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of the Morgan report (about 800 pages) is a collection of transcripts of sworn testimony before the committee; historical documents from the Kingdom of Hawaii; various reports describing the Hawaiian islands and their commercial and military significance to the United States, etc.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.

Testimony of Oliver P. Emerson

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 and preached in Hawaiian. 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. 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 opium smugglers. A new constitution would have the Queen appointing the Nobles, allowing greater corruption. Easing voting requirements would allow more of the lower classes to vote who could easily be bribed or emotionally swayed. 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] Events of January 16 and 17, 1893. Flying of U.S. flag. Lengthy testimony regarding the Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese contract laborers, describing their religions, how they get wives, moral conduct, right to vote, living conditions; their relationships with whites and kanakas; and the labor contract arrangements between the government of Hawaii and the governments of these other nations. "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." Among the 13,000 who were eligible to vote, the majority were kanakas. Before the revolution most kanakas opposed annexation and supported the concept of monarchy, although perhaps most did not support Liliuokalani being monarch. 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 solidly favor annexation. Likewise the other Europeans, although some English favor the monarchy.

• • • Summary of Emerson testimony: click here ***

533-560 (Full text of Emerson testimony)

• • • 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.

Testimony of Peter Cushman Jones

Peter Cushman Jones gave a sworn deposition in Honolulu, and then appeared before the Morgan Committee in Washington where he read his deposition into the record and he was cross-examined. November 8, 1892 the Queen appointed him Minister of Finance. January 17, 1893 he took the same position in the provisional Government. Jones offered to Grover Cleveland's commissioner James Blount a detailed eyewitness account of the overthrow, but Blount refused to receive it or to interview him. Jones read into the [Morgan] record the statement he had prepared for Blount, filled with details of the events that took place during the revolution. Jones gave details of who attended various meetings of the Committee of Safety and the Provisional Government, by what route they traveled (using a map), and the times those meetings occurred. He described the corruption and instability of the Kalakaua and Liliuokalani governments. The American sailors from the Boston did not participate in taking over any buildings. The revolution would have taken place, and been successful, even if the Boston had not been present.

• • • Summary of Jones testimony: click here ***

560-593 (Full text of Emerson's testimony)

• • • Summary of sworn testimony of Peter Cushman Jones ***

Peter Cushman Jones gave a sworn deposition in Honolulu, and then appeared before the Morgan Committee where his deposition was read into the record and he was cross-examined.

Jones was born in Boston, and moved permanently to Honolulu in 1857.

November 8, 1892 the Queen appointed him Minister of Finance. He was a member of the Wilcox-Jones cabinet until January 12, 1893 [That cabinet resisted the distillery, lottery, and opium bills, and was dismissed on January 12, 1893 when a Noble of the Reform Party switched allegiance, allowing the Queen to dismiss the cabinet that was preventing her from passing those bills]

Jones met Grover Cleveland's commissioner James Blount, who agreed that Jones could prepare a statement and be interviewed. Jones prepared "a careful statement ... on the 25th day of May, A. D. 1893, from which this affidavit is taken, reciting all the important events connected with the Government from the 8th day of November, A. D. 1892, up to the 16th day of March, A. D. 1893, that period including the events of January 17, of which this affiant was fully cognizant; that the said James H. Blount never asked for this interview and this affiant never had any opportunity of presenting the statement, although he is informed and believes that other persons suggested to Mr. Blount that he secure the statement."

Jones read into the record the statement he had prepared for Blount, filled with details of the events that took place during the revolution. He accepted a position as Minister of Finance with the provisional Government just before the revolution began, and was constantly afraid he would be shot. He helped take over the government building including the treasury and financial records. All four of the Queen's cabinet ministers came to the government building and agreed to turn over the station house and barracks to the Provisional Government. The situation remained tense for several days. The PG asked the American minister to raise the U.S. flag on the government building on February 1, which then helped calm things down.

