HAWAIIAN   ISLANDS.	501
he told Hopkins to go away and come back again in an hour. Hopkins replied that the cabinet had 
instructed him to bring a reply forthwith, so that they would know how to act, and Stevens refused. He 
kept Hopkins waiting on his veranda one hour and then handed him a reply to us. While Stevens was 
keeping Hopkins waiting, the usurpers were preparing to resist the Government in case of attack, and we 
did nothing, but kept our men ready for action. The letter from Stevens carried by Hopkins to us reached 
us 5 minutes of 4 p. m., and after reading its contents, we concluded to surrender and yield to America.
I want to impress upon you that we never surrendered the palace, police station, and barracks till after we 
had received Stevens's letter, and not until we had fled our protest with the Provisional Government. The 
surrender was a little after 6 in the evening; these usurpers could never have overthrown the Government, 
as they did not have sufficient arms and ammunition; and on the other hand, it will be admitted by 
themselves, I think, that the munitions of war that we had would have annihilated them were it not for the 
United States troops and Minister Stevens. 1 remain, etc.,
JOHN F. COLBURN.
[Inclosure 7 in No. 3.]  
Citizens' committee of safety to Mr. Stevens.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, Honolulu, January 16, 1893.
SIR: We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Honolulu, respectfully represent that, in view of recent 
public events in this Kingdom, culminating in the revolutionary acts of Queen Liliuokalani on Saturday last, 
the public safety is menaced, and lives and property are in peril, and we appeal to you and the United States 
forces at your command for assistance.
The Queen, with the aid of armed force, and accompanied by threats of violence and bloodshed from those 
with whom she was acting, attempted to proclaim a new constitution; and, while prevented for the time from 
accomplishing her object, declared publicly that she would only defer her action.
This conduct and action was upon an occasion and under circumstances which have created general alarm 
and terror.
We are unable to protect ourselves without aid and therefore pray for the protection of the United States 
forces.
HENRY E. COOPER,
F.  W.  McCHESNEY,
W. C. WILDER, 
C. BOLTE, 
A. BROWN, 
WILLIAM O. SMITH, 
HENRY WATERHOUSB, 
THEO. F. LANSING, 
ED. SUHR, 
L. A. THURSTON, 
JOHN EMMELUTH, 
WM. E. CASTLE,
         J.  A.  McCandless,
Citizens' Committee of Safety.
No. 7. 
Mr. Blount to Mr. Gresham.
No. 4.	HONOLULU, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, May 4, 1893.
SIR : Up to the period of the hauling down of the United States ensign from the Government building there had 
been inaction on the part of those opposed to annexation. Since then, inspired by that fact, the natives have 
seemed to act with freedom in expressing their views on the subject of annexation and of the revolution 
dethroning Liliuokalani. Annexationists and antiannexationists have been active

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