Outline of Topics

pp. 363-398 - Summary and conclusions of the Morgan Report

Senator Morgan's complete 35 page summary of the report of his Committee on Foreign Relations to the full Senate is at the beginning of the Morgan report.

The remainder of the Morgan report (about 800 pages) is a collection of transcripts of sworn testimony before the committee; historical documents from the Kingdom of Hawaii; various reports describing the Hawaiian islands and their commercial and military significance to the United States, etc. There seems to be no logic to the order in which these items are presented.

pp. 399-401 - Translation of poster calling on supporters of the Queen

translation of a poster calling upon supporters of the Queen to attend a mass meeting

translation of the accompanying extra edition issued by the Ka Leo o Ka Lahui, a Honolulu newspaper, published in Honolulu in the Hawaiian language, on January 16, 1893.

pp. 401-402 - Instructions to Commodore Perry

instructions of the secretary of the navy to commodore perry, dated april 15, 1847 (related to Mexico, not Hawai'i)

pp. 402-405 - Treaty of Annexation by Kamehameha III

treaty of annexation made in the time of kamehameha iii, which failed of the king's signature by reason of his death, the original being on file in the office of the secretary of state -- the treaty contained ten articles plus a separate and secret article

pp. 405-407 - Instructions to General Winfield Scott

instructions from hon. w. l. marcy, secretary of war, to maj. gen. winfield scott, commanding the army of the united states in mexico (related to Mexico, not Hawai'i)

pp. 407-409 - Treaty of Reciprocity

treaty of reciprocity between the united states and hawaii, dated and signed the 20th of july, 1855, submitted to the senate for ratification by President Pierce on December 22, 1855, but which was not ratified by the senate

pp. 409-418 - Report on Hawaii

report on the physical features, facts of landing, supplies, climate, diseases, etc., of the hawaiian islands, prepared by capt. george p. scriven, of the signal corps, assisted by lieut. j. y. mason blunt, of the fifth cavalry, with the accompanying maps.

Contents. Page.
Location, distances from the Pacific coast 410
Communications with the United States 410
Names, areas 411
General physical characteristics 411
Soil 412
Climate 412,413
Earthquakes 413
Population, characteristics, religions, education 413-415
Laws, military forces, police 415
Language, Government 415,416
Business, currency, finance, commerce 416,417
Products, resources, vegetation 417
Industries 417
Diseases (other than leprosy) 418
Manner of life, clothing 418

pp. 419-436 - Individual characteristics of the eight inhabited islands of the Hawaiian group

(Cities, Towns, and Ports of each) -- Island of Oahu; Island of Hawaii; Island of Maui; Island of Kauai; Island of Molokai; Island of Lanai or Ranai; Island of Niihau; Island of Kahulaui [Kahoolawe]. Also Kaula, Lenua [Lehua], Molokini.

pp. 436-437 - Communications of the Hawaiian Islands.

RAILROADS (Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kaui [Kauai]) ROADS. TELEGRAPHS. TELEPHONES. POSTAL SERVICE. INTER-ISLAND STEAMERS AND VESSELS.

pp. 441-454 - Lectures by Capt. C.E. Dutton

Lectures delivered at the U.S. National Museum February 9 and March 15,1884, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution and of the Anthropological and Biological Societies of Washington, by Capt. C. E. Dutton, of the U.S. Army ordnance dept. in Washington, D.C., on U.S. geological duty.

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND PEOPLE. [geology, volcano, weather, Hawaiian language, ancient navigation, religion, Kamehameha conquest, government, population, private property, legal system, education]

pp. 454-464 - Paper by Sanford B. Dole

Also the following paper prepared by hon. sanford b. dole and read before the hawaiian historical society december 5, 1892.

