Jennifer Wada at 05:58, 24 April 2006

2006-04-24T05:58:48Z

Reid Ginoza at 04:15, 9 March 2006

2006-03-09T04:15:21Z

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pro-Hawaii to an extreme that
eventually almost cost him his life at
the hands of planter backers (as well
as bringing the king's reign to the
brink of disaster). Through intermediaries,
while the king was in the
United States, and again upon his
return to Hawaii (during an era of
prosperity brought on by the
Reciprocity Treaty), Gibson had
proposed the building of an empire for
the king and Hawaii. Gibson told
Kalakaua, "Hawaii should be the hub of
the Polynesian kingdom. Sire, you are
standing today on the very threshold
of the door marked 'Qnperor of
Oceanal'" 18/ Although this project
was delayed for the time being, it
remained in the king's mind, refreshed
often by his advisors.
To increase his influence in
persuading the king to implement
Hawaiian programs, Gibson needed to
enter politics. In 1878, he sought a
seat in the Hawaiian House of
Representatives and won at the head of
the King's Party. His election was
despised by the 'kingmakers,* but
hailed by the native Hawaiians whom he
won to his side by his speeches of
nationalism and proposals for their
benefit. Almost immediately, Gibson
suggested that the special favors
granted to the United States under the
1875 Reciprocity Treaty be granted to
Great Britain as well: "The matter of
first importance to us is that the
kingdom perpetuate its cordial
relations with all other nations so as
to guard its independence." 19/ The
United States Minister to Hawaii,
General J. M. Comly, "on intimate
terms with the planters...at their
request, reported to Washington that
Gibson was a troublemaker and a
dangerous man with great influence
over the natives." 20/ Gibson,
however, survived these threats to his
tenure and became the "closest
confidant of the king...In 1882,
Kalakaua named Gibson as premier of
the nation. For nine years this
controversial figure would dominate
both king and government." 21/
Celso Caesar Moreno, an Italian- .
American, also played a short, but
critical, role in advising Kalakaua.
The king had met Moreno while in the
United States seeking support for the
Reciprocity Treaty. Moreno had
charmed the king with talk of a
Polynesian empire, much like the one
proposed by Walter Gibson. Moreno
arrived in Hawaii in November 1879,
while Gibson was away. He represented
both the American government's
interest for a trans-Pacific cable and
the China Merchant's Steam Navigation
Company's request to open commercial
relations. Kalakaua was so enchanted
with his visitor's reacquaintence and
the revival of empire dreams that he
asked Moreno to "resign your
commission with this Hing Sing and
become my foreign minister.'1 22/ The
king also granted the Chinese company
the subsidy it needed to establish
commercial relations with Hawaii, but
asked that Moreno keep his cabinet
position secret until elections two
months hence, when he would make th
appointment public. On Gibson's
return to Hawaii he recognized Moreno,
but did not inform the king of his
views on him. Moreno and Gibson then
agreed to work toward the policy of
establishing a Polynesian kingdom.
The main obstacle to this goal was
the passage of "a ten-million dollar
loan to finance the king's army and
navy." 23/ This loan proposal brought
an uproar from the planter lobby,
which, through Representative Castle,
charged "as surely as you vote for
this measure, you hasten the end of
the king's rule. We taxpayers will
express our resentment in a concrete
manner." 24/ Claus Spreckels also
appeared at this time at the assembly
and through his persuasive powers,
supported by Castle, "headed off the
very likely passage of the $10,00 0,000
loan; among the king's loyal Hawaiians,
there were too many in
Spreckels' employ." 25/
268

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 the Polynesian kingdom. Sire, you are
 standing today on the very threshold
-of the door marked 'Qnperor of
+of the door marked 'Emperor of
-Oceanal'" 18/ Although this project
+Oceanal'" <u>18</u>/ Although this project
 was delayed for the time being, it
 remained in the king's mind, refreshed
 often by his advisors.
 To increase his influence in
 persuading the king to implement
@@ Line 26: / Line 27: @@
 Representatives and won at the head of
 the King's Party. His election was
-despised by the 'kingmakers,* but
+despised by the 'kingmakers," but
 hailed by the native Hawaiians whom he
 won to his side by his speeches of
@@ Line 38: / Line 39: @@
 kingdom perpetuate its cordial
 relations with all other nations so as
-to guard its independence." 19/ The
+to guard its independence." <u>19</u>/ The
 United States Minister to Hawaii,
 General J. M. Comly, "on intimate
@@ Line 45: / Line 46: @@
 Gibson was a troublemaker and a
 dangerous man with great influence
-over the natives." 20/ Gibson,
+over the natives." <u>20</u>/ Gibson,
 however, survived these threats to his
 tenure and became the "closest
@@ Line 52: / Line 53: @@
 the nation. For nine years this
 controversial figure would dominate
-both king and government." 21/
+both king and government." <u>21</u>/
-Celso Caesar Moreno, an Italian- .
-American, also played a short, but
+Celso Caesar Moreno, an Italian-American, also played a short, but
 critical, role in advising Kalakaua.
 The king had met Moreno while in the
@@ Line 73: / Line 74: @@
 asked Moreno to "resign your
 commission with this Hing Sing and
-become my foreign minister.'1 22/ The
+become my foreign minister." <u>22</u>/ The
 king also granted the Chinese company
 the subsidy it needed to establish
@@ Line 79: / Line 80: @@
 asked that Moreno keep his cabinet
 position secret until elections two
-months hence, when he would make th
+months hence, when he would make the
 appointment public. On Gibson's
 return to Hawaii he recognized Moreno,
@@ Line 86: / Line 87: @@
 agreed to work toward the policy of
 establishing a Polynesian kingdom.
 The main obstacle to this goal was
 the passage of "a ten-million dollar
 loan to finance the king's army and
-navy." 23/ This loan proposal brought
+navy." <u>23</u>/ This loan proposal brought
 an uproar from the planter lobby,
 which, through Representative Castle,
@@ Line 96: / Line 98: @@
 the king's rule. We taxpayers will
 express our resentment in a concrete
-manner." 24/ Claus Spreckels also
+manner." <u>24</u>/ Claus Spreckels also
 appeared at this time at the assembly
 and through his persuasive powers,
 supported by Castle, "headed off the
-very likely passage of the $10,00 0,000
+very likely passage of the $10,000,000
 loan; among the king's loyal Hawaiians,
 there were too many in
-Spreckels' employ." 25/
+Spreckels' employ." <u>25</u>/
+{{p|268}}

Template:Nhsc-v1-268 - Revision history

Jennifer Wada at 05:58, 24 April 2006

Reid Ginoza at 04:15, 9 March 2006