Jere Krischel at 04:31, 22 December 2005

2005-12-22T04:31:21Z

Jere Krischel at 18:48, 11 December 2005

2005-12-11T18:48:47Z

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580 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
The CHAIRMAN. Was any statement made at either of these meet
ings of which you speak—the citizens'meeting on Saturday or the meeting
of the new Provisional Government—to tine effect that the Queen
had abrogated or intended to abrogate the constitution of 1887?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes; at the mass meeting it was stated.
The CHAIRMAN. By whom?
Mr. JONES. By the resolutions that were introduced.
The CHAIRMAN. Who gave information to the meeting of the fact of
which those resolutions were predicated—that the Queen intended to
abrogate or had abrogated the constitution of '87 ?
Mr. JONES. I think the committee of thirteen. You see, the mass
meeting was held on Monday, the 16th; the attempt of the Queen to
abrogate the constitution was on the 14th.
The CHAIRMAN. Saturday?
Mr. JONES. Saturday.
The CHAIRMAN. It was about that point of time that I wish to make
inquiry. How did the people become possessed of the fact that the
Queen had abrogated or intended to abrogate that constitution?
Mr. JONES. Why, the people who were there at the palace—Chief
Justice Judd was there and heard her speech; quite a number of the
diplomatic corps was there; a great many of the citizens and some
members of the Legislature were there Avhen the Queen made this
attempt.
The CHAIRMAN. Was this after the Legislature had been prorogued!
Mr. JONES. Yes; immediately after.
The CHAIRMAN. Was it in the Government building?
Mr. JONES. In the palace.
The CHAIRMAN. Iolani?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. And this assemblage had met there for whatpurpose?
Mr. JONES. At the request of the Queen. And then it was announced
that there was a great deal of delay; they could not understand
why they were called there, and it got rumored about that the
Queen intended to proclaim this constitution and the ministers were
afraid to approve of it.
The CHAIRMAN. That was the rumor?
Mr. JONES. That was the rumor, aud it was the fact, too.
The CHAIRMAN. Were you present at the time?
Mr. JONES. I was not; no.
The CHAIRMAN. AS a matter of personal information you can not
state what actually occurred?
Mr. JONES. NO.
The CHAIRMAN. What the Queen said or what anybody else said?
Mr. JONES. No.
The CHAIRMAN. But, if I understand you, the information that such
a movement had been made and that the Queen had spoken on that
subject was disseminated throughout the community?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes; by many witnesses who were there.
The CHAIRMAN. When did you get information that the Queen had
recalled her intention?
Mr. JONES. On Monday morning.
The CHAIRMAN. 'Was that the soonest you heard of it, that there
was any such intention on her part?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. SO that, between Saturday and Monday, you were
under the impression that the Queen had abrogated the constitution?
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 581
Mr. JONES. Oh, no. She had attempted to do it, and had told the
people that she could' not carry out her plans that day, but if they
would go to their homes, in a very few days she would proclaim the
new constitution.
The CHAIRMAN. Did you ever see that new constitution?
Mr. JONES. NO. We offered $500 for a copy of it and could not
secure it. Oh, they destroyed it after that.
The CHAIRMAN. Ilave you any knowledge who it was prepared that
instrument? t
Mr. JONES. It was said thatThe Queen prepared it herself.
The CHAIRMAN. With her own hand?
Mr. JONES. That is as I understand it. That is the report that came
to us—that it was her own constitution; she prepared the whole of it.
The CHAIRMAN. With your knowledge of the intelligence of the
Queen, would you suppose she is capable of drawing up such a constitution?
Mr. JONES. I should say not.
Senator GRAY. Does she speak English?
Mr. JONES. Oh, yes.
Senator GRAY. What is her customary dialect^—native language?
Mr. JONES. She will talk English if those who are about her speak
English; if there are those about who understand both English and
Hawaiian, she prefers to talk the Hawaiian.
Senator GRAY. What is the prevailing language in the city of Honolulu;
the Hawaiian language?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
Senator GRAY. DO you use it in your business?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
Senator GRAY. DO the Portuguese use it?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
Senator GRAY. Do the Germans and others use it?
Mr. JONES. Yes.
Senator GRAY. AS they do our language here?
Mr. JONES. Yes. All the discussion in the legislature is in English
and Hawaiian, because the Hawaiians speak in Hawaiian and then it
is interpreted, translated into English, and then those who speak in
English, their language is interpreted, translated into Hawaiian.
Senator GRAY. YOU all understand the Hawaiian language?
Mr. JONES. Not thoroughly.
Senator GRAY. Can you speak it?
Mr. JONES. Well, tolerably well.
Senator GRAY. DO you understand it when it is spoken?
Mr. JONES. Yes. I should hate to attempt an address in Hawaiian.
Senator GRAY. But you understand it?
Mr. JONES. I can understand it for ordinary purposes.
Senator GRAY. Have the Hawaiians any literature in their own language?
Mr. JONES. Very little indeed.
The CHAIRMAN. Before the Monday, before the mass meeting ot
the citizens of which you speak, did you have any information of the
fact, if it was a fact, that the Queen's ministers, the latest ministers,
or any of them, had announced that they refused to sign the constitution
with her—to assist her in its promulgation?
Mr. JONES. Late Saturday they refused to.
The CHAIRMAN. Well, you had information of that on Saturday?
Mr. JONES. We heard of that on Saturday.

Template:580-581 - Revision history

Jere Krischel at 04:31, 22 December 2005

Jere Krischel at 18:48, 11 December 2005