The 31st of July.

The Festivities of the 31st and the three following days—the Anniversary of the Restoration of the Hawaiian Flag by Admiral Thomas.

The morning of the 31st, was ushered in by a salute of 21 guns from the battery on Punch-bowl hill. At 10 o’clock, His Majesty, accompanied by the Queen, the Premier, the members of his Privy Council, the Governors of Oahu, Maui, and Kauai and the officers of his Government generally, under military escort, proceeded to the Stone Church [Kawaiahao Church], where the temperance festival was to be held. The church was tastefully decorated with evergreens, and numerous banners, bearing pictures and mottoes significant of the cause in which they were raised. The massive walls re-echoed the marshal strains of the band, as the Royal party proceeded up the aisles to a platform in front of the pulpit, on which seats had been arranged for the high dignitaries. The troops filed into the church and occupied the slips, and the people generally followed after, so that the church was filled to overflowing.—Rev. Mr. Bishop opened the meeting by a short address. His Majesty then rose, and gave a very spirited and pertinent speech, which was listened to with great attention. He was followed by her Royal Highness the Premier, and by the Hon. Secretary of State G. P. Judd, His Excellency, Gov. Kekuanaoa, and the Rev. Mr. Armstrong, with music in the intervals. The procession then returned to Mauna Kilika in the same order that it had left. The ships in the harbor displayed their flags in honor of the day: the U. S. Ship Warren wore the Hawaiian flag at her fore, and at noon her commander courteously fired a salute of 21 guns.

At 3 o’clock P. M., the large new house erected at Beretania for the occasion, was filled by the guests invited to the Royal feast. The house was prettily though simply decorated. Three tables, each prepared for 86 persons, ran nearly its whole length. At the upper end of the table of His Majesty, arranged transversely to the others. The coup d’œuil of the whole, with their bright array of glasses, was pleasing; and the effect was much more gratifying when the whole company was assembled. About 100 of the foreign residents, among whom was a very handsome representation of their ladies, and the officers of the U. S. Ship Warren were present. Of the Hawaiians, 200 were present; the ladies were dressed in white, the gentlemen in full dress and the officers in uniform. Shortly before 4 o’clock, their Majesties, the King and Queen, Her Royal Highness, the Premier, the members of the Privy Council, and the other high officers of the kingdom arrived, attended by the same military escort as in the morning. As soon as His Majesty was seated, the company took their seats according to the directions of the Master of Ceremonies for the occasion. On the right of His Majesty was the Premier and Mrs. G. P. Judd; on the left the Governess of Kauai. Opposite him sat the Queen, with Mr. Dudoit, Consul of France, and William Hooper, Esq. American Consul, on her right. On her left, were R. C. Wyllie, Esq., H. B. M.’s Pro-Consul, and Capt. Hull of the U. S. Ship Warren. The Hon. G. P. Judd occupied one end of the table, with the ladies of the American and French Consuls on either side of him; at the other end was H. M.’s Attorney General, J. Ricord, Esq., with the ladies of Gov. Young and William Paty, Esq. The other guests at his Majesty’s table, consisted of the High Chiefs, members of his Council, Executive Officers, J. F. B. Marshall and George Pelly, Esqs., representing the American and British residents. At the head of the middle table, was Gov. Kekuanaoa, the young chiefs being immediately next to him, and then the American Missionaries and their families, and the invited foreign guest.—The left hand table, at the head of which was A. Paki, was occupied by Hawaiian subjects; the one on the right hand—Gov. Young being at the head—by the Roman Catholic clergy, foreign guests and subjects indiscriminately.

The following regular toasts were given and drank standing.

1. By the Premier.—”His Majesty, Kamehameha III, King of the Hawaiian Islands.”—”God save the King,” by the band—and 21 guns from Punchbowl.

The three following, by the Hon. G. P. Judd—H. H. M.’s Secretary of State.

2. “His most Christian Majesty, Louis Philippe, King of the French.”—Music and 21 guns.

3. “Her most Gracious Majesty, Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.”—”God save the Queen”—and 21 guns.

4. “The President of the United States.”—Hail Columbia—and 21 guns.

5. “Her Royal Highness, the Premier.”—Grand March.

6. By the Att’y. Gen.—”Her Majesty, Kalama,—Queen of the Hawaiian Islands.”

After which, Gov. Kekuanaoa proposed—”The Health of Admiral Thomas,”—which was enthusiastically received, and to which H. B. M.’s Pro-Consul, R. C. Wyllie, Esq.—in behalf of the gallant admiral, replied as nearly as we can remember, in the following terms:—

“In the absence of the British Consul General, and of any one else to speak for Admiral Thomas, it may not be out of place for me to state, that i will be pleasing to him, to know that he has not been forgotten on this occasion. I will take care to communicate to him that he has not been forgotten.

The Act of Restoration, commemorated on this day, will associate his name indellibly with the history of this young nation, in which, I can assure you, the Admiral takes the most lively interest.

It was a source of great gratification to him, after performing that act, to find that he had judged correctly of the just and liberal views of H. B. M.’s Government towards these Islands.

And I may add, that her Majesty, the Queen of England, and her government, only desire the prosperity and happiness of the Hawaiian people under the dynasty of King Kamehameha III., and his successors to the crown.”

His Majesty left the tables between six and seven, and the company then broke up.—This feast and the succeeding ones were conducted entirely on temperance principles, no wines of any kind being used.—Much credit is due to F. W. Thompson, our worthy host of the Mansion House, who provided the dinners—for the punctuality, and good order, observed in all the arrangements, and we may add, for the merit of the cookery likewise.

(Polynesian, 8/10/1844, p. 46.)

The Polynesian, New Series, Volume 1, Number 12, Page 46. August 10, 1844.