"No King ever had better prospects for a peaceful and succesful reign than did Kalakaua, and if he had made a proper use of his rights and powers might have made his reign a prosperous one. He seemed to be wholly corrupt, and his influence was one which had its effect upon the mass of the native people. Not satisfied with the appointment of the House of Nobles, he interfered in the election of representatives by using liquor which was taken from the custom-house duty free and promising offices under his patronage. He dismissed more than one cabinet for nothing, and in some instances sent messages to their houses in the middle of the night asking for their resignations, while others whom he assured had his implicit confidence he discharged a few hours after. Kalakaua surrounded himself with men of bad character and gave himself up to habits unbecoming a King. He was always in debt and resorted to measures for raising money that were wholly dishonorable for any man, much more a King. The Legislature of 1890 paid up his debts and issued bonds to the amount of $95,000 to meet his obligations, pledging the income of the Crown lands at the rate of $20,000 a year to meet these bonds, but when his sister came to the throne she repudiated the pledge given by her brother, and now this debt has to be borne by the State, only $5,000 having been received on this account."

When the Queen took power she appointed a series of cabinets of short duration, being quickly dismissed by the legislature, including one cabinet (Cornwell) that lasted only a few hours. Jones provided names and dates of bribery of legislators, including demands that Jones' cabinet should bribe several legislators to avoid having the cabinet voted out.

"There was never to my knowledge any belief or anticipation that the troops of the Boston would be landed for the purpose or would in anyway assist in the abrogation of the monarchy or the formation of the Provisional Government."

Jones gave details of who attended various meetings of the Committee of Safety and the Provisional Government, by what route they traveled (using a map), and the times those meetings occurred. It took about ten minutes to read the proclamation of the Provisional Government, which was read from the steps of the government building facing the Palace. During that 10 minutes about 50-60 armed men supporting the revolution arrived. Within 30 minutes there were 150-200 armed men. The reading of the proclamation finished at 2:45 on January 17.

The Queen had attempted to proclaim a new constitution. "The Chairman. Did you ever see that new constitution? Mr. Jones. No. We offered $500 for a copy of it and could not secure it. Oh, they destroyed it after that. The Chairman. Have you any knowledge who it was prepared that instrument? Mr. Jones. It was said that the Queen prepared it herself. The Chairman. With her own hand? Mr. Jones. That is as I understand it. That is the report that came to us—that it was her own constitution; she prepared the whole of it."

"Senator Frye. Now, when you went into the Government building to take possession the Queen's ministers disappeared, as I understand? Mr. Jones. Yes. Senator Frye. And you immediately took possession of the various offices of the building, the archives, the treasury, and everything? Mr. Jones. Yes. The Chairman. Now, when you were at that mass meeting at the armory building, was not information conveyed to that meeting that the Queen was going to postpone that new constitution, and was not the question asked that meeting whether that would do? Mr. Jones. Yes. Senator Frye. What was the reply? Mr. Jones. The unanimous reply was, "No, no." They would not believe in it. Kalakaua tried the same dodge.

"Senator Frye. In Mr. Blount's report he speaks of the Queen having six or seven hundred troops and sixteen cannon, etc. Did the Queen have any such people there? Mr. Jones. No. There were about, as far as we were informed, fifty or sixty men down at the station house, and there were seventy or eighty troops at the barracks. Senator Frye. What are those Hawaiian troops—the Queen's Guard? Mr. Jones. Yes; around the palace; do palace duty, do the reviewing on state occasions, and things of that sort. Senator Frye. That Queen's Guard and the police at the police station made no attempt during all these proceedings against your meeting or toward taking possession of the Government building? Mr. Jones. No. Senator Frye. Were your people armed at the public meeting? Mr. Jones. Many of them may have had pistols on them, but not to my knowledge. I saw no arms. Senator Frye. Was any attempt made to disperse that meeting? Mr. Jones. No. The only attempt made was by getting up a counter meeting to draw people away from attending. But the house was packed.

"Senator Frye. Now, as to the landing of troops. You were there shortly after the troops were landed? You were in Honolulu? Mr. Jones. Yes, I was in Honolulu. Senator Frye. Do you know where the troops were located and why they were located and how ? Senator Gray. Of your own knowledge. Mr. Jones. Oh, yes. I know that there was a squad stationed at the American minister's, and another one at the American consul's, and the balance of them at Arion Hall. Senator Frye. And Arion Hall was off to the east or west of the Government building? Mr. Jones. West of the Government building. Senator Frye. A street between? Mr. Jones. Yes. Senator Frye. Do you know whether or not any attempt was made to obtain other locations? Mr. Jones. I think there was an attempt made to secure the Music Hall, just in front. Senator Frye. That failed? Mr. Jones. That failed. Senator Gray. Of your personal knowledge? Mr. Jones. All I know of that is, I have read the reports of it. That is the way I obtained the knowledge.

