The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-01-04

or three, thereby effectually placing tn,
legislative branch of the Government
under the personal and absolute contro
4 of the King. The constitutional en-
croachments, lawless extravaganza ant
scandalous and open sales of patronage
and privilege to the highest bidder BY
kalakaua brought on at length the
revolution of 1887, which had the full
sympathy and moral support of all the
diplomatic representatives in Honolulu,
including Minister Merrill, who was,
at that time, President Cleveland's
Minister here. This revolution
was not an annexation move
ment in any sense, but
tended towards an Independent repub-
lie, but when it had the monarchy in
its power, conservative counsel pre-
vailed, and new lease of life was al
lowed that institution on the condition
OF royal fidelity to the new Constitution
which was then promulgated and
greatly curtailed the powers of the
sovereign. Kalakaua was not faithful
to this compact and sought as far as
| possible to evade its stipulations.
The insurrection of 1889 was connived
at by him and the household guards
under his control were not allowed to
take part in suppressing it. The Prin-
cess Liliuokalani was in full sympathy
with this movement being party to it,
and furnishing her suburban residence
to the insurgents for their meetings.
The arrangements were then made and
the insurgents marched thence for
their attack upon the Government.
The affair was suppressed in q few
hours of fighting, with some loss of
life to the insurgents, by the party
which carried through the revolution of
1887.
The ex-Queen's rule was even more
reckless and retrogressive than her
brothers. Less polite than he, and with
less knowledge of affairs, she had more
determination and was equally unreli-
able and deficient in moral principle.
She, to all appearance, unhesitatingly
took the oath of Office to govern accord.
ing to the constitution and evidently
regarding it merely as a formal cere-
mony, began, according to her own
testimony to Mr.. Blonnt, to lay her
plans to destroy the constitution and re-
place it with one of her own creation.
With like disregard of it's sanctions,
she made the most determined efforts to
control all the appointments to office,
both executive and judicial. The SEES
sion of the Legislature of 1899 was
the longest that had ever occurred in
our history and was characterized by
most obstinate struggle for personal con-
troll OF the Government and the Legisla-
ture on the part of the Queen;
this was strenuously resisted by
the opposition. During this con-
test four ministerial cabinets were
appointed and unseated, and the lot
terry franchise bill, which had been
withdrawn early in the session for
want of sufficient support, was at the
last moment, when the opposition was
weakened by the absence OF several of
its members. again brought forward
and passed through the exercise of
upon the Legislators, among which
were personal appeals on the part of
the Queen to them. The Cabinet
which represented the opposition and
the majority of the Legislature, which
the Queen had been compelled to ap-
point. was unseated by similar means,
and, with a new Cabinet of her own
choice the Legislature was prorogued.
This lottery franchise was of charac-
ter corresponding with similar insti-
buttons which have been driven out of
every State of the American Union by
an indignant public sentiment. If it
had been established here it would i'm
brief period have obtained full control
of the Government patronage. and cor
rupted the social and political life of
the people.
Although the situation at the close of
the session was deeply discouraging to
the community, it was accepted without
any intention of meeting it by other
than legal means. The attempted coup
u IT Ill l.
ministers. threatened with violence, fed
to the citizens for assistance and protec-
ton; then it was that the uprising
against the Queen took place, and,
gathering force from day to day, re-
suited in the proclamation of the Pro-
visional Government and the abrogation
of the monarchy on the third day there
after.
No man can correctly say that the
Queen owed her downfall to the inter-
ference of American forces. The revo-
luton was carried through by the rep
resentatives. now largely reinforced, of
the same public sentiment which forced
the monarchy to its knees in 1887;
which suppressed the instruction Of
1889, and which, for twenty years, had
been battling for representative govern.
ment in this country. If the American
forces had been absent the revolution
would have taken place, for the sufflci-
ent cause for it had nothing to do with
their presence.
therefore. in all friendship for the
Government of the United States,
which you represent, and desiring TO
cherish the good will of the great
American people, submit the answer of
my Government TO your proposition,
and ask that you will transmit the same
to the President of the United States for
his consideration.
Though the Provisional Government
il far from being "a great power" and
could not long resist the forces of the
United States in hostile attack. we
deem our position to be impregnable
under all legal piecedents, under the
principles of diplomatic intercourse and
in the forum OF conscience. We have
done your Government no wrong; no
charge of discourtesy is or can be
brought against U.S. Our only issue
with your people has been that because
we revered its institutions of civil
liberty, we have desired to have
them extended to our own dis
tracted country. and because we
! honor its flag, and deeming that
its benefits and authoritative pres
ence would be for the best interests OF
all OF our people, we have stood ready
t. add our country, new star, to its
glory, and to consummate union
which we believed would be as much
for the benefit of yonr country as ours.
II this 10 an offense we plead guilty to
| il.
am instructed to inform you; Mr..
Minister, that the Provisional Govern
ment Of the Hawaiian Islands, respect
fully and unhesitatingly declines to
entertain the proposition of the Presi-
dent OF the United States that it should
surrender its authority to the ex-
Queen.