Prominent People | Page 138 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

January 30, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Whaley

“Getting the stuff into port was a good deal like the true, sportsman shooting domestic chickens when he had been brought up to go after game. The sport was left for the men who handled it here, men on the interisland steamers and men around the plantations, for there is where it was sold.”

“The Chinese had to have it, and twenty years ago managers of the sugar estates would end down to the city to get it for them. One time, a good many years ago, the story is told of an official who came in contact with opium in two ways. …”

“In one way he came against opium dealers as an administrative officer. And he would cinch a fellow tight enough if it suited him. Another way he came against opium handlers was in the role of purchaser. He played the game both ways and waxed rich.”

‘”There was a lot of money in it in the old days. … and there was fun and excitement in dodging the officers.’” (Unidentified former opium smuggler) (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, December 19, 1909)

“There was a ring in San Francisco in those days with connecting links in the Sound cities and Victoria. The old Driard House was headquarters for the party in Victoria and Will Whaley was the acknowledged head of that branch.”

“It was only forty miles across the water to the United States and sixty miles would bring the men who did the rough work to a safe harbor on the Yankee side.”

“Chinese constituted the most profitable contraband because the price, in those days, warranted the risk. Fifty dollars a head to land them on the beach during the night, and the money in hand before leaving hospitable British soil, and it was an easy matter to run twenty or even thirty across in a night and get back safely.”

“The same men who engaged in handling the Chinese were in the business of shipping opium. Whaley had his own schooner, the Halcyon, a ‘long low rakish craft’ built to sail with the wind or beat against it, and she could make steamer time if the wind was at all fair. She came to these waters on several occasions and was suspected of having opium as her cargo.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, December 19, 1909)

“(William A) Whaley managed to keep out of harm’s way but was continuously under suspicion.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, December 19, 1909)

“(L)inked with that of the famous yacht Halcyon, (he) was formerly a custom house employee, and hence knew all the ‘ropes’ in the workings of the force, but this very knowledge has made him fight shy of San Francisco and seek other fields for his gigantic deals in contraband opium.” (Californian, 1893)

“Halcyon, is one of the trimmest little vessels that ever spread a sail, and she is said to be the fastest thing in the Pacific. She has certainly shown a clean pair of heels to every vessel sent out to try to catch her.”

“Her movements are so rapid that she seems a phantom ship. If reports be true, she is worth her weight in gold to her owners.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, July 13, 1891)

“Halcyon (was) built by Matthew Turner at Benicia the latter part of 1886 for Harry Tevis. The boat was one of the handsomest in the harbor, and her fittings were luxurious. She is 74-feet long, 21-feet 2-inches broad and 8-feet 5-inches deep, so her cabins were ample for the parties who used to go for cruises on her.”

“Tevis tired of the boat and sold her to persons who soon resold her, and she sailed … for Victoria, B. C, in charge of Captain Alfred Metcalf, while Alfred V Wilson appeared as owner.”

“For a few months the Halcyon dropped out of sight, and then stories about a vessel of her description that had met incoming
China steamers and taken on board large quantities of opium began to fly about.”

“It was asserted that the Halcyon picked up the opium after it had been thrown overboard from the steamer in tubs, and landed it in Drakes Bay, Halfmoon Bay and over at Sausalito. One thing is certain when the Halcyon was making her mysterious trips Hongkong opium could be bought in Chinatown for less money …”

“It soon became generally known that the yacht was owned by AW Whaley and EW McLean, two members of the famous Boyd-Ciprico gang. The pair saved money and opened an opium factory in Victoria and another in Vancouver, BC. For a time they directed all their attention to the smuggling of the stuff turned out by their Chinese workmen into the United States, and succeeded.”

“Several times she was ‘nearly caught,’ but matters were always so arranged that the Custom House men were ‘a day behind the fair.’ The next time she was heard from she was in Hongkong, where Whaley bought two tons of opium.”

“She was next from off Honolulu, and a few months later appeared in Victoria, B. C, without an ounce of opium on board. Most of the opium had been landed on the Hawaiian Islands and the remainder came to San Francisco. Since then the Halcyon has made a number of trips which have proved successful.”

