The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-05-14
tiAWAlrS ANNEXATION
MOVEMENT IN EARLY SOS

presented ~ Mr. Severance. which was
taken 10 Washington hy Hon. +. H.
Allen. then United States Consul. who
sailed on this mission April 4. 1851
". Perrin left FOR Paris May q. 10
obtain fresh instructions. aud did not
return until January 3. 1888 Nothing
more was ever heard Of the rest OF the
ten demands. Mr. Webster, the United
States Secretary Of State. made strong
representations 10 the French Ggoven.
ment on the subject, but directed Mr..
Severance TO return to the Hawaiian
government the deed Of cession. which
had been placed in his keeping
4 Joint resolution was passed by
both houses Of the Hawaiian Legisla.
ture June 81. 1851. confirming the &C.
tion of the Privy Council, and empow.
ering the King and Privy Council TO
place the Kingdom under the protec-
tion of some friendly power, IL ncces
sary 'to shield il from insult and OPP
preston,
In the FLOWING year. in framing the
new Constitution, "A clause was inserted
in Article 30, which empowered the
King by and with the approval of his
Cabinet and Privy Council, to even
ALLEVIATE his Kingdom, off indispens
able to free it from the insult and OPP
preston of any foreign power" This
shows that the apprehension of some
impending danger was still present to
the minds of the King and his ad.
visers.
Filibusters.
The discovery of gold in California
in 1S4s, which led to the speedy set
Element of that State, and to the open.
ing of new routes across the American
continent, ushered in new era in the
history of the Hawaiian Islands. 1t
opened new market for their produc-
tions, and brought them into closer
commercial relations with the United
States. Communication became FIRE,
quent between them and America, and
capital began to be largely invested
here.
At that time California was resorted
to by numerous lawless adventures,
who planned a number of raids or fill
clustering expeditions into the neigh
boring countries. The notorious Gen
Walker headed a raid of this kind into
Lower California in 1858, and Others
into Nicaragua in 1865 and 1861, in
the last of which he was taken prls.
oner and shot.
The Hawaiian government received
many warnings in the fall of 1851 that
a band of filibusters was being organ.
lied to invade this kingdom. At the
request of the Cabinet, the U. S. s.
Vandalia, Captain Gardner, was kept
at Honolulu, ready to seize any sus
piciOus vessel, and body of 100 native
troops was drilled for several months
by Lieutenant Read of the Vandalia
About twenty-five suspicious charac
tiers, headed by Sam. Brannan, came
down from San Francisco in November
1851, in the ship Game Cock.
During the voyage the mail bag was
/, ritied by members of the party, and
the letters thrown overheard. They
We're under the false impression that
the country was ripe for revolution
and that the King was ready to sci
his kingdom, and to retire from the
cares of state. But they soon founc
that they had been deceived in regard
to the feeling of the natives, and that
the officers and men of the whaling
fleet were also hostile to them. They
; were closely watched, the King declin
ed to see them, and the expedition
ended in fiasco.
During the years 1S53-54 the coun.
try was disquieted by frequent ru
mors of filibustering expeditions being
, fitted out, and British and American
ships of war were kept in port much
of the time, as safeguard. Mr.
, wyllie strongly advocated the plan o.
organizing a force of 5000 militia, L
consist of natives armed with pixies
and small contingent of cavalry. to
gether with 100 regular troops for de
Tense against filibusters. but 1t wa,
rejected by the Privy Council.
The Political Agitation of 1853.
During the years ls50-54 n consider.
able immigration from California tool
place. 1t embraced many restless, am.
bilious spirits, some of whom came FOL
the purpose of exciting revolution
They found the foreign community al,
ready split into factions. between
which bitter feuds existed of Ions
standing. Many OF the newcomers nat
urally Joined the opposition party
which claimed to be the liberal anC
progressive element in the country.
! The plan of the leaders of the new
movement seems to have been to re-
construct the government, and then t,
turn IL over to the United States.
secret committee of thirteen was ap
pointed to carry out their designs
Their first object was to bring abou
the removal Of two of the ministers
viz, Messrs, Armstrong and Judd
The unsuccessful attempt to make pc
ltical capital out of the smallpox cpl
demic of 1858 was discreditable to al
engaged in IT, At the. same time al
active agitation was commenced II
favor of annexation, and the two OBJ
noxious ministers Were accused of be
ing an obstacle in the way of It
Threats We're freely used to intimidat,
the King and chiefs into dismissint
them.
In August memorial in favor o
annexation was presented to the King
which was signed by seventeen respec