Template:960-961 - Revision history

Jere Krischel at 06:29, 2 January 2006

2006-01-02T06:29:54Z

Jere Krischel at 04:59, 12 December 2005

2005-12-12T04:59:59Z

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960 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
" 2. At 1 o'clock the same day I met all the members of the cabinet
at the attorney-general's office. They had just come from an interview
with the Queen, at which she had announced her intention of promulgating
a constitution and demanded their support. They stated
that she had threatened them with mob violence, whereupon they had
immediately left the palace, each one going out by a separate entrance.
While we were talking a messenger came from the Queen requesting
them to immediately return to the palace. Peterson and Colburn positively
refused to do so, stating that they did not consider their lives
would be safe there. I shortly after left them and started down town.
After I had gone about two blocks I was overtaken by a messenger
from the cabinet asking me to return, which I did. They asked me to
ascertain what support they could expect from citizens, and formally
authorized me to state the condition of affairs to leading citizens and
in their behalf to call for armed volunteers to resist the Queen. I
immediately proceeded to comply with their request, and, with the
assistance of others, within an hour or two thereafter about 80 leading
citizens had signed a written agreement agreeing to support the cabinet
against the Queen by force.
"3. Later the same afternoon Mr. Colburn informed me that they had
finally gone to the palace and held a stormy interview with the Queen
lasting for over two hours. He told me he had no confidence in his
colleague, Mr. Peterson, who he believed was playing double with
him, and told me to beware of telling Peterson anything further. As
a reason for his distrust he said that he knew nothing of the intention
to promulgate a constitution, but that, while they were discussing the
matter with the Queen, she said, in reply to an objection made by
Peterson: 'Why did you not make this objection before? You have
had this constitution in your possession for a mouth and raised no
objection to it.' Colburn said also that in reply to am objection made
by Mr. Parker, minister of foreign affairs, she said: ' Why did you not
tell me this last night when we were talking over the subject?' Colburn
further stated to me that at a caucus of their party on the previous
Friday night one of the members of the Legislature, Kaluna by name,
had said that if he could establish the new constitution he would die
happy if he could kill some other man before dying.
"4. The Queen was furiously angry at the refusal of the cabinet to
join her in promulgating the constitution, and publicly denounced them
therefor.
" 5. When the Queen made announcement of her failure to promulgate
the constitution, two of the leading royalist members of the Legislature,
one in the throne room in the palace and one upon the steps of
the building, addressed the assembled crowd, denounced the cabinet
as traitors, and said that they wanted to shed blood. One of the committee
included the Queen in his denunciations.
"6. During the entire time between noon of Saturday, the 14th, and
the afternoon of Tuesday, the 17th, when the Provisional Government
was proclaimed, the Queen's cabinet was without plan of action, and
did practically nothing but rush about the city consulting with various
foreign representatives or citizens of all parties as to what they had
better do, begging the American minister for the support of the American
troops against the committee of safety, and securing from the
Queen a declaration that she would not again attempt to abrogate the
constitution, which they hurried into print and distributed broadcast
to try and appease the indignation of citizens and break up the proposed
mass meeting.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 961
"In support of the fourth proposition that the committee and their
supporters were united, had ample force to execute their purpose, and
proceeded with deliberation and confidence to do so, I submit the following:
"An essential factor in judging whether the force of the committee
was sufficient, and their confidence in themselves well founded, is to
know what the same men under similar conditions have done upon previous
occasions. Fortunately, there is no dispute as to the facts concerning
two recent incidents in Hawaiian history in which the same
parties who were brought into conflict in January, 1893, were arrayed
against each other under similar circumstances:
" 1 . In 1887 the King, by a manipulation of the electorate and the
legislature, had encroached upon popular rights and obtained autocratic
power over the people. In this course he was supi>orted by practically
the same persons who in January last, and now, constitute the Royalist
party in Hawaii. The open Vribery, corruption, and debauchery
of the King and his supporters crystallized the opposition thereto into
an organization of practically the same men who organized and now
constitute the Provisional Government. Such organization was formed
with the openly avowed intention of wresting from the King his autocratic
powers or dethroning him. In preparation for the expected
movement the King fortified the palace, loopholed its basement for
sharpshooters, erected sandbag breastworks at the entrance of tbe
building, mounted cannon and Gatling guns at all the approaches
thereto, largely increased his regular military force, and defied the
organization and public opinion.
The leaders of the revolutionary movement proceeded deliberately to
collect such arms as were available and organized their plans. An
executive committee of thirteen was appointed, who took entire control
of the movement and called a mass meeting in the same building
used for that purpose in January last. The King attempted to head
off the meeting by sending a letter to it promising certain reforms.
The letter had. no effect. Resolutions were adopted denouncing the
King and demanding the granting of a new constitution depriving the
King of all personal power. The resolutions were forthwith presented
to the King by the committee, who, unarmed and alone, proceeded
direct from the meeting to the fortified palace with the ultimatum that
he comply with the demands within twenty-four hours or take the consequences.
"The King was then in absolute control of the regular troops, the
especial troops enlisted for the occasion, 4 companies of native militia,
the police, all the artillery and Gatling guns, the government buildings,
the palace, the barracks, and the station house, with full knowledge
of, and weeks of preparation for, the action taken by the citizens.
His military strength was greater and his control of the public buildings
more complete than was that of the Queen in January last.
He did not fire a shot; submitted to all demands; disbanded his
troops and turned the whole control of the Government over to the
revolutionary party, which, in consideration of his abject submission
allowed him to continue on the throne in a figurehead capacity.
"2. In 1889, while the same men who now constitute the Provisional
Government were in control of the King's Government, a conspiracy
was organized among the royalist supporters by the King and Liliuokalani
for the overthrow of the cabinet and the restoration of the old
royal power and constitution. The conspirators took the cabinet by
surprise, and on the night of July 29 took possession of the Government
S. Doc. 231, pt 6 61

