8 H A W A I I A N G R O U P. 



fore expected that on the arrival of another man-of-war, all existing 

 difficulties would be removed, and that their good intentions and strict 

 adherence to justice would be made manifest. In this expectation 

 they were disappointed ; the British naval commanders who came 

 afterwards were not BjTons, and were, with one or two exceptions, 

 the willing tools of the designing consul. Influenced by his erroneous 

 representations, they demanded apologies and concessions, and en- 

 deavoured to dictate treaties. The regent and chiefs resisted these 

 demands, and many disagreeable interviews occurred. 



England was not the only nation whose ships of war were brought 

 to aid in overawing the natives. A Frenchman, who claimed the title 

 of consul, although not recognised as such by the king, persuaded 

 the captain of a French frigate to insist upon his being acknowledged 

 as a government agent. Thus while this half-civilized community 

 was struggling to make advances in morals and religion, French and 

 English men-of-war, alternately, and occasionally in concert, did all 

 in their power to break down the laws and regulations by which 

 alone the union of the native barbarism with the worst vices of civili- 

 zation could be prevented. 



In this state of things it became evident to the king and chiefs 

 that they were in want of information in relation to international law, 

 and they in consequence desired to obtain a competent person to give 

 them advice on that subject. For this purpose they endeavoured to 

 procure a suitable counsellor from the United States. Failing in this 

 attempt, they requested the Rev. Mr. Richards, one of the missionaries, 

 to undertake this duty. 



The missionaries, as a body, seem to have thought it a duty to 

 abstain from meddling with any temporal matters, but Mr. Richards 

 was prevailed upon to serve. As respects the internal policy of the 

 islands, no better guide than this gentleman could possibly have been 

 chosen. But like the other missionaries he was but little versed and 

 had no experience in the affairs of government. He was unused to 

 the petty squabbling of the foreign officials, and his mind was far 

 above the ignoble task of disputing with the revilers of all law and 

 religion. 



I had the pleasure of becoming intimately acquainted with Mr. 

 Richards, in his private capacity, and enjoyed an opportunity of judg- 

 ing as to the manner in which he performed his public functions; and 

 I cannot but felicitate the government and people of Hawaii upon their 