"Senator Frye. You were at the Government building frequently. Did you ever see, during this revolution, any of the American soldiers marching on the streets? Mr. Jones. No. The Chairman. Did you, as a member of the new Government, expect to receive any assistance from them? Mr. Jones. No. The Chairman. Do you know whether or not your fellows were looking for any help? Mr. Jones. I never knew that they were. Senator Frye. As a matter of fact, did they give any assistance to the revolution at all? Mr. Jones. No.

"The Chairman. Let me ask you right there, is it your belief that that revolution would have occurred if the Boston had not arrived in the harbor? Mr. Jones. I believe it would have gone on just the same if she had been away from the islands altogether."

Testimony of ZEPHANIAH SWIFT SPALDING

Mr. Spalding was born in Ohio, September, 1837. He had been a lieutenant colonel in the army. He was sent to Hawaii in 1867 (just after the Civil War) by Secretary Seward as a secret or confidential agent of the State Department. It was at the time the treaty of reciprocity was being advocated, and Secretary Seward wished to know what effect it would have upon the future relations of the United States and Hawaii. Discussion of Mahele, Crown lands, government lands, kuleana lands.

Would any natives would be capable of managing Spalding's sugar plantation? "I do not think there was ever a native on the islands who could run it for five years without ruining it. I was in partnership with Kamehameha V when he was King, and got to know him pretty well. ... Kalakaua, the last king, was a good-natured, indolent sort of man. He was a man of very fair education; but ... his idea of morality was not very great. ... he owned a quarter interest in my plantation at one time. ... I found it was utterly useless to depend on him. He had engaged people to do work in the fields. They would start out to do the work, then would stop and have a little talk over it, and then go fishing instead of going to work. ... I was obliged to buy Kalakaua out."

Discussion of what led up to the revolution of 1887 ("Bayonet Constitution"), especially Walter Murray Gibson who was simultaneously minister of foreign affairs, ex-officio minister of the interior, ex-officio minister of finance, and ex-officio attorney-general. The members of the House of Nobles were all appointed by the King and beholden to him, so there was no way to reform the government except by creating a revolution to take the nobles out of the King's hands. This revolution was so powerful and had so much support that it would have been possible to overthrow the monarchy and establish a Republic at that time.

" ... the natives have looked more upon the United States as the father of their Government. They always speak of the American war ships as "our war ships," in contradistinction from the British war ships; and the 4th of July, has been the gala day of the country." About 90% of the value of all property in Hawaii is owned by whites; and about 75% of that is owned by people of American parentage.

Spalding said that since he returned to Hawaii in October 1893, he has heard rumors of royalists wanting to restore the Queen (such as Wilson) hiding guns. "But it was only when they expected to have aid and assistance from the United States in doing it." There would not be enough royalist arms or manpower to restore the Queen or to keep her in power without help from outside Hawaii.

Hawaii is not a good place to produce sugar. Plantation workers must be paid highly enough to be able to recruit them from abroad; therefore, labor costs are too high. Before the reciprocity treaty (1875 and 1887) all the plantations had gone bankrupt. The treaty is what made the plantations successful. Neither a monarchial nor a republican form of government would allow Hawaii to flourish as an independent nation without the protection of a foreign government, because there is not enough land or labor to make Hawaii self-sustaining without economic concessions or military uses. If there is a restoration of the monarchy, the preference would probably be for Kaiulani rather than Liliuokalani, because it is a choice of evils; and the evil we do not yet know seems less frightening than the evil we already know.

Senator FRYE. Have you ever thought over the question of annexation to California? Mr. SPALDING. Yes, a good deal. Senator FRYE. How would that do? Mr. SPALDING. I do not see any objection to it. Senator FRYE. You would elect your members of the house and senate, and perhaps one member of Congress? Mr. SPALDING. All these things would follow the change."

