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Blount Report: Affairs in Hawaii

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                                        1028	                       HAWAIIAN   ISLANDS.
police station. I therefore excused myself and left the blue room. I was met by the chief justice and others, who 
wanted to know what had taken place. As I was in haste, I simply told them that the ministry had returned and were 
now in the blue room with Her Majesty, and that the rumor of their resignation was untrue. I then went on to the 
station house, and on my arrival there I was informed that Messrs. Thurston and W. O. Smith of the missionary 
party were organizing and enlisting men to overthrow the Queen and her Government. After making inquiry, I 
found that they alleged they were organizing' simply to support the ministry in opposing the Queen, in the event of 
her promulgating a new constitution, in defiance of the ministry, by force of arms, as Minister Colburn had called 
upon Mr. Thurston that afternoon for advice, and informed them that the Queen intended to promulgate a new 
constitution. Mr. Thurston had advised Mr. Colburn to oppose the measure, and not to resign; that they would render 
all the assistance necessary. Hence they were enlisting the men at W. O. Smith's office for that purpose.
As this seemed to me to be a legitimate purpose I did not make any arrests, but as I saw from the excited condition 
of these men (Thurston, Smith, etc.) that they saw an opportunity to raise trouble, and now that the news had spread 
around town and knots of men were discussing the situation on the street corners, I felt it my duty to make every 
preparation to preserve the peace and safety of the town if they attempted to proceed to any violent acts. I therefore 
gave my instructions to the police arid the specials to be carefully on the lookout for any symptoms of this kind, and 
returned to the palace to see how matters were proceeding there. On my way there I was informed by those whom I 
met that the Queen had given way to the advice of her cabinet and that the constitution matter was postponed.
When I arrived at the palace I found all the guests had gone except a Hawaiian social club, who had prepared a 
"luau" in the basement of the palace to celebrate the prorogation, and that Her Majesty was just seated as I entered. I 
was shown to a seat opposite Her Majesty, but had no sooner sat down than I was telephoned for to go right back to 
the police station, as I was wanted on an important matter. On my arrival at the station house I was informed that 
Thurston and his party were holding another meeting at W. O. Smith's office, and were still enlisting men. This was 
at 5p.m. I therefore sent out my special officers with, instructions to report at once on the slightest sign of a 
disturbance, and putting the regular police force on double duty I kept an extra guard all night at the station house, 
and made every preparation necessary to quell immediately any disturbance which might arise. Other specials were 
sent out to shadow the principals in the move, and instructions were given to the police to arrest all persons on the 
street," found with arms and ammunition, and to keep a strict watch on the dealers in firearms and their places of 
business until otherwise ordered by myself.
By the advice and consent of the cabinet I ordered the saloons closed at 9 o'clock p. m., two hours and a half 
earlier than usual, in order to induce the usual Saturday night crowd to disperse to their homes, and so keep the 
streets clear. These precautions were taken, as I could not foresee what their next move would be. As matters had 
settled down to their normal condition, and peace and quietness prevailed throughout the city, I could not 
understand why the Thurston faction should continue to hold meetings and enlist men. Nothing occurred that night 
to denote any signs of disturbance, except the meet-

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