The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-02-23

Presents OfiiciaI statement Regarding
the AbdicaUiun Document

Presents OfiiciaI statement Regarding
the Abdicauion Document
NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-THE Suns
Washington special says: When Her
Majesty" Liliuokalani. ex-Queen of the
Hawaiian Islands, appeared in Washing
ton three weeks ago and drove ''her
great and good friend" Grover Cleve-
land, to the fishing grounds of Virginia
as she had Ndriven him a few weeks ago
to the hunting grounds of South Caro-
lima to escape her, it was then believed
that she came on some political errand
The President could not escape her.
and she evidently intends to remain here
until the new President is inaugurated
The ex-Queen has not been outside of
her room except to visit the White
House and go to church. She has not
seen the Capitol or other public build
ings, but she is very busy about some
thing. Her secretary or chamberlain, or
whatever his title may be, Julius Pal
mer, today dropped a very strong hint
that Her Majesty" as he refers to her
except when he refers to her as 1.-The
Queen" is in Washington on political
businesses. This information was drawn
out by the publication in an evening
paper of the letter of abdication dated
January "a, 1895, in connection with the
statement that the real object of the ex-
Queens visit to Washington has not be-
come apparent. Secretary Palmer de-
clares the letter of abdication was a
fraud; that there is no such person as
''Liliuokalani Dominis" who was COM
PEELED by force to resign, and he speaks
with authority in disavowing the legal
force and effect of the alleged letter of
abdication.
This is not worth the paper it is writ
ten upon and it would never stand in
court of equity. She was coerced into
signing it." he says and he characterizes
those who were responsible for the is
suing OF the letters as scoundrels, de-
ceivers, Monsters" etc.
Then Mr.. Palmer prepared the follow
ing official statement: THE presence of
Her Majesty, Liliuokalani of Hawaii,
in this city has excited universal SYM
pathy from all classes. OF this fact there
can be not the least doubt 1t is as
grateful TO me as an American as it is
TO her as a Queen and woman. She daily
expresses her sense of appreciation for
kindnesses, although she is unable to ac-
cept half of them. But 1 want to say
that the So-called letter of abdicatiOn
was nothing more or less than a brief
drawn by A. S. Hartwell, chief counselor
for a corporation of sugar planters and
lawyers now posing as the Hawaiian
Republic
I VIII be palmer. if you wish. Do I
mean that the Queen of Hawaii has
never given legal abdication, that she is
still the lawful ruler, even if she for
bears to enforce her legitimate rights +?
January she was arrested for no special
~ charged offense. taken by force and
confined alone in Iolani Palace, now call
ed the Executive building. She was
alone and i'll on or about the date mem
toned, when the influence of Minister
Willis was needed every moment to pre-
vent general massacre of those of ev-
cry nation who were supposed to be
faithful to the constitutional monarch
Even prisoners were kept locked in their
cells by their jailers, lest they should be
taken out and hung by the so-caIled Re
publicans.
Under these circumstances, without
a friend to advise her she was told that
those she dearly loved, her personal
friends, were waiting execution, and the
only thing which would save their lives
was her abdication. The ring of a1ven-
turers knew their victim, for had they
proposed her immediate death they could
not have terrified her, but to save those
she loved she executed the documents
you publish.
But the signature is worthless even
10 a collector of autographs. 1t is not
the official signature. There was no such
person recognized as Liliuokalani Do
minis, and is no such person to this day.
In their excessive caution, instead of
taking her signature as I.iliuokalani Re-
gina, the only form of signature which
could have bound even valid act, they
sought to teach her the grace of hu-
= mility by asking for the signature of