HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS.	991
as long as it is exercised by their own chiefs. The prime and perhaps only real objection to the constitution of 1887 
on the part of the natives is that it was exacted from the King by an armed force and in a revolutionary manner.
However, granting that the queen was wrong in asking her ministers (she did nothing more) to help her in 
proclaiming the new constitution, she had abandoned the idea and made, I believe, a sufficient public retraction.
No, Mr. Blount, these were not the causes of the revolution.
The Missionary party, backed by Mr. Stevens and Capt. Wiltse, made the revolution to regain lost power.
They were at the time backed by the planters and business men on account of the low price in sugar and the 
McKinley bill.
Almost daily, to my personal knowledge, meetings were held at Mr. Stevens' house in which the possibilities of a 
peaceful revolution with the prospects of annexation were discussed. Prominent at these meetings were the Chief 
Justice, Mr. Dole, Mr. Thurston, Mr. Hartwell, Charles Carter, and others, also Capt. Wiltse.
The latter, for the last three months before the revolution a guest of the Pacific Club, of which I am a member, 
became so offensive that I and others took issue and expressed it to him and often asked him: "Well, captain, when 
are you going to hoist the American flag?" Fully six months before the revolution Mr. Stevens asked Mr. George 
d'Anglade, French commissioner, now consul for France in New Orleans, and my friend Canavarro, the Portuguese 
charge" d'affaires, to dinner. They went and found the only guests besides themselves Mr. Thurston and Mr. 
Hartwell. I met them the next day and they expressed their thorough disgust at Mr. Stevens' action.
They soon found after the first course the annexation question was slyly brought about and felt that they were 
asked there to commit themselves. They kept on their guard and as soon as dinner was over withdrew and left Mr. 
Stevens and his two other guests.
I now come to the condition of affairs on January 10, the day the forces were landed.
After the two meetings the town was as quiet as ever it had been. The Queen had withdrawn the constitution.
The natives "Hui Kalaiaina" had peacefully submitted. There was no breach of law and order. Being down town, 
I noticed some excitement in Merchant street by the post-office and corners of Fort street. I inquired the cause of it: 
"The United States forces will land in a short while," I was told. A few minutes after, Charles Carter rode down in a 
hack, I followed and saw him at the foot of Fort street waiting for the landing of the troops. He received the 
commanding officer, handed him a letter, and showed him where to go. A large crowd gathered. I went back, met 
Widemann, and we drove hastily to the palace.
Soon the forces with Gatling guns, etc., marched up and formed in the space between the palace, Kawaiahao 
church, and the Government building, and halted there under arms. After comforting the Queen, telling her that the 
United States could not possibly sustain Mr. Stevens's action, I left at once to find out more about the trouble. I 
drove hastily to the club, saw Wodehouse, Canavarro, and Vizzavona in a hack. They alighted to speak to me. As 
we met, Mr. Giffard of Irwin & Co. (Spreckels) joined us.
They said: " We just came from Stevens to find out about the landing of the forces. We asked him at whose 
request they landed." He

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