EVOLUTION OF HAWAIIAN LAND TENURES [how the Polynesians settled Hawaii; land of plenty and peace; religious taboos; irrigation; population increase caused warfare to control land; feudal system of land tenure wherein chiefs and tenants could be disposessed arbitrarily. Kamehameha I, following conquest, redistributed land but then kept land tenures stable. Kamehameha II wanted to redistrubute, but Kaahumanu stopped it. Under Kamehameha III chiefs and foreigners wanted civil rights protected and stability of land tenure written into law. Process of the steps in the Mahele described in great detail. "A brief ten years had been sufficient for the Hawaiian nation to break down the hoary traditions and venerable customs of the past, and to climb the difficult path from a selfish feudalism to equal rights, from royal control of all the public domain to peasant proprietorship and fee-simple titles for poor and for rich. It came quickly and without bloodshed because the nation was ready for it. Foreign intercourse, hostile and friendly, and the spirit of a Christian civilization had an educating influence upon the eager nation, united by the genius of Kamehameha I, with its brave and intelligent warrior chiefs resting from the conquest of arms, their exuberant energies free for the conquest of new ideas; with rare wisdom, judgment, and patriotism they proved equal to the demands of the time upon them."

pp. 464-465 - Extract from Report of John Quincy Adams

ALSO THE FOLLOWING EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF HON. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. "It is a subject of cheering contemplation to the friends of human improvement and virtue, that by the mild and gentle influence of Christian charity, dispensed by humble missionaries of the gospel, unarmed with secular power, within the last quarter of a century, the people of this group of islands have been converted from the lowest debasement of idolatry to the blessings of the Christian gospel; united under one balanced government; rallied to the fold of civilization by a written language and constitution, providing security for the rights of persons, property, and mind, and invested with all the elements of right and power which can entitle them to be acknowledged by their brethren of the human race as a separate and independent community. To the consummation of their acknowledgment the people of the North American Union are urged by an interest of their own, deeper than that of any other portion of the inhabitants of the earth—by a virtual right of conquest, not over the freedom of their brother man by the brutal arm of physical power, but over the mind and heart by the celestial panoply of the gospel of peace and love."

pp. 465-475 - Review of Treaty Commercial Results

ALSO THE FOLLOWING HAWAIIAN TREATY [Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 as greatly strengthened in 1887] AND REVIEW OF ITS COMMERCIAL RESULTS

A review of the extensive commercial interaction between Hawaii and its chief trading partner, the U.S. Great detail is provided about the financial activities of sugar baron Claus Spreckels, along with arguments that he did not have a monopoly.

"The Hawaiian treaty was negotiated for the purpose of securing political control of those islands, making them industrially and commercially a part of the United States and preventing any other great power from acquiring a foothold there, which might be adverse to the welfare and safety of our Pacific coast in time of war."

pp. 475-482 - Article by Capt. A.T. Mahan

ARTICLE IN THE "FORUM" FOR MARCH, 1893, ON "HAWAII AND OUR FUTURE SEA-POWER," WRITTEN BY CAPT. A. T. MAHAN. The United States compared with the great naval powers Britain, France, and Spain; including sea lanes, distances to be traveled for refueling in case of war, the need for a chain of secure seaports across the Pacific and the anticipated Central American canal.

pp. 483-488 - 1840 Hawaiian Constitution

A TRANSLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT OF 1840.

pp. 489-500 - Remarks of Mr. Draper

REMARKS OF MR. DRAPER, OF MASSACHUSETTS, MADE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND PUBLISHED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD OF FEBRUARY 4, 1894. [Extensive discussion of distances between secure ports for major naval powers, the need for coaling stations. Recounting some views favorable to annexation as expressed by various U.S. officials beginning 1866. 91% of the international trade of Hawaii is with the U.S.]

