Masonry In The Sandwich Islands. No. Ii.

Majesty ' s " right hand man . " We cut short this digression by at once introducing to the notice of our readers His Excellency Brother Wyilie , who , writing from the City of Honolulu , under date March 24 th , 1862 , thus addresses the Secretary

of Mother Kilwinning .- — Sin AX » BROTHER , —Having seen your name in the Ayr Advertiser , as Secretary of the Mother Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in Scotland , whose ancient rite is followed in Prance , I have thought that it might be a matter of some interest to that venerable lodge to

know that she has a royal son in my young Sovereign , whose protection of our ancient Order within liis kingdom , and whose personal services as Worshipful Master of a lodge working according to that rite , have been acknowledged and rewarded in a very signal manner by the Supreme Council of Prance . . . , . From the documents enclosed you will see that Freemasonry in

this kingdom , under tho patronage and protection of the ¦ king , may be considered , in a certain sense , an institution of the state , as it used to be under the patronage and protection of the ancient kings of Scotland . Even , in an historical point of view , the analogy , considering the geographical position of the Hawaiian kingdom , and the rapidity of its elevation to the rank of a civilised

state , under an enlightened and philanthropic Sovereign , with a free press and free Parliamentary Government , will be considered in Scotland , and everywhere else , as of some interest To Great Britain , particularly tho independence and the prosperity of the Hawaiian Archipelagohave ever been an

, ¦ object of great and friendly interest , owing to the following historical facts , viz .: —King Hamchameha I , with tho foil approbation of his principal chiefs , ceded tho island of Owhykeo ( proper name Hawaii ) , to the King of Great Britain , represented

by Captain George Vancouver , on the 28 th February , 1794 . The same king having conquered all the islands , on the 6 th of August , 1810 , extended the cession so as to comprise the whole group , declared himself and his people to be British subjects , and requested to have a seal and arms , sent out from Great Britain , so as that other foreign nations might respect them as such . King

Kamehameha II , with his Queen , visited England in 1823 ; but unfortunately both sickened and died before they could be presented at court . After their death , Bold and other high chiefs of their majesties' suite , were presented to George IV , at "Windsor Castle , and declared the object of their deceased Sovereign in visiting England to beto confirm in persontho cessions made bhis

pre-, , y decessor as above , to constitute the King of Great Britain Sovereign paramount , and to obtain assistance against other foreign nations , if they should bring down " evils " on this kingdom . King Kamehameha , III , on the 25 th February , 1843 , provisionally ceded the whole group to Her Majesty Queen Victoria , represented by the Sight Hon . Lord George Paulot , rather than yield to

demands instigated by liichard Charlton , Esq ., who had been tho British Consul in Honolulu from 1825 . The same , king sought the protection of Great Britain , in March , 1851 , rather than yield to demands which he believed to be unjust , instigated by Mons . Patrick Dillon , who bad been Consul of Franco from February , 1848 . The two first cessions above mentionedwere declined on

, the 30 th of April , 1812 , in the name of the Prince Regent , by tho Earl of Liverpool , who , nevertheless , hold out hopes that the British Government would protect the islands from any attack or molestation by other foreign

nations . In 1843 the governments of Great Britain and of France , after settling their differences in regard to Tahiti , on the 28 th of November of that year , bound themselves by a mutual declaration to consider the islands as an

Masonry In The Sandwich Islands. No. Ii.

independent state , and never to take possession of , either directly , or under the title of protectorate , or any other form , of the territory of which they are composed . In view of that joint declaration , the overture of March , 1851 , could not be otherwise than refused . Our Eoyal Brother , King Kamehameha IV ., a young , energetic , talented , and enlightened prince , as able

to govern well , under his free Consitution , a state with as many millions of subjects as he has now tens of thousands , reigns independently , under the guarautee of that joint declaration , and of solemn treaties with Great Britain , France , the United States , Denmark , Sweden and Norway , Hamburg , and Bremen , without any idea of alienating his sovereignty to any power on earth .

His rights are as perfect as those of any other sovereign , but his strength lies in the moral prestige of his government , and in the justice of a Christian and civilised world— -in other words , in the prevalence , both within and without his kingdom , of those principles which are Masonic in their highest sense and objects . Excuse me for adding , in my own behalf , that had

circumstances permitted my residence in my native county of Ayr , I certainly would have been a candidate for initiation in the celebrated Mother Lodge of Kilwinning , which I consider the most venerable in the world , and in fact , by derivation , the source from which have emanated through France , tho high Masonic honours rendered , as shown hereinto soverei and royal brother

, my gn , Kamehameha IV , which , from my feeling of loyal affection for his Majesty , oblige me more than if they had been rendered to myself . With the highest respect and fraternal affection , I have the honour to be , Sir , your most obedient servant and brother . P . C . WYLIE .

Supremo Council of Franco . To His Majesty Kamehamehz IT ' ., King of the Sandwich Islands . Grand Orient of Paris , 23 th October , 1861 . T . C . ACT III . BROTITEK , —The Supremo Council of tho Old Scotch Kite has seen with happiness , that your Majesty has given a now proof of your benevolent protection to Freemasonrywhich you profess with so much

, regularity , in accepting the functions of Ven . Master of the Eesp . Loge No . 124 , created at the Orient of Honolulu , under tho distinctive title of Lo Progres do l'Oceanie . Tour Majesty has arrived at the head of the Order , by the system of election . Tho Supreme Council sees in this fact tho consecration it desired , and has resolved to

maintain you in this position for ever , in raising you at once to the 30 ° of the Bite , to the rank of Grand El . Obev . K . D . S . The Council hopes that this spontaneous promotion , as a reward for the services which you have rendered to the Order , will be favourably received as well as the Patents , Eituals , and Insignias of this new Grade , which it will cause to be forwarded to yon by the

surest way , regretting not to have a certain occasion to transmit to yon verbally , through a Monseiur Prince , all the explanations pertaining to the now Grade , of which you may be in need . Permit me , T . 0 . and 111 . brother , to be the first to congratulate yon on this favour so justly obtained , and to greet you with respect by the M . M . O . U . S . D ., and A . T . les RA . V . S . D ., the Grand Secretary Chancellor of the Holy Empire . ( Signed ) Viseonrpte de Lajonquiere , S . G . I . G ., 33

To the above the Kino ; ordered the following reply ;— ' Bro . Wylie , to Bro . Le Viscompte Lajonquiere . SIR , —I have had the honour to receive through Monseiur Vidal , and to lay before my sovereign , King Kamehameha IV , the duplicate of the letter of 28 th October , 1861 , written by you to His Majesty , in the name of the Supreme Council of Free and Accep ted Masons of France of the ancient rite of Scotland ,