Jennifer Wada at 09:45, 24 April 2006

2006-04-24T09:45:23Z

Jennifer Wada at 23:12, 9 March 2006

2006-03-09T23:12:44Z

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constitution immediately following
prorogation of the legislature.
Members of the diplomatic community,
the legislature, and other dignitaries
were invited to the ceremony. Yet
when it came down to signing their
names and thus attesting their
support, the cabinet refused. The
queen later wrote, "They had led me
out to the edge of a precipice, and
now were leaving me to take the step
alone. It was humiliating." 185/
The queen then reluctantly decided
to wait until she had more official
support; however, the news had spread.
The members of the Annexationist Club,
a secret organization that had formed
during the last constitutional crisis
in 1890 (see above, page 288), quickly
met and decided the time had come to
act on their beliefs. A Committee of
Safety was formed under the leadership
of Henry E. Cooper. All members of
this committee were members of the
Annexationist Club with the exception
of George Wilcox, the former prime
minister. Lorrin Thurston, one of the
leaders of the club, proposed as the
first order of business a resolution
"that it is the sense of this meeting
that the solution of the present
situation is annexation to the United
States." 186/ All but Wilcox approved
the motion. Wilcox quietly resigned
and returned to his home on Kauai.
The first action of the committee
was to send three men, Thurston, W. C.
Wilder, and H. F. Glade, to call upon
the American Minister, John L.
Stevens, to learn if "assistance could
be afforded by the United States
forces for the protection of life and —--*
property, the unanimous sentiment and
feeling being that life and property
were in danger." 187/ Lorrin Thurston
reported back to the Committee that
Stevens:
...had said that the United States
troops on board the Boston would
be ready to land any moment to
prevent the destruction of
American life and property, and
regard to the matter of
establishing a Provisional
Government they of course recognize
the existing government
whatever it might be. 188/
Thurston also reported that when ask
what requirements there were for bei
the "existing government" in Stevens
eyes, Stevens informed him that
whatever government was "actually in
possession of the Government buildin
the executive departments and
archives, and in possession of the
city, that was a de facto government
proclaiming itself a government, woul
necessarily have to be recognized."
189/
Stevens' role in the Hawaiian
revolution has always been controversial.
He had held strong annexationist
views from the beginning, anc
this was well known in the Hawaiian
community. While he did not openly
oppose the queen, from such statement
as that quoted above it was obvious
that he would not oppose a change.
Stevens was careful not to offer aid,
but he did promise to recognize any
government that the committee might t
able to establish. Other accounts
indicate that Stevens had promised tc
support the Provisional Government
with U.S. troops. There is some doub
of the validity of this assertion, as
will be seen below. However, the
approval of the American Minister,
tacit or otherwise, was enough to
bolster the Committee of Safety and t
harden their resolve. By the evening
of the 14th of January, recruiting ar.
arming of a revolutionary force had
begun and plans were under way to tak
over the government.
The royal government was aware
of the Committee and of its purpose a
early as Sunday, January 15th, yet
nothing was done to break up the
movement. It was generally believed
by members of the cabinet that Steven
294

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 out to the edge of a precipice, and
 now were leaving me to take the step
-alone. It was humiliating." 185/
+alone. It was humiliating." <u>185</u>/
 The queen then reluctantly decided
 to wait until she had more official
@@ Line 31: / Line 32: @@
 that the solution of the present
 situation is annexation to the United
-States." 186/ All but Wilcox approved
+States." <u>186</u>/ All but Wilcox approved
 the motion. Wilcox quietly resigned
 and returned to his home on Kauai.
 The first action of the committee
 was to send three men, Thurston, W. C.
@@ Line 40: / Line 42: @@
 Stevens, to learn if "assistance could
 be afforded by the United States
-forces for the protection of life and —--*
+forces for the protection of life and
 property, the unanimous sentiment and
 feeling being that life and property
-were in danger." 187/ Lorrin Thurston
+were in danger." <u>187</u>/ Lorrin Thurston
 reported back to the Committee that
 Stevens:
 ...had said that the United States
-troops on board the Boston would
+:...had said that the United States troops on board the Boston would be ready to land any moment to prevent the destruction of American life and property, and regard to the matter of establishing a Provisional Government they of course recognize the existing government whatever it might be. 188/
 be ready to land any moment to
 Thurston also reported that when ask
-what requirements there were for bei
+what requirements there were for being
 the "existing government" in Stevens
 eyes, Stevens informed him that
 whatever government was "actually in
-possession of the Government buildin
+possession of the Government building
 the executive departments and
 archives, and in possession of the
 city, that was a de facto government
-proclaiming itself a government, woul
+proclaiming itself a government, would
 necessarily have to be recognized."
-/
+<u>189</u>/
 Stevens' role in the Hawaiian
 revolution has always been controversial.
 He had held strong annexationist
-views from the beginning, anc
+views from the beginning, and
 this was well known in the Hawaiian
 community. While he did not openly
@@ Line 79: / Line 75: @@
 Stevens was careful not to offer aid,
 but he did promise to recognize any
-government that the committee might t
+government that the committee might be
 able to establish. Other accounts
-indicate that Stevens had promised tc
+indicate that Stevens had promised to
 support the Provisional Government
-with U.S. troops. There is some doub
+with U.S. troops. There is some doubt
 of the validity of this assertion, as
 will be seen below. However, the
 approval of the American Minister,
 tacit or otherwise, was enough to
-bolster the Committee of Safety and t
+bolster the Committee of Safety and to
 harden their resolve. By the evening
-of the 14th of January, recruiting ar.
+of the 14th of January, recruiting and
 arming of a revolutionary force had
-begun and plans were under way to tak
+begun and plans were under way to take
 over the government.
 The royal government was aware
 of the Committee and of its purpose a
@@ Line 100: / Line 97: @@
 movement. It was generally believed
 by members of the cabinet that Steven
+{{p|294}}

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Jennifer Wada at 09:45, 24 April 2006

Jennifer Wada at 23:12, 9 March 2006