect unless it be countersigned by a member of the 
cabinet, who by that signature makes himself responsible. Power is taken from the King in the selection of 
nobles, not to be given to the masses but to the wealthy classes, a large majority of whom are not subjects of the 
Kingdom. Power to remove a cabinet is taken away from him, not to be conferred on a popular body but on one 
designed to be ruled by foreign subjects. Power to do any act was taken from the King unless countersigned by a 
member of the cabinet. This instrument was never submitted to the people for approval or rejection, nor was it 
ever contemplated by its friends and promoters, and of this no man will make issue.
Prior to this revolution large quantities of arms had been brought by a secret league from San Francisco and 
placed amongst its members. The first election under this constitution took place with the foreign population well 
armed and the troops hostile to the crown and people. The result was the election of what was termed a reform 
legislature. The mind of an observer of these events notes henceforth a division of the people by the terms native 
and foreigner. It does not import race hostility simply. It is founded rather upon the attempted control of the 
country by a population of foreign origin and zealously holding allegiance

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