HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS.	225
of thirteen members, to consider the situation and devise ways and 
means for the maintenance of the public peace and the protection of 
life and property.
After considering the situation, such committee called a public meet-
ing of citizens on Monday, the 16th of said January. Such meeting 
was duly held, to the number of about fifteen hundred of the leading 
citizens. A report by such committee was submitted to such meeting, 
recommending the adoption of certain resolutions. Such resolutions 
were unanimously adopted. A copy of such report and resolutions, 
marked Inclosure A, is herewith submitted.
A few hours before such meeting a proclamation was issued by the 
Queen and cabinet, a copy of which is inclosed herewith and marked 
Inclosure B.
On the afternoon of the same day, the Queen then having about four 
hundred men under arms and the people being in open preparation for 
dethroning her, with every indication of a conflict, the United States 
troops landed and a guard was stationed at the American consulate 
and legation and the remainder were quartered in a public hall hired 
for that purpose.
They neither then nor at any time since have taken any part either 
for or against the Queen or the Provisional Government.
After full consideration by the said committee and consultation with 
leading citizens of all nationalities, it was the unanimous opinion of 
such committee and citizens that the statements of fact in such proclama-
tion did not detract from the necessity for action, and the undertaking 
therein contained was deemed unreliable; and for the reasons briefly 
set forth in such above-mentioned report of the committee of safety 
and resolutions, and also in the proclamation hereunder referred to, 
there was no longer any possibility of efficiently and permanently main-
taining the public peace and the protection of life, liberty, and property 
in Hawaii under the existing system of government, and that the only 
method of maintaining such permanent peace and security was by se-
curing the assistance and support of the Government of the United 
States, or some other foreign power possessed of sufficient force to 
prevent the future possibility of revolution or despotic assumption of 
power in derogation of the rights of the people.
In accordance with such conclusion, such committee, representing 
almost the entire property and intelligence of the Hawaiian Islands, on 
the 17th day of said January issued a proclamation abrogating the 
monarchy, deposing Queen Liliuokalani, and establishing a Provisional 
Government, "to exist until terms of union with the United States of 
America have been negotiated and agreed upon," a copy of which proc-
lamation, marked Inclosure C, is submitted herewith.
Immediately after such proclamation such Provisional Government 
took possession of the city of Honolulu, including the Government 
buildings, the archives and the treasury, and within a few hours there-
after received surrender of all the military and police forces, thereby 
coming into full possession of the Kingdom.
Immediately after such possession had been obtained notification 
thereof was given to the representatives of all foreign countries repre-
sented at Honolulu, accompanied by the request that such representa-
tives extend to said Provisional Government their recognition.
In reply to such request the representative of the United States of 
America accorded such recognition upon the same day that it was re-
quested, to wit, the 17th of said January, and on the following day 
recognition of such Provisional Government was made by the repre-
FR 94 - APP II -- 15

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