The morning call., 1893-03-09
AN EX-MINISTER'S VIEW.
John F. CoIburn, Late Cabinet Officer
Makes Statement.


Makes a Statement.
John F. Colburn, her Hawaiian ex-
Majesty's Minister of the Interior, con-
tributes the following statement regarding
the situation from the monarchical point of
view:
Upon the request of THE CALL for a
statement of my own personal knowledge
ard observation of the overturning of the
Government and what might be construed
as to how it came about, have consented.
To introduce myself to the public my
father was an American and my mother a
native of this country. l am SO years of
age and was her Majesty's Minister of the
Interior at the time she was deposed and
was depoSed from Office with her.
Some time in September of 1891 Mr.. A.
S. Hartwell, an influential gentleman resid-
ing in this city, called upon mo and asked
me what l thought of annexation. | re-
piled that l was not aware what benefits
we would receive from annexation aud
thought that if the subject was ever men,
toned publicly or if it was left to the
native Hawaiians they would one and
all oppose il. He replied that he knew for
certain that annexation would come
about within a year. After telling me of
certain benefits that would arise from an
nexation he left aud went away. l talked
with several people about the subject and
told them that there must be something
bs0oding as Mr.. Hartwell was undoubtedly
man that was pretty well posted on this
question as he had been travelling good
deal Of late and had come in contact with
r good many of the Influential men in
America.
After detailing the different changes
which took place in the Ministry from May
1892. to January last Mr.. ColOurn con-
tnued:
On Friday. January 10. the Queen sum-
mOned and commissioned as her Cabinet
the following gentlemen: Samuel Parker,
". H. COrnwel. j. f. Colburn and A. z.
Peterson
The Legislature was prorogued at 70
o'clock on Saturday. After the prorOga-
ton OF the Legislature the diplomatic
corps, representing America, England
France, Portugal and Japan, residing at
the court of her Majesty, asked for an in
terylew with us, the Cabinet. We met the
diplomatic corps in the Foreign Office and
they asked us If we knew that the Queen
was going to prOmulgate new cOnsttu-
ton. We replied that we did not, but had
heard rumOrs of IL. They asked if we
would otify them if we found ont for sure
that such was the intention of her Majesty.
We replied that we would. and our inter
view ended. We then Immediately re-
paired to the palace TO meet the Queen,
presence as soon as possible.
We net her Majesty in the blue room,
and after seating ourselves her Majesty in
formed us that 1t was her intention and
desire to promulgate a new constitution,
the document OF which she had lying in
her presence, the same being in the Ha-
waiian language. After listening to what
she had to say on the sui beet we all advised
her not to do il. She informed US that she
had petition signed by 5000 of her native
subjects asking for a new constitution, aud
after taking the matter under deliberate
consideration she had felt that this was the
opportunity to grant the request. We
again advised her that 1t would be detri-
mental TO her interests and to abandon the
idea. Der Majesty at this stage felt that in
granting the request of her native subjects
she not only gave them a liberal consttu-
ton but would place them on a par with a
large number of foreign voters who had
remained in this country only short while
and were not entitled TO as much as they
We're
She felt that the constitution that was
then existing had been forced upon the
King by certain number Of the foreign