Home: The Annexation Of Hawaii: A Collection Of Document
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HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 233 That I yield to the superior force of the United States of America, whose minister plenipotentiary, his excellency John L. Stevens, has caused United States troops to be landed at Honolulu and declared that he would support the said Provisional Government. Now, to avoid any collision of armed forces, and perhaps the loss of life, I do un- der this protest and impelled by said force yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon the facts being presented to it, undo the action of its representative and reinstate me in the authority which I claim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands. Done at Honolulu the 17th day of January A. D., 1893. LILIUOKALANI E. SAMUEL PARKER, Minister of Foreign Affairs. WM. H. CROMWELL, Minister of Finance. JNO. F. COLBURN, Minister of the Interior. A. P. PETERSON, Attorney-General. S. B. DOLE, esq., and others, Composing the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands. (Indorsed:) Received by the hands of the late cabinet this 17th day of January, A. D. 1893. Sanford B. Dole, chairman of executive council of Provisional Govern- ment. No. 12. Credential letters of the Hawaiian Commissioners, exhibited to the Secre- tary of State February 4, 1893. Sanford B. Dole, president of the executive and advisory councils of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands, to His Excel- lency Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America. GREAT AND GOOD FRIEND: Reposing special trust in the wisdom, integrity, and ability of the Hon. Lorrin A. Thurston, one of our dis- tinguished citizens, we have appointed and do hereby constitute and appoint him to be a Special Commissioner of the Provisional Govern- ment of the Hawaiian Islands, with full power and authority to confer with your excellency, or your successors in office, or with any properly constituted and appointed persons and authorities of the United States Government, to negotiate and agree upon the terms of a union of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands and the Government of the United States of America, or to negotiate the terms upon which such union may be made. He is well informed of the relative interests of the two countries, and of our earnest desire to further strengthen and cement the bonds that now exist between us, arid from a knowledge of his fidelity, probity, and good conduct, we have entire confidence that he will render himself acceptable to your excellency and to the authorities of the United States Government by his constant endeavors to advance measures for the mutual benefit of both countries. We therefore desire that your excellency will receive him favorably, and give full credence to what he may say as the "Commissioner of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands," and, most of all, when he shall assure your excellency of the earnest wish and desire of our Provisional Government for closer and more intimate relations than those now existing and of our abiding faith in the continued friendship of the great nation over which your excellency so ably presides.