“In consequence, Whaley is living in Honolulu and entertaining the Marshal of the kingdom, the Minister of State and other officials, besides the consuls, at costly banquets”. (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, July 25, 1892)

“The ‘gang’ of which Whaley, Ferdinand D Ciprico and ‘Champagne Billy’ Boyd were leaders flourished from about 1888 to 1892, when Ciprico was sent to San Quentin. Boyd committed suicide while under arrest at Alcatraz. Whaley escaped to foreign lands and lived luxuriously on the proceeds of his operations, an exile from America.” (Hawaiian Star, August 28, 1907)

“Opium began to pour into the island villages, and the price dropped from $75 per pound to $23. With the identity of the mysterious schooner once settled, the Hawaiian Customs authorities concluded that the source of the opium influx had something to do with the Halcyon and ordered an armed expedition out to bring her into port.”

“A dozen seizures of the drug were made in various places, and it was so thick that the Hawaiian papers credited the Halcyon with importing 450 tons of it. This is somewhat extravagant, as the Halcyon only measures sixty-three tons, and could not possibly carry over one hundred.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, May 29, 1891)

“If Whaley be a smuggler, and there is little doubt that he is, he is certainly one of the most romantic figures in the gallery of customs-breakers. He is a handsome man of good figure apparently about thirty-five years old, and possessed of a dashing manner that well becomes the title given him around town as ‘King of the Smugglers.’”

“WA Whaley has duped all his associates in the smuggling business, and has fled to Yokohama. The sum he is said to have made away with is about $75,000, which shows, if true, that there is no honor among smugglers or thieves.”

“Whaley … claimed to have boundless influence with certain high officials in the islands, but he did not go so far as to name them. He claimed that a Chinaman in Honolulu made over $1,000,000 while he was in the business.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 2, 1892)

“Whaley was noted in Hongkong for his extravagant mode of living, but his luck turned against him and the usual result followed. He lost all his money and finally went to Manila, where he eked out a precarious existence.”

“A few months ago the physicians told him that the end was near. Without money or friends he was dying far from his native country. It was cheaper for the government to send him to America than keep him as a public charge and he was sent to San Francisco on the Thomas as an indigent citizen. He died at sea July 28th.” (Hawaiian Star, August 28, 1907)

“The passing of William A. Whaley on board the United States army transport Thomas, who died a pauper while on the homeward voyage from the Philippines recalled to the old officials in the customs house service one of the strongest bands of depredators against the customs revenue that has ever existed on this coast.” (Hawaiian Star, August 28, 1907)

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Whaley-Opium_King-Pacific Commercial Advertiser, December 19, 1909

January 26, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Chinese Baseball

Baseball is based on the English game of rounders. Rounders become popular in the United States in the early 19th century, where the game was called “townball”, “base” or “baseball”.

In 1845, Alexander Cartwright organized the New York Knickerbockers team with a constitution and bylaws, and suggested that they could arrange more games and the sport would be more widely-played if it had a single set of agreed-upon rules.

Cartwright went on to teach people in Hawai‘i how to play the game; he also was part of Honolulu’s first Volunteer Fire Brigade, and became Fire Chief.

Cartwright was the executor of Queen Emma’s Last Will & Testament, as well as executor of the estate of King Kalākaua. Alexander Cartwright died at the age of 72 in Honolulu on July 12th, 1892. A large, pink granite monument in Oʻahu Cemetery marks the final resting-place of Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr.

Japan had already adopted the sport during the Meiji era (1870s), when Japan was adopting western customs to establish a more modern national identity. Baseball, to the Japanese, incorporated both western and eastern cultural elements. Baseball had Japanese values of harmony, determination and discipline while also reflecting Western characteristics. (Pang)

The recorded history of Japanese American involvement in baseball in Hawai‘i dates back to 1899, the year Reverend Takie Okumura of the Makiki Christian Church formed a team made up primarily of boys who boarded at his Okumura Home.

He named the team Excelsior, and they captured the youth league championship in 1905. (Chinen) Other ethnic teams formed, including the Chinese.

“Although Chinese baseball players are mighty scarce in this country, over in Honolulu there is a team composed exclusively of Chinese and they play good baseball. The team is called the Chinese Alohas.”

