The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-02-13
Ills VANISHED CROWN
An Inspired Presentation Which Claims LI|i-
uokalanI Was illegally Deprived Of It.
IS STILL QUEEN Of HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
80 Says Julius a. ralmcr-EIe pre-
'incin= Stntelnent OF IRcr Case :
WINS Her Signature as written by
Hes official or NOtf

Washington, D. c.. Feb 12.-In the
retmue Of eX-Qucen Liliuokalanl, Of
Hawaii. and known as her private sec
rotary, is a gentleman from Boston
named Julius A Palmer Secretary
Palmer has given to the press a letter,
III which he sets forth the view enter
tanned by those around her ex-H Highncss.
The abdication is null and void, he as
serts. because the document was signed
under duress, and the paper. likewise.
was worthless because the signature Al :
tached IS not J.iliuokalani'S official sig
nature.
Mr.. Palmer Introduces his subject will,
an expression Of appreciation Of the
Kindness with which the deposel Queen
extracts from the letter follow:
Do l mean that the Queen Of IIa-
wall has never given q legal nbdication,
that she is still the lawful ruler, even
IL she forbcars 10 enforce her leEitima tc
rights?
Il do mean exactly that. On the It'll
OF January, 1895, she was arrested for no
specific charged uffensc, the same being
BY force. and confined by force in the
lolani Palace, now called the executive
building. She was alone and i'll. when
the influence OF Minister Willis was
raj massacre OF those Of every nation
who were supposed to be quietly faithful
10 the constitutional monarch. Even
prisoners were kept locked in their cells
by their captors lest they should be
taken out and hung by the excited ad-
herents Of the PROFESSIONALISM govern
ment. Under these circumstances. with
out a friend to advise her, she was told
that those she dearly loved--her per
sonal friends-were awaiting execution.
ana that The only act which would save
their lives was an act of ab1ication to
be signed by her. The ring OF adren-
turcrs knew their victim. Had they pro
posed her immediate death they could
not have terrified her but to save those
she loved she executed the docum ents S
you publish.
Ii was an act consumma ted under the
planest kind Of duress, void even had
it been legally executed
But the signature is worthless even
to a collector OF autographs. 1t is not
the official signature.
There was no such person recognized
as Liluokalani Dominis, and there is no
such person to this day.
IN their excessive caution. instead of
taking her signature as Liliuokaia iani,
Regina" the only form Of signature
which could have bound even valid
act, they sought 20 teach her the grace
OF humility by asking for the signature
Of Mrs. Dominis; they got it,, and little
good would 1t do them in any legal con-
test. They simply oVer-rea ched them
selves
mo question is ever settled until it is
settled right, and that the whole Ha-
waiian matter should be properly re-
viewed is the opinion Of great many
of the people of the United States.
In an official history written by one
or the opposition party, Mr.. w. D. Alex
ander, published for the Hawaiian
| n I'M ha !
page one OF the best pictures I have
seen Of Her Majesty Queen Lliuokala-
nj, and at It's close l notice three pages
devoted to showing her Genealogy in a
direct line for a hundred years Or so he
fore her reign, and when upon the
throne. as the patroncss OF music, educa
tion, and the fine arts. The only recep-
ton she has been willing to give In
washington was to 4 school. and the
only time she has opened her lips III
public in America was to encourage the
pupils. But in that history | rca d that
it was ancient and common law In Ha
wall that no chief could ever be degra d ed
from that high Office to which birth
alone Is the passport; the friends of
Lilioukalani in America or In Hawaii
are willing to stand on that record"
That the letter is an inspired preSen-
taiion there can be no doubt. That /,
cmanated directly from her or was die
tated by her is another matter, and one
which Mr.. Palmer to-day declined tC
commit himself. When asked whether
it had been submitted to her for hel
approval before it was sent out. Mr. Pal.
mer declined to answer one way or the
other.
IF the press should regard It," he
said, "as an authorized presentation OF
the Queens position should never take
the trouble to deny 1t. ] am willing tc
stand by the truth Of every statement
in the letter, ana, from II Royalisr point
OF view, it cannot be questioned. Hel
name is not LiIiuokalani Dominis.
Before her marriage to General
Dominis her name was Lydia Kama
kaeha. When she succeeded the late
King, her brother. on the throne OF
Hawaii. she did so under the title OF
Liliuokalani. The signature Of Liluio-
kalani Domlnis is. therefore, meaning
less and OF no value on any paper"
Secretary Palmer declined to express
any opinion as to the eX-Queen's future
plans.
GIVE EREPuR4ICAN5 THE HELM.