The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 5, February 3, 1898: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls — John Shaqi
The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 5, February 3, 1898: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and GirlsVarious
History
The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 5, February 3, 1898: A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls
Various
History, Modern -- 19th century -- Juvenile literature -- Periodicals
Young Dominis made the acquaintance of the future Queen by climbing over
the wall and talking to the pupils of the Royal School, as it was
called.
A number of years later, in 1862, Liliuokalani became his wife.
This long name, by the way, was not given her until 1877, when the heir
to the throne died, and she became the next in succession to the
reigning King Kalakaua.
This King may be said to have helped to cause the revolution that made
Hawaii a republic. In 1887 he was persuaded by the white residents,
largely Americans or the sons of Americans, to give the country a new
constitution that took away a great deal of his power.
"It may be asked," the Queen writes, "Why did the King give them his
signature? I answer without hesitation, because he had discovered
traitors among his most trusted friends, and knew not in whom he could
trust; and because he had every assurance, short of actual
demonstration, that the conspirators were ripe for revolution, and had
taken measures to have him assassinated if he refused.
"His movements of late had been watched, and his steps dogged, as though
he had been a fugitive from justice. Whenever he attempted to go out in
the evening, either to call at the hotel or visit any one of his
friends' houses, he was conscious of the presence of enemies who were
following stealthily on his track.
"But, happily, Providence watched over him, and thus he was guarded from
personal harm.
"He signed that constitution under absolute compulsion. Details of the
conspiracy have come to me since from sources upon which I can rely,
which lead to the conviction that but for the repugnance or timidity of
one of the executive committee, since risen very high in the counsels of
the so-called republic, he would have been assassinated.
"Then they had planned for the immediate abrogation of the monarchy, the
declaration of a republic, and a proposal for annexation to be made to
the United States.
"The constitution of the republic was actually framed and agreed upon,
but the plot was not fully carried out--more moderate counsels
prevailed.
"They therefore took the very constitution of which I have spoken, the
one which had been drafted for a republic, hastily rewrote it so as to
answer their ends, and forced Kalakaua to affix thereto his official
signature."
In 1891 Kalakaua died and Liliuokalani succeeded him. Not long afterward
she determined to try to get back the power for the monarchy that had
been taken away.
This soon caused the revolution. Her enemies brought a number of charges
against her, and to the chief of these she replies in her book.
Though comparatively few in number, her enemies had so much power that
they were able to overturn the Government with little difficulty.
Then they appealed to President Cleveland, asking that the islands be
annexed.
As the President gave them no encouragement, they continued to govern
Hawaii as a republic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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