• • • Summary of Spalding testimony: click here ***

594-621 (Full text of Spalding testimony)

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• • • Summary of sworn testimony of ZEPHANIAH SWIFT SPALDING ***

Mr. Spalding was born in Ohio, September, 1837. He had been a Lieutenant Colonel in the army. He was sent to Hawaii in 1867 by Secretary Seward as a secret or confidential agent of the State Department. It was at the time the treaty of reciprocity was being talked about and advocated, and Secretary Seward wished to have all the information possible upon that subject. Seward said he did not wish to be committed by putting explicit or specific instructions upon paper, but he wished to know what effect the reciprocity treaty would have upon the future relations of the United States and Hawaii.

Spalding met his wife in Hawai'i. She was born and raised in Honolulu (a native-born subject of the Kingdom), the daughter of sea captain James McKee. During the months before the revolution of 1893, Spalding was in Hawaii putting new machinery into his sugar factory on Kauai while his family was in Paris. He owned 27,000 acres there; 12,000 in fee simple, and 15,000 acres under lease. He had spent $250,000 or $300,000 for machinery.

Discussion of Mahele, Crown lands, government lands, kuleana lands.

During his testimony before the Morgan committee, a Senator asked him whether any natives would be capable of managing his sugar plantation. "I do not think there was ever a native on the islands who could run it for five years without ruining it. I was in partnership with Kamehameha V when he was King, and got to know him pretty well. I started a sugar plantation on the island of Maui at his request. He owned an interest in the plantation. I agreed to take the management of it on certain terms. In the management of the plantation I came in contact with the governor of Maui, who was an old-fashioned native and quite smart for his times. I found there was so little business about him that we were constantly having trouble."

"Kalakaua, the last king, was a good-natured, indolent sort of man. He was a man of very fair education; but he was, of course, a thorough native, and his idea of morality was not very great. I had occasion to know him pretty well, because he owned a quarter interest in my plantation at one time. He undertook to furnish the native labor to do the work, which would have been a valuable consideration for the plantation. If that had been carried out it would have been quite consistent with business views to have furnished him the means of paying the assessments on the interest which he held. But within a very few months after he attempted to do this, I found it was utterly useless to depend on him. He had engaged people to do work in the fields. They would start out to do the work, then would stop and have a little talk over it, and then go fishing instead of going to work. The result was the first crop was less than a ton of sugar to the acre on land that I have harvested since 4 to 5 tons to the acre, by good cultivation. I was obliged to buy Kalakaua out."

1887: "There was an organization gotten up for the purpose of forcing the King into a better form of government. He had rather undertaken to do the whole business himself—in this way: he had a minister of foreign affairs who was also ex-officio minister of the interior, ex-officio minister of finance, and ex-officio attorney-general." Walter Murray Gibson. The members of the House of Nobles were all appointed by the King and beholden to him, so there was no way to reform the government except by creating a revolution to take the nobles out of the King's hands and have them voted for by the people. This was not a revolution to overthrow the monarchy or to promote annexation, but to impose limitations on the King's power. However, this revolution was so powerful and had so much support that it would have been possible to overthrow the monarchy and establish a Republic at that time. "The main improvement was this. Under the constitution of 1887 the House of Nobles was abolished and made elective and the King's ministers were made responsible for the Government. ... They were the Government—the King could do no act without the ministry. ... Of course it reduced him, you can see, to a figurehead. The only thing left to him, and which afterward proved a very great trouble, was the veto. ... He could not appoint his ministers without the consent of the Legislature, of these two Houses. That was the very thing. And he could not discharge his ministry. He had been in the habit of discharging his cabinet one day and appointing a new one the next. Under the new constitution he could discharge his cabinet by the passage through the Legislature of a vote of want of confidence; and he could not appoint a Cabinet without the consent of the Legislature— the cabinet must be approved by the Legislature. It made quite a difference in that way. ... At the time of the constitution of 1887, the first election held under that constitution was without a dissenting vote, almost, and every single member—I do not know of any exceptions—was elected as a candidate or as a member of what was called the reform party. And even the members, natives and others, who had been in the previous legislatures, as you might say creatures of the King to carry out his wishes, voted the reform ticket."

