But there are dark moral
shadows, the population is shrinking away, and rumours of leprosy
are afloat, so that some of these fair homes may be desolate ere
long. However many causes for regret exist, one must not forget
that only forty years ago the people inhabiting this strip of land
between the volcanic wilderness and the sea were a vicious, sensual,
shameless herd, that no man among them, except their chiefs, had any
rights, that they were harried and oppressed almost to death, and
had no consciousness of any moral obligations. Now, order and
external decorum at least, prevail. There is not a locked door in
Hilo, and nobody makes anybody else afraid.
The people of Hawaii-nei are clothed and civilized in their habits;
they have equal rights; 6,500 of them have kuleanas or freeholds,
equable and enlightened laws are impartially administered; wrong and
oppression are unknown; they enjoy one of the best administered
governments in the world; education is universal, and the throne is
occupied by a liberal sovereign of their own race and election.
Few of them speak English. Their language is so easy that most of
the foreigners acquire it readily. You know how stupid I am about
languages, yet I have already picked up the names of most common
things.
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