The times., 1897-06-18
THE HAWAIIAN REPUBLIC
Liliuokalani's Downfall and the
Efforts to Restore Her.
STORY OF THE REVOLUTION
The Island Queens Attempt to De-
prive Foreigners of the Franchise
Precipitated Her Overthrow
Committee of Safety and the Great
Work 1t Accomplished jim 1893.

The movement for the annexation of
the Hawaiian Islands began when early
n 1893, Attn overthrow OF themonarchy,
on January IA, Queen Iliuokalani at
tempted to promulgate new constitution,
depriving the foreigners or tile right OF
franchise and abrogating the existing house
OF mobiles, at the same time giving To her
power to appoint the new house This
was resisted by the foreign element in the
community, who at once appointed a COM
mittec Of safety Of thirteenme mbers, who
called "a mass meeting, which was at
tended by nearly /, 800 people The meet
Ing adopted resolutions cQndegnnipg the
action OF the Queen and authorizing the
committee to take into consideration what
ever means were necessary to protect the
public safety.
On January 16 the committee issued q
manifesto declaring the Hawaiian monarchy
abrosated and proclaiming a provision ii
government to exist until terms of union
with the United States of America have
been negotiated and agreed upon" The
provisional government consisted of an
executive council OF four members, s. b.
Dole, ]. A. King, p. c. Jones, and w. O.
Smith, the first-named acting as president
and chairman of the council, and an ad
visory council OF fourteen members, to
have general legislative authority. All
the officers of the monarchy were re-
ucested to continue to exercise their
functions. except the Queen, the marshal,
the minister of foreign affairs, the min
ister of the interior, and the attorney
general.
The new government then called on
volunteers, who assembled, armed, TO the
number of 500 The old government
surrendered without striking a blow.
John L. Stevens, the United States min
ister then recognized the new order as
the defacto government, and the ex-queen
issued protest. declaring that she yielded
TO the superior force OF the United States,
whose minister has caused United States
troops to be landed and declared that he
would support the said Government She
yielded her authority until such time az
the United States shall undo the acts Of
its representatives and reinstate me in
the authority which / claim as constitu
tional sovereign or the Hawaiian Islands. 3"
commission, consisting OF Lorring a.
Thurston, W. C. w ilder, William F.. Caset,
Charles L. Carter and Joseph Mason, at
once started for Washington with pc
tition for annexation, and were received
by Secretary Foster on February 4. After
several conferences with President HarrI-
son and Secretary Foster, treaty of
annexation was prepared and sent to the
Senate This was close TO the end OF
To- rriS = tor rN had
not time TO act on the convention
On Marci 9 President Cleveland w'53-
drew the treaty. On March 5 he chose
eX, Congressman James II. Blount, of
Georgia, lis paramount Commissioner to
investigate the state of affairs in the
island and report to him, lie spent about
five months in Honolulu, and on August
% got hack to Washington. Immediately
on his arrival in the islands hc hauled
down the American flag, which had been
raised over the public buildings by the
provisional government.
On November / O the Cleveland Admins
tration announced, though somewhat in-
directly, its definite policy on the Ha-
waiian question. The statement of the
Government s policy vas BOT contained in
a message to the Senate, or even in a re-
port TO that body from the State Depart
ment. The President simply figured in the
matter as the '.addressee" of a more or
less informal communication from Sec
retary Gresham, in which the latter re-
viewed the history of the revolution and
the treaty of annexation, nd condemned
the Hawaiian provisional government as
revolutionary and illegal, advising the
permanent withdrawal of the annexation
treaty, virtually declaring the United states
morally bound to overthrow President Dole
by force and to restore Queen Lilioukalani
to her former sovereignty. This docii-
ment was dated October 1S Congress
was in session at that time. but the new
program was withheld from the treaty
making power of the Senate
Minister Stevens was then superseded
by Minister Willis, who arrived at Homo
lulu on November 4. Plenary power was
given him to call on the blue Jackets to
invade the Hawaiian capital and over
turn the existing governussnt and it is
said that his instructions required him
to take steps on his arrival It Hcnolulu
to put the projected restoration through
without loss of time.
on December 6 news was received from
in the present situation would take place
for several weeks" Il brought with me
certain instructions from the United States
Goyernme ment," he said, ''but since my
arrival contingencies have a risen of which
neither the government nor myself waa
aware when left Washington. The whole
Hawaiian question is row in allegiance
The eX-queenss supporters We're dis
mayed at the turn affairs had taken, and
limited that Minister Willis would be Sc
verely repIimanded for rot carrying OH.
bis Instructions However, on Decem-
Der 1S, President Cleveland sent q mes
sage to Congress which virtually adj
mitted the defeat of his plans, and de-
clared that, as a result Of 'Gifficulties
lately created, both here and in Hawaii
the latter was abandoned as field for
Executive action, and the whole qucs
ii on transferred to the s'broader aIr-
thority and discretion of Congress The
President added that ''he would be much
gratified to cooperate in any legislative
plan which might be devised for the So
luton Of the problem"
The intentions of the Government had
been carefully concealed from both Con-
gress and the public up to this point
congress was in session continually while
the scheme of restoration was hatched and
developed. but the President ard his adj
viserS had not allowed a whisper of their
to be heard until both branches of
Congress had dispersed, and Minister Willis
had presumably reached Honolulu and