“In a recent game with the players representing the Hawaiian Hotel, the Chinese team won by the score of 9 to 8. The line-up of the Chinese team is as follows:”

“F You, catcher; Chang Yen, pitcher; N. Sheng, first base; Ah Yap, second base; Yuan Chew, third base; Hoi Sing, shortstop: Ho Tong, right field: Ah Sam, center field; Hung Nyam, left field.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, April 17, 1907)

“During the period between 1910 and 1925, (Chinese) baseball teams … ruled supreme in the territory. The aggregations were so successful that they new worlds to conquer.”

“Starting in 1912 and through 1916, Chinese diamond squads annually invaded the mainland, returning each time with impressive records.” (Franks)

“Honolulu had become a hotbed of Chinese American community baseball. In the early 1900s, the Chinese Athletic Club (CAC) team and the Chinese Alohas called on the services of some of the best ballplayers in the city.”

“In 1912, the CAC, with the financial help of Chinatown merchants and haole boosters anxious to promote Honolulu on the mainland, assembled an ‘all-Chinese’ team that journeyed across the Pacific and engaged in over 100 games against college, community, semiprofessional, and professional teams.”

In June 1912, a Chinese in Hawai‘i organized an amateur league with teams such as the Wah Mun, CAU, CYA, Kukuis and Man Lun. (Franks)

A September 1912 game had thousands watching a game between Wah Mun (representing the ‘Chinese revolutionary faction’) against their rival Man Lun team (representing the Chinese Emperor Reform Association, which backed the continued dynastic rule of China.) There were fears of a riot; but there was none.

However, a fight flared in a later CAU – Man Lun game. Apparently, a Filipino Hawaiian fan was trying to compliment a Chinese Hawaiian player using a Chinese phrase. In reality, he uttered an insult. “For his compliment, the Filipino got a beating by from the Chinaman. The police let it go at that.” (Franks)

About this time there had been growing tensions in China and the revolutionary movement grew stronger and stronger, culminating in the October 10, 1911 Wuhan (Wuchang) Uprising which succeeded in overthrowing the Qing (Manchu) dynasty and establishing the Republic of China.

That date is now celebrated annually as the Republic of China’s national day, also known as the “Double Ten Day,” when the Qing Dynasty finally fell. Sun Yat-sen (the Father of Modern China – and who learned the game of baseball when he lived in Hawai‘i in 1883,) who had been on the American mainland, returned to China at the invitation of the successful revolutionaries to be sworn in as China’s first president in 1912.

Sun’s presidency lasted only 45 days. His most powerful rival was Yuan Shikai (Shih-kai,) who had built a strong base of power in northern China in his role as a top Qing military leader. When Yuan began to flex his muscles, Sun decided it would be politically prudent to abdicate in his favor. Sun turned his attention to forming the Guomindang (Nationalist Party.) (Asia Society)

The Republic of China governed mainland China until 1949; in that year, during the Chinese Civil War, the communists captured Beijing and later Nanjing. The communist-party-led People’s Republic of China was proclaimed on October 1, 1949.

Back to baseball … in 1915, “arrangements have been completed for the famous All-Chinese baseball team of Honolulu, which was so successful against the leading American College clubs on its tour of the United States last year, to come to Shanghai and take part in the series for the open baseball championship of the Far East.”

They needed to raise $5,000 for expenses. Chinese President Yuan Shih-kai sent a letter of support, “stating the president’s hearty approval of the effort to popularize baseball in China as a suitable outdoor sport for Chinese youth …”

“… and the president also sent his check for $500 as a personal contribution towards the expenses of bringing out the All-Chinese baseball team from Honolulu, which he believes will do much to stimulate interest in the game among Chinese.” (Star Bulletin, April 8, 1915)

Furthermore, “Under the patronage of the Chinese government and with the personal assistance of Wu Tang-fang, former Chinese minister to the United States, a baseball team of American-born Chinese is on its way to Shanghai on the steamer Mongolia, by way of the Philippines and Japan.”

“Their expenses in China will be met by the Chinese Government. The team will tour the (principal) cities of the interior to introduce American athletics for the physical improvement of the youth of China.” (Columbus Weekly Advocate, April 15, 1915)

“Sixteen games were played in all during the trip to the Philippines and China, and of these 12 were won, three lost and one tied.”