1893: I was told by one of the present royalists there that $100,000 would be sufficient to upset the monarchy in case annexation could be brought about. ... that was a Frenchman, Dr. Trouseau. That was his opinion, and I thought the money could be raised; I would be willing to give a reasonable sum myself toward it. But I would not waste any money, and I have not wasted any money on this proposition because I never saw the time that the United States had given us a sufficient indication that the islands would be accepted. I had never seen any."

Mr. Spalding left Honolulu on January 4, 1893. He testified that even though he had long been known as an annexationist, none of the annexationist leaders indicated that anything was about to happen. Spalding said he would never have left Hawai'i if he thought a revolution or annexation were on the verge of happening, because he would have stayed to participate and to protect his extensive property interests. Spalding was out of Hawai'i from January 4 into October. When he returned he was shocked to learn that the Noble elected from Spalding's own district on Kauai (a white man of German ancestry) on the Reform Party ticket had switched sides and given a majority to the Queen to enable her to dismiss the former cabinet that had opposed the lottery and opium bills and replace it with a new cabinet in favor of those bills. Most people seemed to feel the Noble had been bribed; but Spalding thought maybe the Noble had been persuaded by the Queen's man Paul Neumann, a fellow German.

" ... the natives have looked more upon the United States as the father of their Government. They always speak of the American war ships as "our war ships," in contradistinction from the British war ships; and the 4th of July, has been the gala day of the country. We have the Kamehameha day. The Kamehameha day is the first; that is the 11th of June; but they have always celebrated the 4th day of July as the gala day of the country."

About 90% of the value of all property in Hawaii is owned by whites; and about 75% of that is owned by people of American parentage.

Spalding said that since he returned to Hawaii in October 1893, he has heard rumors of royalists wanting to restore the Queen (such as Wilson), and rumors that they might be hiding guns. "But it was only when they expected to have aid and assistance from the United States in doing it. I have not heard of their having any organization of their own." There would not be enough royalist arms or manpower to restore the Queen or to keep her in power without help from outside Hawaii.

Hawaii is not a good place to produce sugar. Plantation workers must be paid highly enough to be able to recruit them from abroad; therefore, labor costs are too high. Before the reciprocity treaty (1875 and 1887) all the plantations had gone bankrupt. The treaty is what made the plantations successful. The only natural advantage Hawaii has is its climate.

"The CHAIRMAN. What made you an annexationist? Mr. SPALDING. Because I believe the possession of the islands by the United States would give the United States practical possession of the Pacific Ocean. The CHAIRMAN. The commercial control? Mr. SPALDING. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. How about the military control and naval control? Mr. SPALDING. The Hawaiian Islands are so located that an American fleet could be located in Pearl River harbor and with a cable from San Francisco those ships could be sent at will to any part of the ocean by the authorities at Washington. ... The CHAIRMAN. Then your zeal as an annexationist is built on the naval and commercial value of the islands to the United States. Mr. SPALDING. If it is not desirable for the United States to hold Pearl River, if it is not desirable for the United States to have that country as an outpost, it is not worth while for them to have anything to do with the country, because as an agricultural country, mineral country, and mercantile and manufacturing country it is of small value." And the anticipated building of the Nicaragua canal would make Hawaii even more valuable.

Neither a monarchial nor a republican form of government would allow Hawaii to flourish as an independent nation without the protection of a foreign government, because there is not enough land or labor to make Hawaii self-sustaining without economic concessions or military uses. If there is a restoration of the monarchy, the preference would probably be for Kaiulani rather than Liliuokalani, because it is a choice of evils; and the evil we do not yet know seems less frightening than the evil we already know.

"Senator FRYE. Do you not think three hundred men under a good officer would exert complete control over those islands? Mr. SPALDING. Oh, very likely. We have not a very large force there now, and times have been probably as bad as they can be. What we want is to make something out of the country; make expenses out of the country. It is not a commercial, agricultural, manufacturing, or mineral producing country; it has no resources, no available resources; never has had. All this prosperity has come from this reciprocity treaty with the United States. Before that time we were making a matter of 15,000 or 20,000 tons of sugar a year. ... Senator FRYE. Have you ever thought over the question of annexation to California? Mr. SPALDING. Yes, a good deal. Senator FRYE. How would that do? Mr. SPALDING. I do not see any objection to it. Senator FRYE. You would elect your members of the house and senate, and perhaps one member of Congress? Mr. SPALDING. All these things would follow the change."

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.