Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-11-15
.L|L|UOKALAN| DIES
|. IN HER BOTH YEAR
Last of Hawaiian Queens-Ro.
mantle Figure in United
States History.

kalani Of Hawaii, died this morning.
Her death had been expected for sew.
eral days
With the death Of Queen Liliuokal.
AMI has passed the last vestige of roy.
atty In the Hawaiian islands. The
eighth and last monarch to hold sway
over the entire insular group, she
relgned for only two years and that
prief Kicker of sovereignty was extin.
guished more than twenty years ago in
a revolution which led to the annexa.
tion OF the islands to the United States.
But Notwithstanding her effacement
from public affairs, Queen Liliuokalani
never abandoned her royal pose nor
lost the affection of her former sub.
jects, and continued to her death
most interesting personality
She was born September 2, 1888, In
Honolulu. Her name was Lydia Kama. |
kacha. In her memoirs, "Hawaiis His.
tory by Hawaiia's Queen she traced
her ancestry back to the foundation
of the kamachameha dynasty and
claimed relationship to the royal fam.
lily OF the five sovereigns of that name
Liliuokalani assembled the throne of
Hawaii January 20, 1891, Immediately
following the receipt of news from San
Francisco that her brother, King Kala.
kaua, had died there in the Palace no.
tel nine days previously. Kalakaua in
November of the preceding year had
taken a trip to California as the guest
of Rear Admiral Brown on the United
State cruiser Charleston in order to re.
cruit his failing health, but he failed
rapidly.
There was at that time no trans.
Pacific cable, so the news Of the Kings
1,,1, hNy ho In
that bore his body. Preparations had
been made to receive the returning
monarch in elaborate style, but as the
Charleston approached the harbor, she
displayed the royal mourning signal,
and Liliuokalani knew before the yes.
sci locked that she was the new ruler
Of the Hawaiian islands.
Kalakaua had been extremely reaction
airy In all his tendencies as ruler, and
his sister, was even more inclined to.
ward absolutism. In 1889 Kalakaua,
accompanied by a numerous retinue of
Hawaiians and Americans. went on his
famous trip around the world, and dur.
ing his absence Of about year, his
sister had ruled as regent of the king
dom.
Liliuokalani herself visited foreign
countries. She went to London to par
ton Of Queen Victoria. 1t was always
afterwards her boast that she was kiss
ed and embraced by Britain's queen
In 1887, a coterie Of white men. most Of
them born in Hawaii, organized league
to restore and maintain constitutional
government. and frightened King Kala-
kama into signing written constitution.
When Liliuokalani came to the throne
she made a bold attempt to deprive the
white residents Of any voice in the affairs
Of the government, which led to prompt
retaliatory measures.
The business men Of the community
named a committee of safety which
proceeded Immediately with the forma-
ton of a provisional government and
the reorganization Of the volunteer mill
tary companies which had been disbanded
in 1890.
The committee of safety called a mass
meeting for the afternoon Of January
l6. This meeting, disregarding a state
ment by the Queen that thenceforth
changes in the constitution would be
sought only by methods provided in the
constitution ITSELF" ratified the action Of
the committee and authorized it to take
all necessary steps to carry it's objects
into effect
The United States cruiser Boston was
In the harbor having arrived two days
before. At the request of United States
Minister ]. L. Stevens, this vessel landed
force of marines on the evening Of
the 10th, avowedly to protect the lives
Of American citizens and to guard their
| property in case of rioting or incendiar.
| ism.
The next day, January II, the organic
| cation Of the provisional government was
| completed. with Sanford B. Dole at its
head as president of { executive coun-
| Gil and minister of foreig.. affairs. An
advisory council Of IA members was also
| appointed. That same afternoon the two
| councils took possession of the govern
ment building. and the reign of Liliuo-
kalani was at an end.
Two days after her dethronement five
commissioners of the provisional govern
| ment, armed with authority to negotiate
| treaty OF union with the United States,
sailed from Honolulu. They were fol-
lowed on the next steamer by emissaries
Of the Queen to protest against the in
reference Of the United States.
The commissioners of the de facto gov
eminent were favorably received by Pres
ident Harrison and a trea.y OF annexa-
ton drawn up. and finally ratified. But
one OF the first acts Of President Cleve-
land was to withdraw 1t and to despatch
Col. Fl. Blount as his special commissioner
to investigate the situation.
Meanwhile, the United States flag had
been raised by Minister Stevens, who had,
at the request Of the provisional govern
ment. proclaimed a provisional protec-
torate for his country over the islands,
Blount. who by reason of his credentials
became known as Paramount Blount, "
pulled down the American flag over the
government buildings and made a lengthy
report to President Cleveland, who re-
moved Minister Stevens and the Queen
was informed that IL she would grant
amnesty to all the heads of the provis-
ional government. the latter would be
asked to restore her constitutional author
ity. The Queen gave the promise, but
demand for the restoration of Liliuo-
kalani met with fiat refusal on the part
of the provisional government
President Cleveland referred the whole
matter to Congress, which repudiated the
Blount report and decided adversely to
President Cleveland's recommendation
that Queen LiliuoKalani be restored to her
throne.
There was. however. no immediate hope
for annexation. SO on July 4, 1894, the
Republic OF Hawaii was proclaimed. with
Sanford b. Dole as president
On January l6, 1895, Just two years
after being deposed Liliuokalani was
arrested on tbs charge of being par
ticipant In PCT to overturn the existing
government and resume her sovereignty.
Eight days later she formally renowned
all claim to the throne. After nine
months confinement in her former pal
ace, she and 4s others were pardoned and
wnen. on August IL. 1898. Hawaii became