LETTER XIII.] 



THE KING'S SPEECH. 



137 



are gathered to pay your respects to me, I will remember to the day of 

 my death. (Cheers.) I am filled with love to you all, fellow-citizens 

 {makaainana), who have come here on this occasion, and for all the 

 people, because by your unanimous choice I have been made your King, a 

 young sovereign, to reign over you, and to fill the very distinguished office 

 which I now occupy. (Cheers.) You are parents to me, and I will be 

 your Father. (Tremendous cheering.) Formerly, in the days of our 

 departed ancestors, you were not permitted to approach them ; they and 

 you were kept apart ; but now we meet and associate together. (Cheers). 

 I urge you all to persevere in the right, to forsake the ignorant ways of the 

 olden time. There is but one God, whom it is our duty to obey. Let us 

 forsake every kind of idolatry. 



" In the year 1820 Rev. Messrs. Bingham, Thurston, and others came 

 to these Islands and proclaimed the Word of God. It is their teachings 

 which have enabled you to be what you are to-day. Now they have all 

 gone to that spirit land, and only Mrs. Thurston remains. We are greatly 

 indebted to them. (Cheers. ) There are also among us here (alluding to 

 Revs. Coan and Lyman) old and grey-haired fathers, whose examples we 

 should endeavour to imitate, and obey their teachings. 



' ' I am very glad to see the young men of the present time so well 

 instructed in knowledge — perhaps some of them are your children. You 

 must persevere in your search of wisdom and in habits of morality. Do 

 not be indolent. (Cheers. ) Those who have striven hard after knowledge 

 and good character, are the ones who deserve and shall receive places of 

 trust hereafter under the government. 



" At the present time I have four foreigners as my ministerial advisers. 

 But if, among these young men now standing before me, and under this flag, 

 there are any who shall qualify themselves to fill these positions, then I will 

 select them to fill their places. (Loud cheers.) Aloha to you all. " 



His manner as a speaker was extremely good, with sufficient 

 gesticulation for the emphasis of particular points. The address 

 was frequently interrupted by applause, and when at its con- 

 clusion he bowed gracefully to the crowd and said, " My aloha 

 to you all/' the cheering and enthusiasm were absolutely un- 

 bounded. And so the great hookupu ended, and the assemblage 

 broke up into knots to discuss the royal speech and the day's 

 doings. 



I. L. B. 