"I believe that the true policy of this Government is to negotiate a suitable treaty with the de facto Government in Hawaii, and annex the islands. After this (or before if necessary), if Liliuokalani is supposed to have any rights, purchase them (since she is willing to sell), but on no account ought we to neglect this opportunity of securing this naval and coaling station, so important to us, both from the point of view of commerce and of coast defense."

pp. 500-503 - Article about Paulet affair of 1843

EXTRACT FROM AN ARTICLE, PUBLISHED IN HARPER'S MAGAZINE FOR SEPTEMBER, 1883, PREPARED BY MR. MARSHALL, A SPECIAL ENVOY OF KAMEHAMEHA III TO THE UNITED STATES AND ENGLAND, TO ARRANGE FOR THE REVOCATION OF THE ACTS OF LORD GEORGE PAULET IN OCCUPYING HAWAII AS TERRITORY OF GREAT BRITAIN (The Paulet affair of 1843, and heroism of Americans and Dr. Judd in restoring sovereignty)

pp. 503-517 - History of the Hawaiian Islands by James Jackson Jarves

EXTRACTS FROM THE HISTORY OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, BY JAMES JACKSON JARVES, PUBLISHED IN 1846. (How the first Constitution was created with the help of Reverend Richards. Some of the missionaries resigned from their ministries to go to work for the King. The continuing mission, and the former missionaries now the King's men, were united in their wish to build up a nation of Hawaiians independent from all foreign influence. They adopted 8 rules of protocol, copied here as taken from the missionary minutes for 1838, regarding church/state relations. The peopie came to trust the written laws -- they were thoroughly convinced that the immunity, once claimed by chiefs for crimes, was at an end when there was an impartial jury trial of a chief in 1840 for the murder of his wife. He, with an accomplice, were both found guilty, and suffered the full penalty of the law, death by hanging. The foreigners also began to see that there was some virtue in the courts by a fine imposed upon the English consul for riotous conduct. 6-point demand letter of Captain Paulet (1843). Full text of King's response. Provisional ceding of sovereignty. November 28, 1843 joint declaration of Britain and France recognizing independence of Hawaii. Government courts and executive agencies established. Names of the (House of) Nobles are listed. Royal school established; names of the 15 students are listed. Vast majority of foreign ships visiting Hawai'i are American. Hawaii has 70,000 people who read; 65 million pages published (as of 1846!). Titles of some newspapers, and of many liberal arts books printed in Hawaii, are listed. The (im)morality of the people is described, and a table shows how many crimes were recorded of each category.

pp. 517-521 - Timeline by C.C. Bennett

EXTRACTS FROM THE HONOLULU DIRECTORY AND HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE HAWAIIAN OR SANDWICH ISLANDS, BY C. C. BENNETT, INCLUDING A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF NOTABLE EVENTS CONNECTED WITH HAWAIIAN HISTORY A timeline for the period 1736 to 1869. Birth and death dates of important alii. Dates and names of ship arrivals, Hawaiian battles, political events, and arrival of each company of missionaries.

pp. 521-522 - Deed of Cession

DEED OF CESSION of Hawaii by Kamehameha III to Captain Paulet, February 25, 1843.

pp. 522 - Voter Qualifications

XIX . ARTICLE 78, CONSTITUTION OF 1852. (Qualifications to vote for legislative Representatives)

pp. 530 - Joint Resolution of Hawaiian Legislature 1856

Joint resolution of the Hawaiian Legislature of 1856. Comment on legislative provision for publication of Hawaiian law reports.

"It may not be inappropriate in this connection to state that so highly esteemed are some of the dicta of our Hawaiian courts abroad that their decisions have in more than one instance been quoted in some of the higher courts of the United States. This is no small honor to be attained by a nation which, one generation only ago, had no law but the "word of the chief"

pp. 530-531 - List showing large American presence in hawaiian government

XX. LIST SHOWING THAT NATIVE HAWAIIANS WERE A VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF THE OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF THE CONDUCT OF THE KINGDOM GOVERNMENT. The largest proportion of Kingdom government officers were American citizens; or immigrants from America who became naturalized Kingdom subjects or denizens; or native-born Kingdom subjects whose parents were American immigrants.

pp. 531-533 - Statement of Admiral Belknap

STATEMENT OF ADMIRAL BELKNAP, FROM THE BOSTON HERALD OF JANUARY 31, 1893.

