24 MAY 1845, Page 14

A CONSERVATIVE OF THE OLD SCHOOL.

Tun editor of the Polynesian (a Sandwich Island newspaper) calls the late native Governor of Hawaii " a Conservative of the old school." The meaning of this is explained by the con- text—" He yielded to the new order of things. when the force of public sentiment and the auth,ority of his superiors forced on him a partial compliance." Governor Adams was "a regular attendant at church on Sabbath," and "a great patron of the erection of church-buildings" but, in private, "he was fond occasionally of cavilling at the truth of the Scriptures." Further, we are in- formed that "he was fond of reading newspapers, but said he could not comprehend the meaning of many words." "His love of gain often led him into dubious acts, from which his Christian friends would have dissuaded him."

In these traits, counterparts of Governor Adams might be found among English "Conservatives of the old school." The distinc- tive mark of the Sandwich Island Conservative is' that he "usual- ly, though not always, went clad with garments." In other re- spects he appears to have shown more compliance with the habits of civilized life. He "ate at a table, and slept on a bed when at Isom." And he appears to have appreciated the importance of

• diplomatic dinners as correctly as Lord Palmerston himself: "when entertaining foreigners his meals were served after the civilized m

fia4tion) though very ita in.the manner itis doneonloard.ship."