History for ready reference, Volume 3, Greece to NibelungenLarned, J. N. (Josephus Nelson)
History
History for ready reference, Volume 3, Greece to Nibelungen
Larned, J. N. (Josephus Nelson)
History -- Dictionaries
without satisfaction, either as an occupation by consent or as
an occupation necessitated by dangers threatening American
life and property. It must be accounted for in some other way
and on some other ground, and its real motive and purpose are
neither obscure nor far to seek. The United States forces
being now on the scene and favorably stationed, the committee
proceeded to carry out their original scheme. They met the
next morning, Tuesday, the 17th, perfected the plan of
temporary government and fixed upon its principal officers,
who were drawn from 13 members of the committee of safety.
Between 1 and 2 o'clock, by squads and by different routes to
avoid notice, and having first taken the precaution of
ascertaining whether there was anyone there to oppose them,
they proceeded to the Government building to proclaim the new
Government. No sign of opposition was manifest, and thereupon
an American citizen began to read the proclamation from the
steps of the Government Building almost entirely without
auditors. It is said that before the reading was finished
quite a concourse of persons, variously estimated at from 50
to 100, some armed and some unarmed, gathered about the
committee to give them aid and confidence. This statement is
not important, since the one controlling factor in the whole
affair was unquestionably the United States marines, who,
drawn up under arms with artillery in readiness only 76 yards
distant, dominated the situation. The Provisional Government
thus proclaimed was by the terms of the proclamation 'to exist
until terms of the Union with the United States had been
negotiated and agreed upon.' The United States Minister,
pursuant to prior agreement, recognized this Government within
an hour after the reading of the proclamation, and before 5
o'clock, in answer to an inquiry on behalf of the Queen and
her Cabinet, announced that he had done so. … Some hours
after the recognition of the Provisional Government by the
United States Minister, the barracks and the police station,
with all the military resources of the country, were delivered
up by the Queen upon the representation made to her that her
cause would thereafter be reviewed at Washington, and while
protesting that she surrendered to the superior force of the
United States, whose Minister had caused United States troops
to be landed at Honolulu and declared that he would support
the Provisional Government, and that she yielded her authority
to prevent collision of armed forces and loss of life, and
only until such time as the United States, upon the facts
being presented to it, should undo the action of its
representative and reinstate her in the authority she claimed
as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands. This
protest was delivered to the chief of the Provisional
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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