"The revolution in the Hawaiian Islands, resulting in the deposition of the Queen and the establishment of a provisional government, is an event not unexpected to diplomatic, naval, and consular officers who have had any acquaintance or familiarity with the course of affairs in that island Kingdom for the past twenty years. ... A glance at a chart of the Pacific will indicate to the most casual observer the great importance and inestimable value of those islands as a strategic point and commercial center. Situated in mid-north Pacific, the group looks out on every hand toward grand opportunities of trade, political aggrandizement, and polyglot intercourse. ... The group now seeks annexation to the United States; the consummation of such wish would inure to the benefit of both peoples, commercially and politically. ... Our statesmen should act in this matter in the spirit and resolve that secured to us the vast Louisiana purchase, the annexation of Texas, and the acquisition of California."

pp. 533 - Testimony before the Committee on Foreign Relations

TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, UNDER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE OF DECEMBER 20, 1893:

Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Relations shall inquire and report whether any, and, if so, what irregularities have occurred in the diplomatic or other intercourse between the United States and Hawaii in relation to the recent political revolution in Hawaii, and to this end said committee is authorized to send for persons and papers and to administer oaths to witnesses.

FIRST DAY.

WASHINGTON, D. C, December 27,1893.

pp. 533-560 - Testimony of Oliver P. Emerson

SWORN STATEMENT OF REV. OLIVER P. EMERSON. (Summary)

Emerson was born in 1845 on Maui, the son of a missionary, and grew up there [a native-born subject of the Kingdom]. He himself became an ordained minister several years after his father died; and was fluent in Hawaiian and preached in that language. He held minor government posts. He was living in Honolulu in January 1893, and had always been a Royalist until the distillery, lottery, and opium bills passed during the closing week of the legislature, when it also became clear the Queen would proclaim a new constitution.

"The constitution, it is said, was destroyed by the Queen, and some have said that the constitution was one that would disfranchise the white men. Those who were not married to native women would have had the vote taken from them. It was a constitution that would have taken away the ballot from me. It would have taken from the people the power to elect the nobles and put it into the hands of the Queen. By the restricted ballot we were enabled, so far at least as the Legislature is concerned, to elect men of character who stood out against these measures of corruption." [The restricted ballot imposed property/income requirements for voting, thereby preventing voting by easily-manipulated "rabble"].

Emerson testified there was great corruption in the government and bribery in the legislature related to liquor, opium, and gambling; including Mr. Wilson, the Chief Marshall of the Kingdom, who conspired with Mr. Whalen, captain of a yacht, to smuggle opium. A new constitution would have the Queen appointing the Nobles, allowing greater corruption; and the requirements for voting being eased would allow more or the lower classes to vote who could easily be bribed.

Emerson said the Queen was not a regular communicant in any Christian church, floating from one to another; but she often consulted with pagan priests of the old religion, receiving kahunas and sorcerers in the palace. In 1868 Kamehameha V had issued government licenses to native medicine men to practice pagan healing methods, including massage accompanied by fetishism. Those practices were encouraged and more widespread under Kalakaua and Liliuokalani. There is widespread sexual immorality; and both male and female polygamy despite laws against it.

The natives are easily swayed in large masses by emotional appeals. During the Kalakaua reign, Bush and Wilcox and others tried to stir up racial animosity against whites.

The Wilcox-Jones cabinet (which resisted the distillery, opium, and lottery bills), was voted out (by the legislature) on the Friday before the revolution, and the Cornwell-Peterson cabinet (which favored those bills) was appointed by the Queen the same day. [The constitution required that at least one member of the cabinet must sign a bill along with the Queen before it can become law]

Monday January 16 at about 2 PM there was a mass meeting of between 1,000 to 1,500 opponents of the government, mostly white but some kanakas, at the skating rink in Honolulu, one and a half blocks from the barracks. Leaders included Wilder, Thurston, a German, an Englishman; and many Portuguese attended. Sentiment was strong against the Queen, not merely against recent legislation. When Baldwin said constitutional means should be used to oppose the government, he was shouted down. At the same time there was a Royalist rally at Palace square, rumored to be 500

The Queen's army had only 60-70 men, under Capt. Nowlein, headquartered at the barracks. The civil police under Mr. Wilson had perhaps 80, headquartered at the police station about a mile away. When the men from the Boston came ashore, one company went to Mr. Atherton's house, but there was no room for them to stay there. The other company went to the U.S. consul's house. The men from the Boston were quartered in an open field they called "Camp Boston." During his testimony Mr. Emerson used a map to point out where all the buildings were.

