2 28 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
Thayer & Gushing to teach for them in their famous Gauncey Hall school, still continuing dihgently the study of law. On the discovery of gold in California, and the breaking out in the East of what was termed the " gold fever," he deemed it a good opportunity, like many another of our New England men, to "break away" from his New England life and seek his fortune and his fame on the Pacific shores, and accordingly embarked for California, and arrived, in the youth and vigor of his manhood, at San Francisco, early in May, 1850. Of course, there had been no planting as yet in California, and the price of vegetables brought from the Hawaiian Islands was so enormous, that Mr. Harris was induced to embark in an enterprise to procure them from the islands, and having procured a vessel wnich had brought many of his townsmen to San Francisco, he embarked with his two brothers, Thomas and Abel, who were both sea-faring men, in this enterprise, and arrived at Honolulu in August, 1850.
Before leaving San Francisco, he was severely attacked by the ague and fever, which during the voyage down, and after his arrival at Honolulu, con- tinued to trouble him. Immediately upon his arrival, he was addressed by several people having need of legal services, for enterprises were rife, and all the world appeared to be moving, and those who desired his services were prompt and hberal with their fees. This fact, together with his impaired health induced him with the consent of his brothers to remain there, and the vessel which they had loaded as they had proposed returned to California. He did not intend at this time to make his home there ; but fate ordered it otherwise, and month passed on after month, until he became thoroughly identified with the country. In September of that year (1850) the two young princes, — Alexander Liholilu, who was afterwards King Kamehameha IV, and Lot Kamehamhea, who was afterwards King Kamehameha V, — arrived home from their American and European tour. He immediately became intimate with them, and this inti- macy, perhaps, determined his fate. This intimacy was somewhat interrupted in the case of Prince Liholiho, during the first year of his reign, though resumed during the last years. But in the case of Kamehameha V it con- tinued uninterrupted to his death. His first public employment was that of police magistrate of Honolulu in the year 1851. He was elected representa- tive for one of the districts of the Island of Hawaii in 1852. His wife with their infant son arrived from Boston, January i, 1852, and from that time his residence there may be regarded as permanent.
He continued to practice law with marked success. In 1862, a law was passed, creating the office of attorney-general of the kingdom, and to which office he was appointed on the 26th of August, 1S62 by Kamehameha IV. This king died 30th of November, 1863, ^-nd was succeeded by his brother, Kamehameha V, and Mr. Harris was immediately appointed minister of the interior, ad interim. He was a member of the Privy Council of state, and continued to hold the office of attorney-general until the 2 2d of December, 1865. In March, 1867, he received the appointment of minister at Wash- ington, and having returned here in 1868, he resumed the duties of Minister of Finance, in which office he continued until December 20, 1869, when he was appointed minister for foreign affairs, which office he resigned on the loth of September, 1872. At the death of Kamehameha V, there was no lineal heir to the throne, and William Lunalilo was elected by the legislature as pro- vided by the constitution. He reigned one year, during which Mr. Harris was not in office, but continued to be a member of the Privy Council of state. At the death of Lunalilo without heirs, Prince Kalakana was elected king by the legislature on the 12th of February, 1S74, and Mr. Harris was appointed at once first associate justice of the supreme court, and on the resignation of
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