“In Peking the president of China gave us a reception, and talked to us for about five minutes. We received special permission
to visit the old royal residence, and altogether were treated as distinguished guests.” (Star-Bulletin, June 22, 1915)

In Hawai‘i in 1920, an All-Chinese team knocked off a visiting University of Chicago team; they tied University of California, and later in 1922, Honolulu’s All-Chinese team beat a visiting Stanford team. (Franks)

“For several decades thereafter Hawaiian Chinese organized their own leagues, while supporting a team called the Chinese Tigers that competed in the Hawaii Baseball League.” (Jorae; Zhao)

Chinese Americans used baseball as a means of developing and maintaining sense of community. Through baseball, they cross cultural boundaries to play with and against varied racial and ethnic identities. Some American ballplayers of Chinese ancestry have competed effectively at the highest levels of professional baseball. (Jorae; Zhao)

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Honolulu-CAC-1909

Chinese-Baseball-Team-Hawaii-LOC

Chinese University of Hawaii played Rice Institute-Rice

Chinese-Baseball-Team-Tour of US-1913-LOC

January 25, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Reading, ‘Riting & ‘Rithmetic

Sir William Curtis (born January 25, 1752,) son of a British baker, became Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1790, holding the seat for 28 years. He was also Lord Mayor of London 1795-6.

Among many other products, the family made ships’ biscuits. After inheriting the business, expanding it and making a whole pile of money, satirists came to call him Sir Billy Biscuit. Sir Billy was nearly illiterate. (BBC)

The famous expression – “the three Rs—reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic”- is credited to Curtis.

He proposed it as a toast at a dinner given by the Board of Education in the days when folks were pleading for increased educational advantages for the poor. It was received with great applause and drunk amid much merriment.

But, though recognized as a jest at the time, it was afterwards taken up in earnest by Curtis’s detractors, who have handed his name down to posterity as a blundering ignoramus. (Walsh, 1893)

He chose the phrase simply as a joke. (Walsh, 1893) However, for decades, the definition of literacy was limited to the acquisition of reading, writing and arithmetic, usually referred to as the 3Rs. (UNESCO)

“(T)he three R’s,’reading, ’riting, ’rithmetic,’… belong to universal culture. They are the foundation of all education. We are speaking of the superstructure.” (Christian Union, September 4, 1878)

Curtis was not just an unexpected forward thinking, yet jokester, toaster; part of his wealth came from operations linked to the quip about his sea biscuit name …

Curtis was one of the principal financiers for the ‘Butterworth Squadron,’ a British commercial fleet of three vessels, the Butterworth, the Jackal, and the Prince Lee Boo.

These ships sailed for the Pacific Ocean from London via Cape Horn in late 1791 on a sealing and whaling expedition, following the Nootka Sound Convention, opening the Pacific Northwest Coast to British traders.

The Butterworth squadron first wintered at the Hawaiian Islands in February 1793, when control of the Islands was divided between Kamehameha who controlled Hawai‘i and much of Maui, and Kahekili who controlled the islands west of Maui including O‘ahu and Kauai.

They traded in weapons with both Kamehameha and Kahekili, but strongly favored the latter. The ship’s captain entered into a contract with Kahekili giving him title to the island of O‘ahu together with four islands to windward in return for weapons and military assistance, suppressing a revolt on Kauai.

It was during this period of alliance with Kahekili that the Butterworth squadron became the first European vessels that entered the inner Honolulu Harbor. (The contract to title to the Islands would have ended upon Kahekili’s death in 1794.) (Payne)

The first European entry of Honolulu Harbor is credited to Captain Brown of the British schooner Jackal, accompanied by Captain Gordon in the sloop tender Prince Lee Boo.

They called the harbor “Fair Haven” which may be a rough translation of the Hawaiian name Honolulu (it was also sometimes called Brown’s Harbor.)

