Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands - Kamehameha lll --- (Part2)

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Historical Collections of The Hawaiian Islands
" Keepers of the Culture "
A study in time of the Hawaiian Islands
As told by the ancients--
Kamehameha lll --- Part 2
and Kinau -- Regent Queen.
by Darlene E. Kelley
December 1, 2000

http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374

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as told by the ancients.---
Kamehameha lll --- part 2.
and Kinau -- Regent Queen.

Clouds of apprehension and uncertainty settled over the nation. No one
knew what to expect. Then the King took a surprising and definate stand.
He was now eighteen years old. He first met with and anounced to the
council of Chiefs that he was taking into his possession " the lands for
which his father toiled, the power of life and death, and the undivided
sovereigntry."
He summoned a public gathering of the people. This was held in the open
air. There was suppressed excitement as the people gathered, wondering
what was to happen. The different groups, both native and foreign, were
alert to all they could hear as they waited for the King.

It was feared by some that the King might renounce Kinau and appoint
some inferior person to her high station of Kuhina-nui. The English
consul, Mr. Charlton, and his friends believed that one of their number,
possibly Liliha, might be the chosen one. Many of the chiefs feared
civil war. Suddenly, there was a startled movement among the people- Her
Royal Highness, Kinau, made her way through the crowd and spoke to the
King as he was about to begin his address. She said to him
" We cannot war with the word of God between us!" Kauikeaouli was a
Kamehameha at heart. Turning to the people he first declared his
sovereignty, then, lifting his hand, he solemnly confirmed Kinau as
Premier of the Kingdom. When he was asked why he had done so, he
replied, " Very strong is the kingdom of God."

To his people, the King spoke: " These are my thoughts to all of ye
chiefs, classes of subjects and foreigners, respecting this country
which by victory of Mokuohai was conquered by my father and his chiefs.
It has descended to us as his and their posterity. This is more ---- All
this is within it, the living and the dead, the good and the bad, the
agreeable and the pleasant, all are mine. I shall rule with justice over
the land, make and promulgate all laws; neither the chiefs nor the
foreigners have any voice in making laws for this country. I alone am
the one. These three laws which were given out formally, remain still in
force, viz., not to murder, not to steal, not to commit adultry;
therefore govern yourselves accordingly."

To those who had the life of the Islands at heart, a day of hope had
dawned. For a long time there had been tension and estrangemet between
the King and Kinau. She was older than he, and at times he was jealous
of her power. But when, a few months later, Kinau gave birth to a son,
the King at once adopted him as his heir, and there was great rejoicing.

When the King learned of the birth of the baby, he immediately went to
congratulate Kinau and he scrutinized the infant with a look of
affection. When he left he room a scrap of paper was found stuck in the
thatched wall which read. 
" This child is mine." The age-old Hawaiian custom of the adoption of
royal children at birth by another high ranking family was again carried
out, and Kamehameha lll became the foster father of Kinau's son, who was
eventually to become the fine ruler known in history as Kamehameha lV.

The surgeon of the U.S.S. Peacock, Dr. W.S. Ruchenberger, told of his
acquaintance with Kamehameha lll in the fall of 1835. The doctor was
interested in the personality and character of the young ruler. He
described him as a stoutly built young man, about five feet seven inches
in height, with a broad face and mild countenance. He wrote, " He was
frank and unassuming, but had a cold temperment and was not easily
excited." The doctor continued. " I had the honor of an introduction to
His Majesty on the night of our arrival. We found him bowling for a
bottle of wne with several of his chiefs. He was dressed in white
drilling pantaloons without suspenders, and a white jacket, and he wore
a neatly plaited part-colored straw hat set knowingly on one side of his
head. He speaks English intelligbly put prefers his own language. After
the usual salutations he seized the ball in his left hand and resumed
the game with great energy. He is fond of athletic exercises; plays
skillfully at billards and bowls; rides well, hunts well, and readily
joins his lowest subjects in the severest toils. Not long ago a ship was
cast away at Diamond Point, and the King in a Tarpaulin and a sailor's
shirt and trousers, assisted actively in saving the cargo. He is fond of
ships and delights in navigating among the islands of his domain."

At night the billiard tables were resorted to by both natives and
foreigners, and at one or the other the King was sure to be found
attended by several of his chiefs. One evening when he was bowling,
someone asked him to go and play pool. He led the way to the billiard
room and played pool until the clock struck eleven. He threw down his
cue at once, although in the middle of a game. The lights were
extinguished in obedience to the curfew law which was made by himself to
restrain dissipation.

The doctor wrote of meeting the King under very different circumstances.
With the officers of the Peacock and the Enterprise, he was invited to
meet the Royal family. They were received in a coral house by a chief in
a blue military frock coat. The king wore a blue coat with two gold
epaulets, white pantaloons, and vest. There were present the King's
sister and his two half-sisters, Kinau, the Regent, and Auhea. The
ladies all wore black silk. They received the officers standing, but
soon seated themselves on a sofa in front of which stood Rev. Bingham,
as interpreter. The doctor wrote;
" A commonplace conversation occurred, and a glass of wine was offered."

During the stay of the Peacock and the Enterprise in Hawaiian waters,
there was much social entertainment, but there was also much discusion
of important matters with the King and with the chiefs, especally
regarding the holding and transferring of land occupied by foreigners.
Kinau said that the King had never, in any instance, alienated his right
in the soil, and when lots of ground were assigned to foreigners it was
always understood, either on departure of the individual from the
Islands, or at his death, such ground reverted to the King, and that it
must be cleared. Kinau also stated that the King would give his consent,
were he asked, to sale or transfer of houses &c., provided he should
deem the person, to whom the transfer was to be made, respectable and
likely to be a good citizen.

The following day Commodore Kennedy and Dr. Ruchenberger, from the
Peacock, met the chiefs in another conference at which the KIng was
present. The King said that if he yielded the right of free transfer, he
virtually resigned the right in the soil, as well as all authority and
control over it, and thus he might be deprived of all of his country.

The matter of leasing lands for the cultivation of sugar, cotton,
coffee, tobaco, and silk was discussed, and the King stated he was
entirely in favor of the principle, but he wished to be expressly
understood that, in recognizing the principle of lease, he did not feel
bound to grant lands to all who might apply. He also said that he was
unwilling to give his statement in writing, because it was a new thing
and required more consideration than he had yet been able to give it.
This explanation opened the trail which the Hawaiian goverment was to
follow for years to come-- the trail of land.

Changes were taking place in the King's personal life. The death of his
sister, Nahienaena, dealt a stunning blow to the King.  He and his
sister had been closly associated in every way, and it had been hoped
that some day the Princess might sit at her brother's right hand in the
government.

Two months after the death of his sister the King was married to Kalama,
a lesser chieftess.
She is described as a sprightly young person, who had been a favorite of
the King for some time, so the marriage was promising. The wedding was
held in the native church following the evening service.

The King's marriage gradualy distracted him from his interest in
governmental affairs, but he was interested in the building of a stone
church, to which he contributed fifteen hundred dollars from his
personal funds for the purchase of lumber, windows, and other needed
supplies. The new church was to be called the  "King's Chapel."
Kamehaeha lll probably did not count himself a religious man, but he
regularly attended devine service and always showed attention. The
chiefs may have felt that the building of the church was a move in the
right direction, but they were troubled and anxious over governmental
concerns. As the King pursued his pleasures, more and more
responsibility of running the government fell on Kinau. The British
consul in 1836 wrote that 
" she is entirely governed by the American Missionaries who through her
govern the Islands with unlimited sway."