University of Hawaii at Manoa Library

Home: The Annexation Of Hawaii: A Collection Of Document



hawnpac@hawaii.edu
(808) 956-8264

Blount Report: Affairs in Hawaii

[ Previous Page ] -- [ View PDF ] -- [ View in MS Word ] -- [ Next Page ]

                             HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS.	633
decided to encourage the Hawaiians to keep quiet and await further developments.
On Tuesday, the 17th, the cabinet met in the morning and arrangements were made for calling a meeting of the 
diplomatic corps to take place at noon. The different foreign representatives, except Minister Stevens, who sent his 
excuses, met together at the time appointed. Shortly after I saw Marshal Wilson, who emphatically told me that from 
a military standpoint he was perfectly able to cope with the situation, and that he and his followers were ready to 
stop any insurrection, and, if necessary, prepared to resist and successfully tight (as he expected to have to do) the 
United States forces then ashore. Having the fullest confidence in the good judgment of Marshal Wilson, I concurred 
with his ideas, and from that moment advised my colleagues to resist by force any attempt that might be made to 
overthrow the Government. About 2:45 p. m. we were informed that a proclamation had been issued to the effect 
that the Queen had been deposed and that her ministers and the marshal had been dismissed.
The cabinet immediately proceeded to the American legation. Messrs. Parker and Peterson went into Minister 
Stevens's office while Mr. Colburn and myself remained in his sitting room. Our colleagues soon returned and told 
us that Minister Stevens could grant us no assistance, as the committee of thirteen representing, as he said, the 
respectability and wealth of the community, had requested his support. Upon a straight question of the attorney 
general he answered that if called upon for assistance by the alleged newly-established Government he would 
respond to such call with the forces at his command. A little after 3 p. m. Mr. Charles Hopkins was sent to Minister 
Stevens from the station house (where the cabinet had taken up their headquarters) with a letter in which the cabinet 
wished to know in black and white how Minister Stevens proposed to act in the matter.
Mr. Hopkins returned about half an hour later and brought Minister Stevens's answer, in which he informed us 
that he had already recognized the Provisional Government because they were in possession of the departmental 
buildings, the archives, and the treasury, and that he would stand ready to support them as the de facto government. 
Messrs. E. C. Macfarlane and Neumann were then in consultation with the cabinet in regard to what action should 
be taken. About this time Messrs. Samuel M. Damon and G. Bolte came to the station house and asked the cabinet 
to go with them to the Government house, that the officers of the Provisional Government wished to talk over the 
situation with us.
Mr. Parker and I went there and found Messrs. Dole, Damon, W. O. Smith, and others, and we were told that the 
Provisional Government had been recognized by Mr. Stevens, and we were asked as true Hawaiians to do the best 
for our country and surrender, to avoid bloodshed. We told them that we could give them no answer before seeing 
Her Majesty the Queen, and were then requested to go to the palace and do our best to induce the Queen to 
surrender. Shortly after 5:30 p. m. we went to the palace and found the Queen in the blue room, and soon after 
Messrs. J. O. Carter, H. A. Widemann, Paul Neumann, and E. C. Macfarlane arrived. There were also present my 
colleagues, Messrs. Colburn and Peterson, and the two princes.
Mr. Damon was likewise present representing the Provisional Government. The Queen told us that she had sent 
for the gentlemen present to consult with them in this crisis, and requested them all to remain with her until 
everything was settled. Mr. Damon stated that he was

Return to Top

Terms of Use  |  UH Mānoa  |  UH System  |  Ask Us
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Library  |  2550 McCarthy Mall  |  Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 USA
808-956-7214 (Reference)  |  808-956-7203 (Circulation)  |  808-956-7205 (Administration)
808-956-5968 (fax)  |  library@hawaii.edu
Library Digital Collections Disclaimer and Copyright Information