Sir Billy Biscuit was a generous and hospitable man and in later years he became known as the “Father of the City”. When he died on January 18, 1829 every shop in Ramsgate closed in his honour and an immense crowd followed his funeral cortege. He’d had quite an effect on the place. (BBC)

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Sir William Curtis

by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey, pencil, 1827

by George Cruikshank, published by Edward Knight, hand-coloured etching, published 12 August 1822

Sir William Curtis

Sloop_-Jackal-_c.1792

Prince_Lee_Boo-_c.1792

French Frigate comparable to Butterworth

January 24, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Abdication

On the afternoon of January 24, 1895, the members of the Cabinet were informed that the ex-Queen Lili‘uokalani had an official document which it was desired should be presented to the Executive. (Alexander)

Lili‘uokalani then read and signed a letter addressed to The Honorable Sanford Ballard Dole, President of the Republic of Hawai‘i, which stated, in part:

“After full and free consultation with my personal friends and with my legal advisors, both before and since my detention by military order in. the Executive building, and acting in conformity with their advice, and also upon my own free volition, and in pursuance of my unalterable belief and understanding of my duty to the people of Hawai‘i …”

“… and to their highest and best interests, and also for the sake of those misguided Hawaiians and others who have recently engaged in rebellion against the Republic, and in an attempt to restore me to the position of queen, which I held prior to the 17th day of January, AD 1893 …”

“… and without any claim that shall become entitled, by reason of anything that I may now say or do, to any other or different treatment or consideration at the hands of the Government than I otherwise could and might legally receive …”

“… I now desire to express and make known, and do hereby express and make known, to yourself, as the only lawful and recognized head of the Government, and to all the people of the Hawaiian Islands …”

“… whether or not they have yet become citizens of the Republic, or are or have been adherents of the late monarchy, and also to all diplomatic and other foreign representatives in the Hawaiian Islands, to all of whom I respectfully request you to cause this statement and action of mine to be made known as soon as may be, as follows, namely:”

“First. In order to avoid any possibility of doubt or misunderstanding, although I do not think that any doubt or misunderstanding is either proper or possible, I hereby do fully and unequivocally admit and declare that the Government of the Republic of Hawai‘i is the only lawful Government of the Hawaiian Islands …”

“… and that the late Hawaiian monarchy is finally and forever ended, and no longer of any legal or actual validity, force or effect whatsoever …”

“… and I do hereby forever absolve all persons whomsoever, whether in the Hawaiian Islands or elsewhere, from all and every manner of allegiance, or official obligation or duty, to me and my heirs and successors forever …”

“… and I hereby declare to all such persons in the Hawaiian Islands that I consider them as bound in duty and honor henceforth to support and sustain the Government of the Republic of Hawaii.”

“Second. For myself, my heirs and successors, I do hereby and without any mental reservation or modification, and fully, finally, unequivocally, irrevocably, and forever abdicate, renounce and release unto the Government of the Republic of Hawai‘i and the legitimate successors forever all claims or pretensions whatsoever to the late throne of Hawai‘i …”

“Third. I do hereby respectfully implore for such misguided Hawaiians and others as have been concerned in the late rebellion against the Republic of Hawai‘i, such degree of executive clemency as the Government may deem to be consistent with its duty to the community, and such as a due regard for its violated laws may permit.”

“Fourth. It is my sincere desire henceforth to live in absolute privacy and retirement from all publicity, or even appearance of being concerned in the public affairs of the Hawaiian islands, further than to express, as I now do and shall always continue to do, my most sincere hope for the welfare and prosperity of its people, under and subject to the Government of the Republic of Hawaii.”

“Fifth. I hereby offer and present my duly certified oath of allegiance to the Republic of Hawai‘i.”

“Sixth. I have caused the foregoing statement to be prepared and drawn, and have signed the same without having received the slightest suggestion from the President of Hawai‘i, or from any member of the Government of Hawai‘i, concerning the same or any part thereof, or concerning any action or course of my own in the premises. …”

“On the 24th day of January, AD 1895, the foregoing was in our presence read over and considered carefully and deliberately by Liliuokalani Dominis, and she, the said Liliuokalani Dominis, thereupon in our presence declared that the same was a correct, exact and full statement of her wishes and acts in the premise …”

“… which statement she declared to us that she desired to sign and acknowledge in our presence as her own free act and deed, and she thereupon signed the same in our presence, and declared the same to be her free act and deed …”

“… in witness whereof we have at the request of the said Liliuokalani Dominis, and in her presence, hereunto subscribed our names is attesting witnesses, at the Executive building, in Honolulu on the Island of Oahu, this 24th day of January, A. D. 1893. (Signed), Wm G Irwin, HA Widemann, Samuel Parker J. Kalua Kahookano, CB Wilson, Paul Neumann”

Three years later (1898,) Lili‘uokalani, in her book ‘Hawai‘i’s Story by Hawai‘i’s Queen,’ stated, “The idea of abdicating never originated with me. I knew nothing at all about such a transaction until they sent to me, by the bands of Mr. Wilson, the insulting proposition written in abject terms.”

