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����Letter Reference:
1842_Sep01_Mallet-Kauikeaouli
Date of Letter:
September 1, 1842
From:
Mallet [Captain S. Mallet]
To:
Kauikeaouli [Kamehameha III]
Content Summary:
Captain Mallet of the French ship Embuscade writes to Kauikeaouli regarding the treatment of
Roman Catholics and French citizens in the Hawaiian Kingdom, reminding him of specific
articles of the treaties with France signed on the 12th and 17th of July.
Typescript:
[Page 1 of 4]
Sloop of war Embuscade
47
Harbor of Honolulu
Sep 1 1842
Sir;
I have the honor to inform your majesty
that since the treaties of July 12th & 17th 1839 French citizens & ministers of the catholic religion have been insulted & subjected to divers unjust measures, concerning
which your Majesty has not probably been informed.
Subordinate agents, ignorant or ill dishonest & without any special order from government have thrown
down churches, threatened the priests & compelled
their disciples to attend protestant places of worship & protestant schools. To effect this they have
employed a course of treatment repulsive to humanity, notwithstanding the treaty of July 12th signed
by your Majesty & the commandments of the French
Frigate Artemise, grants free exercise to the
Catholic religion & an equal protection to its
ministers.
Persuaded that your Majesty has no intention
that treaties entered into with good sincerity and
�good faith should be annulled & also that it is
incumbent on you to treat all religions with
[Page 2 of 4]
favor; therefore I shall demand that you will adopt
such measures as shall defend the adherents of the
Catholic faith from all future vexations.
I demand this of your Majesty,
1. That a catholic high school with the same
privileges as the high school at Lahainaluna
be immediately acknowledged & that a lot
of land be granted to it by government according to promise.
2nd. That the catholic schools be under the exclusive supervision of catholic Kahu Kula’s (inspectors) nominated by Kahunas (priests) of the
same faith & approved by your Majesty; & that
the Kahu Kula’s enjoy without infraction all the privileges granted by the law.
3rd. That the Kahunas have power to fill tempo-rarily all vacancies that may occur in consequen
ce of the death, absence, or loss of office of any of the
Kahu Kula’s.
4th. That for the future, permission to marry
be given by catholics nominated by the Kahunas
& approved always by the government of your
majesty; & that in case of absence, death or loss
[Page 3 of 4]
of office, the Kahunas have power provisionally to
grant permission themselves.
5th. That hereafter Catholics be not forced to labour
upon schools or churches of a different faith & that
the relations of children who may embrace the Catholic religion be not ill treated on this account.
6th. That severe punishment be inflicted upon
every individual whatever may be his rank or
condition who shall destroy a catholic church
or school or insult the ministers of this religion.
Furthermore I demand of your Majesty that
�you will confirm to the French mission the land
which was given it by Boki when regent of the Kingdom, which land has always been considered as
belonging to said mission; and also that you legalize the purchase of land made by his Lordship
the Bishop of Nicopolis, by a sanction which will
confirm it to his Lordship & to his heirs forever
I will not conclude what relates to
the catholic clergy without praying your Majesty to give me proof that the Abbe Maigret has
signed a writing, by which he acknowledges
himself a British subject. Should this prove
[Page 4 of 4]
a mere calumny invented for the purpose of ruining a French priest in the
estimation of the inhabitants of these isles & in that of your
Majesty, I demand that the author of this calumny
John Ii, the Inspector general retract in writing, declaring either that he lied about it, or that he was
deceived. As a Frenchman, I deem it important to
be fully satisfied on this point.
There is still another subject, concerning which
I must demand some explanation of your Majesty.
According to article 6th of the treaty of July 17th French wines & spirits
were to be admited into the islands of your government on paying
a duty of 5 percent. Was it not for the purpose of eluding this article not to say of violating it) that the sale of brandy has been
limited to a certain number of gallons?
I cannot prevent your Majesty from enacting such laws
as the prosperity & well being of your subjects seem to you
to demand, but I consider it my duty to inquire how you
can reconcile the 6th article of the treaty of July 17th with the
last law concerning the sale of spirits in the islands of
your Kingdom. It would give me great pleasure to be
informed on this subject in order to make my report
to the Admiral, Commander in chief of the French forces
in the ocean, that he may decide upon such a course
as he shall judge expedient for the maintenance
of the treaties & of our national dignity.
I have the honor to be with the most profound
respect, sir
�Your majesty’s
Very humble servant
(signed)
S. Mallet
Capt of the Sloop of war Embuscade
Notes:
1. Sloop of war Embuscade - A French Frigate ship that was in port in Honolulu at the time
of this letter.
2. French Frigate Artemise - A French Frigate ship, commanded by Captain La Place
arrived in Honolulu and demanded, by threat of war, fair treatment for French subjects.
This led to Kamehameha III issuing an Edict of Tolerance that allowed for religious
freedom.
3. Abbe Maigret - Father Louis Desire Maigret came to Hawaiʻi to establish the Catholic
religion in 1831.
4. S. Mallet - Captain of a French sloop-of-war, Embuscade, arrived in Honolulu on August
24, 1842. He was here under orders by Admiral Du Petit-Thouars as a result of
complaints that the treaty signed between Captain Laplace and Kamehameha II was being
violated and Catholics were still being treated unfairly by native authorities.
�
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Title
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Kauikeaouli - Ali`i Letters - 1842.09.01 - from Mallet, S.
Description
An account of the resource
Captain Mallet of the French ship Embuscade writes to Kauikeaouli regarding the treatment of Roman Catholics and French citizens in the Hawaiian Kingdom, reminding him of specific articles of the treaties with France signed on the 12th and 17th of July.
Source
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American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Pacific Islands Missions Records, 1819-1960 (ABC 19.1-19.7). Houghton Library, Harvard University. Used by permission of Wider Church Ministries
Publisher
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Hawaiian Mission Children's Society Library at the Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives
Creator
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Kauikeaouli
Contributor
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Puakea Nogelmeier
Translated by Awaiaulu Foundation
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If you would like permission to publish or reproduce this material, please send your requests to archives@missionhouses.org
Date
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1842-09-01