An Act of War
The Overthrow of The Hawaiian Kingdom
Thesis
President William McKinley
President William McKinley pursued the annexation of the Republic of Hawaii. The new republic, dominated by American interests, had seized power from the royal government in 1893. Many Americans favored annexation, and the cause gained momentum as the United States became involved in a war with Spain. McKinley came to office as a supporter of annexation. In 1898 President of the United States William McKinley signed the treaty of annexation for Hawaii, but it failed in the Senate after the 38,000 signatures of the Kū’ē Petitions were submitted. McKinley instead supported the effort of Democratic Representative Francis G. Newlands to accomplish the result by joint resolution of both houses of Congress. The resulting Newlands Resolution passed both houses, and was approved on July 4, 1898 and signed on July 7 by William McKinley. Hawaii was annexed by means of joint resolution, called the Newlands Resolution.
President Grover Cleveland
President Grover Cleveland sent former Congressman James Blount to Hawai'i to investigate. Cleveland agreed with Blount's report, which found majority of the population to be opposed to annexation. Liliuokalani initially refused to grant amnesty as a condition of her reinstatement, saying that she would either execute or banish the current government in Honolulu. Cleveland tells the provisional government to lower the flag and return the kingdom to the Queen. The provisional government refuses. In 1893 Cleveland referred the issue to Congress. In his message to Congress, Cleveland rejected the idea of annexation. The Senate commissioned and produced the Morgan Report, which contradicted Blount's findings and found the overthrow was a completely internal affair. Cleveland didn't want bloodshed and dropped all talk of reinstating the Queen, and went on to recognize and maintain diplomatic relations with the new Republic of Hawaii.
Minister John L. Stevens
Minister John L. Stevens joined the United States Department of State and was appointed minister to Hawaii. On January 14, 1893, Stevens met with businessmen Sanford Dole and Lorrin Thurston met to plot to overthrow Hawaii's Queen and bring her country into the United States. They became the Committee of Safety. They had documents drafted to establish a provisional government. The Committee of Safety expressed concern for the safety and property of American residents in Honolulu. Minister Stevens requested and summoned a company of uniformed U.S. Marines from the Boston and two companies of U.S. sailors to land on the Kingdom and take up positions in strategic locations in Honolulu on the afternoon of January 16, 1893. 162 sailors and Marines aboard the Boston came ashore well-armed. The Queen wanted to avoid any loss of life for her subjects and after some deliberation, the Queen ordered her forces to surrender. The Queen surrenders to the superior U.S., not to the provisional government. The Honolulu Rifles took over government buildings, disarmed the Royal Guard, and declared a Provisional Government.
Historical Significance
Is Hawai'i a Legal and Lawfull State of the Union?
Hawai'i is not legally and lawfully a State of the Union. David Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani were forced to sign documents limiting their power and to surrender the kingdom of Hawai'i. Minister John Stevens illegally forced the Queen to surrender the Kingdom. James Blount wrote a document proving that the overthrow was illegal.