“For myself, I would have chosen death rather than to have signed it; but it was represented to me that by my signing this paper all the persons who had been arrested, all my people now in trouble by reason of their love and loyalty towards me, would be immediately released.”

“Think of my position, sick, a lone woman in prison, scarcely knowing who was my friend, or who listened to my words only to betray me, without legal advice or friendly counsel, and the stream of blood ready to flow unless it was stayed by my pen.”

“My persecutors have stated, and at that time compelled me to state, that this paper was signed and acknowledged by me after consultation with my friends whose names appear at the foot of it as witnesses.”

“Not the least opportunity was given to me to confer with anyone; but for the purpose of making it appear to the outside world that I was under the guidance of others, friends who had known me well in better days were brought into the place of my imprisonment, and stood around to see a signature affixed by me.”

Contrary to these last statements, there is consistent information that Lili‘uokalani abdication statement was correct and, through her advisors, Wilson, Widemann and Parker, Alfred Stedman Hartwell prepared the abdication statement for her and she signed it “upon (her) own free volition”.

Several reports, including Lili‘uokalani’s own statements 2-weeks following the abdication and signing of the loyalty oath, show the latter to be true. On February 21, 1895, The Independent noted, “Already before her arrest, she had been planning to throw herself on the mercy of the Executive, and make every possible submission.”

“The President and his associates did not encourage her in doing so; in fact, they declined to listen at all to advances which she sought to make to them.”

“She was permitted, however, to consult with Widemann, Wilson, Newmann, Parker and others of her friends, by whose advice she employed Judge AS Hartwell to draw up in the strongest and completest possible form her renunciation of the monarchy and acceptance of the Republic.”

“This she formally executed on the morning of the 24th, in the presence of several witnesses, and took oath of allegiance to the Republic. The documents were then sent to the President’s room across the hall, with the request to communicate them to the foreign diplomatic representatives and to the public.” (The Independent, February 21, 1895)

Local and mainland papers consistently said the same thing, “Between 10:35 and 11:20 on Thursday morning, in the Executive Building, there took place a ceremony that will form an interesting page in Hawaiian history.”

“It was neither more or less than the formal abdication and renunciation, absolutely and forever, of all claims to the throne of Hawai‘i, on behalf of herself, her heirs and successors, of Liliuokalani Dominis, late Queen of the Hawaiian Islands.”

“There were present, besides the ex Queen, William G Irwin, HA Widemann, Samuel Parker, JK Kahookano, Chas B Wilson, Mrs Wilson, Paul Neumann, AS Hartwell and WL Stanley.”

“Mrs Dominis offered her abdication in the form of a letter to President Dole …. This action was taken on the advice of Mr Wilson, who had been acknowledged by the Government as the ex Queen’s business representative, as well as that of Mr Neumann and Mr Hartwell, her legal advisers.”

“Mr Hartwell had prepared the document and Mr Neumann read it aloud before all present. Then her ex majesty also read it aloud and then signed both the abdication and the oath of allegiance.” (Evening Bulletin, January 25, 1895)

“The ex-Queen has relinquished all her rights to the throne of Hawai‘i. Following her arrest the ex-Queen was allowed frequent interviews with Charles B Wilson, ex-Marshal under the monarchy, HA Widemann, who recently visited the United States and Europe on her behalf … and her attorney, Paul Neumann, but no one connected with the Government saw her.”

