536 APPENDIX. 



THE KING TO THE UNITED STATES CONSUL. 



[Translation.] 



Kauwila House, present residence of the 



King of Hawaii, October 28, 1839. 



My respects to you, the American Consul, — 



I have received your letter asking questions respecting the Ame- 

 rican missionaries, supposed by some to regulate the acts of my 

 government under me; I, together with the chiefs under me, now 

 clearly declare to you, that we do not see any thing in which your 

 questions are applicable to the American missionaries. From the 

 time the missionaries first arrived, they have asked liberty to dwell in 

 these islands. Communicating instructions in letters, and delivering 

 the word of God has been their business. 



They were hesitatingly permitted to remain by the chiefs of that 

 time, because they were said to be about to take away the country. 

 We exercised forbearance, however, and protected all the missiona- 

 ries, and as they frequently arrived in this country, we permitted 

 them to remain in this kingdom because they asked it, and when we 

 saw the excellence of their labours, then some of the chiefs and people 

 turned to them in order to be instructed in letters, for those things 

 were in our opinion really true. 



When the priests of the Romish religion landed at these islands, 

 they did not first make known to us their desire to dwell on the 

 islands, and also their business. There was not a clear understanding 

 with this company of priests as there was with that ; because they 

 landed in the country secretly, without Kaahumanu's hearing any 

 thingr about their remainina; here. 



When the number of the followers of the Romish religion became 

 considerable, certain captains of whale-ships told Kaahumanu of the 



evil of this way, and thus Captain D informed me of a great 



destruction in Britain in ancient time, and that his ancestors died in 

 that slaughter, and he thought a like would soon be done here. That 

 was the company who informed us of the evil of the Romish religion, 

 and also a certain French man-of-war, and a certain British man-of- 

 war, appi'oved of what we did. 



Inasmuch as I do not know of the American missionaries having 

 had any thing to do in my business with my chiefs, I have therefore 

 inquired of them, the chiefs, and they say, no, in the same manner as 

 I now say, no, to you. 