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
+{{p|960}}
-" 2. At 1 o'clock the same day I met all the members of the cabinet
+"2. At 1 o'clock the same day I met all the members of the cabinet
 at the attorney-general's office. They had just come from an interview
 with the Queen, at which she had announced her intention of promulgating
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 citizens had signed a written agreement agreeing to support the cabinet
 against the Queen by force.
 "3. Later the same afternoon Mr. Colburn informed me that they had
 finally gone to the palace and held a stormy interview with the Queen
@@ Line 29: / Line 30: @@
 Peterson: 'Why did you not make this objection before? You have
 had this constitution in your possession for a mouth and raised no
-objection to it.' Colburn said also that in reply to am objection made
+objection to it.' Colburn said also that in reply to an objection made
 by Mr. Parker, minister of foreign affairs, she said: ' Why did you not
 tell me this last night when we were talking over the subject?' Colburn
@@ Line 36: / Line 37: @@
 had said that if he could establish the new constitution he would die
 happy if he could kill some other man before dying.
 "4. The Queen was furiously angry at the refusal of the cabinet to
 join her in promulgating the constitution, and publicly denounced them
 therefor.
 " 5. When the Queen made announcement of her failure to promulgate
 the constitution, two of the leading royalist members of the Legislature,
 one in the throne room in the palace and one upon the steps of
@@ Line 45: / Line 48: @@
 as traitors, and said that they wanted to shed blood. One of the committee
 included the Queen in his denunciations.
 "6. During the entire time between noon of Saturday, the 14th, and
 the afternoon of Tuesday, the 17th, when the Provisional Government
@@ Line 56: / Line 60: @@
 to try and appease the indignation of citizens and break up the proposed
 mass meeting.
-HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 961
+{{p|961}}
 "In support of the fourth proposition that the committee and their
 supporters were united, had ample force to execute their purpose, and
 proceeded with deliberation and confidence to do so, I submit the following:
 "An essential factor in judging whether the force of the committee
 was sufficient, and their confidence in themselves well founded, is to
@@ Line 67: / Line 72: @@
 parties who were brought into conflict in January, 1893, were arrayed
 against each other under similar circumstances:
 " 1 . In 1887 the King, by a manipulation of the electorate and the
 legislature, had encroached upon popular rights and obtained autocratic
-power over the people. In this course he was supi>orted by practically
+power over the people. In this course he was supported by practically
 the same persons who in January last, and now, constitute the Royalist
-party in Hawaii. The open Vribery, corruption, and debauchery
+party in Hawaii. The open bribery, corruption, and debauchery
 of the King and his supporters crystallized the opposition thereto into
 an organization of practically the same men who organized and now
@@ Line 82: / Line 88: @@
 thereto, largely increased his regular military force, and defied the
 organization and public opinion.
 The leaders of the revolutionary movement proceeded deliberately to
 collect such arms as were available and organized their plans. An
@@ Line 88: / Line 95: @@
 used for that purpose in January last. The King attempted to head
 off the meeting by sending a letter to it promising certain reforms.
-The letter had. no effect. Resolutions were adopted denouncing the
+The letter had no effect. Resolutions were adopted denouncing the
 King and demanding the granting of a new constitution depriving the
 King of all personal power. The resolutions were forthwith presented
@@ Line 94: / Line 101: @@
 direct from the meeting to the fortified palace with the ultimatum that
 he comply with the demands within twenty-four hours or take the consequences.
 "The King was then in absolute control of the regular troops, the
 especial troops enlisted for the occasion, 4 companies of native militia,
@@ Line 105: / Line 113: @@
 revolutionary party, which, in consideration of his abject submission
 allowed him to continue on the throne in a figurehead capacity.
 "2. In 1889, while the same men who now constitute the Provisional
 Government were in control of the King's Government, a conspiracy
@@ Line 111: / Line 120: @@
 royal power and constitution. The conspirators took the cabinet by
 surprise, and on the night of July 29 took possession of the Government
 S. Doc. 231, pt 6 61