“The result of these frequent interviews became apparent last Thursday, when she requested that some person connected with the Government be sent to her, as she had an important official communication to make. …”

“Mrs. Dominis in a few words stated that she desired to surrender all her claims to the throne, and offered her formal abdication to President Dole in the shape of a document drawn up by Judge AS Hartwell, who was consulted by Mr. Wilson, Mr. Parker and Mr. Neumann about the matter and acted as advising counsel for them, but not strictly as attorney for Liliuokalani.” (San Francisco Call, February 7, 1895)

When Lili‘uokalani went to trial two weeks after signing the abdication document and loyalty oath (February 8, 1895,) she told the tribunal prosecuting her involvement in the counter revolution, “Before the 24th of January, 1895, the day upon which I formally abdicated, and called upon my people to recognize the Republic of Hawai‘i as the only lawful government of these Islands, and to support that government …”

“I was not intimidated into abdicating, but followed the counsel of able and generous friends and well-wishers, who advised me that such an act would restore peace and good-will among my people, vitalize the progress and prosperity of the Islands …”

“… and induce the actual government to deal leniently, mercifully, charitably, and impassionately with those who resorted to arms for the purpose of displacing a government in the formation of which they had no voice or control, and which they themselves had seen established by force of arms.”

“I acted of my own free will, and wish the world to know that I have asked no immunity or favor myself, nor plead my abdication as a petition for mercy.”

“My actions were dictated by the sole aim of doing good to my beloved country, and of alleviating the positions and pains of those who unhappily and unwisely resorted to arms to regain an independence which they thought had been unjustly wrested from them.”

Hartwell confirms that he secretly wrote the abdication statement and that Lili‘uokalani and her advisors had participated in the drafting and editing of it, noting, …

“While the queen was under arrest by the Provisional Government, Paul Neumann, Sam Parker, her last foreign minister, and Charles Wilson, the ex-marshal, came to my office with a request, which they said was by her authority, that I draw her abdication.”

“I did this and had three separate drafts made with changes to meet suggestions they brought to me from her. No one else but Stanley, my confidential clerk, knew of this until she formally acknowledged the instrument before a notary, in the presence of Neumann, Parker, Irwin, Widemann, Iaukea and myself.”

“I took a lot of trouble in the matter, and gratuitously, and yet the queen in her Hawai‘i book says that she was deceived and that I was acting as the attorney for the other side.”

Hartwell suspects the misinformation about the abdication statement in Lili‘uokalani’s Book was made by the American journalist who helped her with her book, noting, “I think, however, that this was said for her by (Julius) Palmer, who got up her book, for she knew better.” (Hartwell; HHS)

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Liliuokalani-Loyalty_Oath-Jan_24,_1895

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Liliuokalani-Abdication-Jan_24,_1895-Witnesses

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January 19, 2017 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

First Sight of Land

“As we kept our Christmas here, I called this discovery Christmas Island. … Christmas Island, like most others in this ocean, is bounded by a reef of coral rocks, which extends but a little way from the shore. Farther out than this reef, on the west side, is a bank of sand, extending a mile into the sea.”

In January 1778, Captain James Cook aboard the Resolution and Captain Charles Clerke aboard the Discovery were sailing from the Society Islands to the Northwest coast of North America on Cook’s Third Expedition of the Pacific Ocean. The following or excerpts from their journals:

“We continued to see birds every day …; sometimes in greater numbers than others; and between the latitude of 10° and 11° we saw several turtle. All these are looked upon as signs of the vicinity of land.”

“However, we discovered none till day-break, in the morning of the 18th, when an island made its appearance, bearing northeast by east; and, soon after, we saw more land bearing north, and entirely detached from the former.”

“Both had the appearance of being high land. At noon, the first bore north-east by east, half east, by estimation about eight or nine leagues distant; and an elevated hill, near the east end of the other, bore north, half west. Our latitude, at this time, was 21°12’ N.; and longitude 200° 41’ E.”

“We had now light airs and calms, by turns; so that at sunset, we were not less than nine or ten leagues from the nearest land.”

“On the 19th, at sunrise, the island first seen, bore east several leagues distant. This being directly to windward, which prevented our getting near it, I stood for the other, which we could reach; and not long after discovered a third island in the direction of west north-west, as far distant as land could be seen.”

“We had now a fine breeze at east by north; and I steered for the east end of the second island; which at noon extended from north, half east, to west northwest, a quarter west, the nearest part being about two leagues distant.”