There were many U.S. flags on private homes, and also carried by people in the streets. But the U.S. flag was not raised over Aliiolani hall until about 10-14 days later. The U.S. and Hawaiian flags both flew there together, on different staffs, and it was a matter of great chatter in the community that the two governments were in partnership. Emerson not sure whether the U.S. flag also flew with the Hawaiian flag on the Palace.

In response to questions from the Senators, Mr. Emerson gave lengthy testimony regarding the Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese contract laborers, describing their religions, how they get wives, moral conduct, right to vote, living conditions, and their relationships with whites and kanaka; and the labor contract arrangements between the government of Hawaii and the governments of these other nations. "Senator GRAY. Is there the same antipathy between the white race and the Hawaiian in Hawaii as between the white and the negro in this country? Mr. EMERSON. I think not. The Hawaiian is to be amalgamated and a new race is to be formed there. ... The CHAIRMAN. Then, I understand you, it is the belief or expectation that the population in Hawaii will change, so that the Kanaka will disappear ultimately and there will be an intermingling of the native element there of the various nationalities that come from other countries. Mr. EMERSON. Yes; he will disappear, and will take on a little different personality."

"The CHAIRMAN. I will ask if it is your opinion that the native population of Hawaii, the Kanakas, in view of the facts you have stated, are liable to become so powerful in government as to be able to control the other nationalities that have come into those islands, or have they lost the power to rule them? Mr. EMERSON. I consider that they have lost that control already, and in my opinion they can never regain it."

"Mr. EMERSON. ... the natives themselves are in two camps, so to speak. There is an element there, making for righteousness and an element making for heathenism. The CHAIRMAN. Is the latter spreading? Mr. EMERSON. Spreading? It is like an ulcer eating right into the vitals. And the [Royal] court was the center of that influence. The CHAIRMAN. The influence that tends to depravity? Mr. EMERSON. That tends to depravity. Not only Kalakaua with his opium franchises, but the Queen herself with her opium bill. And the best natives in the Legislature felt that she was willing to sell the lives of her people. Senator GRAY. Do you think there are two elements among the white people? Mr. EMERSON. Yes. Senator GRAY. One bends toward gain and the other is for virtue? Mr. EMERSON. Yes. [and the men of the Provisional Government are the best sort.]"

Emerson says that the revolution of 1893 was the result of political struggle that began when Kalakaua became King, and worsened under Liliuokalani. It had been anticipated that Kalakaua would be the last monarch, and annexation to the U.S. would occur. The [native] Hawaiian people were wasting away and no longer the dominant group. Among the 13,000 who were eligible to vote, the majority were kanakas and would have supported retaining the monarchy. Before the revolution most kanakas opposed annexation, supported the concept of the monarchy, but perhaps most did not support the Queen. Now that the monarchy is finished, most probably support annexation. Among 12,000 Portuguese, of whom 1500-2000 were voters, nearly all would have voted against the monarchy; and since the monarchy has disappeared, would now be solidly in favor of annexation. Likewise the other Europeans, although some English favor the monarchy.

pp. 745-778 - Testimony of Blount

Blount was the secret investigator sent to Hawaii by Cleveland to determine the facts surrounding the overthrow of the Queen. His investigative efforts were hampered by the secrecy surrounding his mission, and the poor quality of witnesses he interviewed.

Although some of the senators on the committee castigated Blount's appointment to such a secret mission unconstitutional, they were in the minority. The entire committee did conclude that most of Blount's conclusions in his report were in error, although he was treated quite gently during his testimony - the committee seems to have gone out of it's way to place the blame not on Blount, but on the limiting circumstances he encountered, such as not having a clerical staff to aid him.

For a more thorough analysis of Blount's testimony, please read the Analysis of Blount's Testimony.