HAWAIIAN GROUP. 



15 



than is usually represented, and the reports in relation to it seem 

 generally to have been much exaggerated. 



The arrival of Captain Laplace, in the French frigate Artemise, 

 brought about a crisis, for which it appears that no party was 

 prepared. It was generally supposed in Honolulu, that the mission 

 of this officer was the consequence of representations made by a 

 secret agent of the Romish missionaries, by the name of Murphy, 

 who is suspected of having informed the French government that a 

 persecution was still going on against French Catholics and citizens. 

 How far this could be true will appear from the fact that the number 

 of the subjects of France in these islands is, four, including the consul, 

 but excluding his family, who are English; how valuable the com- 

 merce wdiich required a frigate to protect it, will be properly appre- 

 ciated, when it is stated, that only three French vessels had visited 

 the islands during the two years previous to the mission of Captain 

 Laplace, and that the value of their cargoes was no more than 

 $20,000 or $30,000. Only one French vessel arrived in the year 

 which followed the transactions I am about to refer to. 



That some gross misstatement had been made, is evident from the 

 tenor of Captain Laplace's manifesto,* in which he states that he had 

 been specially sent to put an end to the ill-treatment received by 

 French subjects, and to secure them the free right of their worship. 

 He ascribes the fancied evils of which he complains to the evil course 

 of the American missionaries, and charges the king with having been 

 misled by "perfidious counsellors." 



How far this opinion was well founded, will appear by a letter ad- 

 dressed on this subject to the king, by the American consul, and his 

 reply. I deem it an act of justice to the American missionaries, that 

 these official documents should be made public, as the most authentic 

 testimony that can be procured on the subject, and which I am of 

 opinion must command full belief f 



So far as can be learned from Captain Laplace's manifesto, his in- 

 structions had reference only to the subject of religious toleration ; he 

 was to insure the future good treatment of French Catholics, and of 

 the natives converted by them. He demanded, in addition, as surety 

 for the future good conduct of the king and chiefs, the sum of $20,000, 

 for which it has been alleged he has not accounted ; and the French 



* This will be found in Appendi.x I. 



t This correspondence will also be found in Appendix II. 