“At this time, we were in some doubt whether or not the land before us was inhabited; but this doubt was soon cleared up, by seeing some canoes coming off from the shore, toward the ships, I immediately brought-to, to give them time to join us.”

“They had from three to six men each; and, on their approach, we were agreeably surprised to find, that they spoke the language of Otaheite (Tahiti,) and of the other islands we had lately visited.”

“It required but very little address, to get them to come alongside ; but no intreaties could prevail upon any of them to come on board. I tied some brass medals to a rope, and gave them to those in one of the canoes, who, in return, tied some small mackerel to the rope as an equivalent.”

“This was repeated; and some small nails, or bits of iron, which they valued more than any other article, were given them. For these they exchanged more fish, and a sweet potatoe; a sure sign that they had some notion of bartering; or, at least, of returning one present for another.”

“They had nothing else in their canoes, except some large gourd shells, and a kind of fishing-net; but one of them offered for sale the piece of stuff that he wore round his waist, after the manner of the other islands.”

“These people were of a brown colour; and, though of the common size, were stoutly made. There was little difference in the cast of their colour, but a considerable variation in their features; some of their visages not being very unlike those of Europeans.”

“The hair of most of them was cropt pretty short; others had it flowing loose; and, with a few, it was tied in a bunch on the crown of the head.”

“In all, it seemed to be naturally black; but most of them had stained it, as is the practice of the Friendly Islanders, with some stuff which gave it a brown or burnt colour. In general they wore their beards.”

“They had no ornaments about their persons nor did we observe that their ears were perforated; but some were punctured on the hands, or near the groin, though in a small degree; and the bits of cloth which they wore, were curiously stained with red, black, and white colours.”

“They seemed very mild; and had no arms of any kind, if we except some small stones, which they had evidently brought tor
their own defence; and these they threw overboard, when they found that they were not wanted.”

“Seeing no signs of an anchoring place at this eastern extreme of the island, I bore away to leeward, and ranged along the south east side, at the distance of half a league from the shore.”

“As soon as we made sail, the canoes left us; but others came off, as we proceeded along the coast, bringing with them roasting pigs, and some very fine potatoes, which they exchanged, as the others had done, for whatever was offered to them.”

“Several small pigs were purchased for a sixpenny nail; so that we again found ourselves in a land of plenty; and just at the time when the turtle, which we had so fortunately procured at Christmas Island, were nearly expended.”

“We passed several villages; some settled near the sea, and others farther up the country. The inhabitants of all of them crowded to the shore, and collected themselves on the elevated places to view the ships.”

“The land upon this side of the island rises in a gentle slope, from the sea to the foot of the mountains, which occupy the centre of the country, except at one place near the east end, where they rise directly from the sea, and seemed to be formed of nothing but stone, or rocks lying in horizontal strata.”

“We saw no wood, but what was up in the interior part of the island, except a few trees about the villages; near which, also, we could observe several plantations of plantains and sugar-canes, and spots that seemed cultivated for roots. …”

“… I dispatched one of (the boats) to lie in the best anchoring-ground; and as soon as she had got to this station, I bore down with the ships, and anchored in twenty-five fathoms water; the bottom a fine grey sand.”

“The east point of the road, which was the low point before mentioned, bore S. 51° E; the west point, N. 65° W; and the village, behind which the water was said to be, NE by E, distant one mile.”

“But, little more than a quarter of a mile from us, there were breakers, which I did not see till after the Resolution was placed. The Discovery anchored to the eastward of us, and farther from the land. …”

“It is worthy of observation, that the islands in the Pacific Ocean, which our late voyages have added to the geography of the globe, have been generally found lying in groups or clusters …”

“… the single intermediate islands, as yet discovered, being few in proportion to the others; though, probably, there are many more of them still unknown, which serve as steps between the several clusters.”

“Of what number this newly-discovered Archipelago consists, must be left for future investigation. We saw five of them, whose names, as given to us by the natives, are Woahoo (O‘ahu,) Atooi (Kauai,) Oneeheow (Ni‘ihau,) Oreehoua (Lehua) and Tahoora (Kaula.)”

… Contact …

(The entire text here is from ‘The Voyages of Captain James Cook.’)

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