“Tamaahmaah was exceedingly well pleased, and thankful for our exertions; (Vancouver was building him a ship) and it was extremely gratifying to my feelings to reflect, that such valuable opportunities should have offered for bestowing this gratification upon the king, and many essential benefits upon his people …”
“… all of whom were now well convinced, that these superior advantages were only to be obtained by the constant exercise of the same honesty and civility by which these had been secured to them on the present occasion.”
“Very little doubt can be entertained of the exalted pleasure Tamaahmaah would enjoy in the attainment, by honorable means, of so desirable an object as his new schooner…”
“On the evening of Sunday the 23d, agreeably to my promise, I accompanied Tamaahmaah to the morai, and submitted to all the forms, regulations, and restriction of the taboo. … “
“I was not on this, as on the former occasion, purely an idle spectator; but was in some degree one of the actors. Whilst in the morning the principal ceremonies and prayers were performing, I was called upon to give my opinion on several matters that were agitated at one time by the king, and at others by the principal priests.”
“Amongst these was the propriety of their remaining at peace, or making war against the other islands? The session of the island; and if, by that voluntary measure, they would be considered as the of Great Britain?”
“Under this impression, in what manner ought they to conduct themselves towards all strangers, as well those who might visit them from civilized nations, as the inhabitants of the neighbouring islands?”
“With these, and some, other questions of less importance, I was very seriously interrogated; and I made such answers to each as was consistent with my own situation, and, as I considered, were most likely to tend in future to their happiness and tranquillity. …”
“In the forenoon of Tuesday the 25th, the king and queen accompanied by Terry-my-tee, the king’s brother; Crymamahow, half brother to the king, and chief of the district of Amakooa; Kahowmoto, chief of the district of Poona, Tamaahmotoo, chief of the district of Koarra, Trywhookee, half brother of the king, and the most faithful protector and purveyor at the encampment …”
“… all assembled on board the Discovery , for the purpose of formally ceding and surrendering the island of Owhyhee to me for his Britannic Majesty, his heirs and successors; there were present on this occasion besides myself, Mr Puget, and all the officers of the Discovery.”
“Tamaahmaahl opened the business in a speech, which he delivered with great moderation and equal firmness. He explained the reasons that had induced him to offer the island to the protection of Great Britain; and recounted the numerous advantages that himself, the chiefs, and the people, were likely to derive by the surrender they were about to make.”
“He enumerated the several nations that since Captain Cook’s discovery of these islands had occasionally resorted hither, each of which was too powerful for them to resist; and as these visitors had come more frequently to their shores, and their numbers seemed to increase …”
“… he considered that the inhabitants would be liable to more ill treatment, and still greater impositions than they had yet endured, unless they could be protected against such wrongs by some one of the civilized powers with whose people they had become acquainted …”
“… that at present they were completely independent, under no sort of engagement whatever, and were free to make choice of that state which in their opinion was most likely by its attention to their security and interests , to answer the purpose for which the proposed surrender was intended.”
“For his own part he did not hesitate to declare his preference he entertained for the king of Great Britain, to whom he was ready to acknowledge his submission; and demanded to know who had any objection to follow his example. This produced an harangue from each of the five3 chiefs, all of whom had some ideas to offer on this important subject.”
“The warlike spirit and ambitious views of Kahowmotoo had long taught him to indulge the flattering hope, that on fame future day he should be enabled to acquire the sovereignty of Mowee.”
“This prompted him to state in a spirited and manly speech, that on their becoming connected and attached to so powerful a nation, they ought no longer to suffer the indignities which had been offered to their island, Owhyhee, by the people of Mowee …”
“…he also candidly enumerated the offences that Mowee had justly to complain of in return; but as there bore no proportion to her aggressions, he contended that she ought to be chastised, and that when a force for their protection should be obtained from England, the first object of its employment ought to be the conquest of Mowee …”
“… after which the care of its government should be intrusted to some respectable chief, whose interest and inclination could be depended upon a being friendly towards Owhyhee.”
“Kavaheeroo, a chief of very different disposition, content with the station he filled, and the comforts he enjoyed with pleasure to the consequences that were likely to result from the adoption of the measure proposed …”
“… having no doubt of its tending to their future safety and protection, which had now become highly expedient in some way to effect, and of its being the means of producing a general pacification with their relations and friends, as he termed them, on the islands.”
“Tianna, after agreeing with Kahowmotoo, that Mowee ought to be chastised; and with Kavaheeroo, in the necessity of Owhyhee being protected; proposed that some persons, duly authorized for that purpose, should reside on shore by way of guards, and stated that a vessel or two would be requisite to defend them by sea.”
“He very judiciously observed further, that so great a similarity existed between the people of the four nations with whom they were already acquainted, but more particularly so between English and the Americans …”
“… that in the event of their present surrender being accepted, and of a vessel being sent out for their protection, they should be doubtful as to the reality of such persons coming from England …”
“… unless some of the officers then present, or some of those board the vessels with whom they were acquainted, and who they were convinced did belong to King George, should return to Owhyhee with the succours required.”
“This appeared to him a measure of [so much consequence that it could not be dispensed with, for otherwise, any of the distant nations, knowing they had ceded the island to the English government, might send to them ships and men whom they had never before seen …”
“… and who, by asserting they had come from England and belonged to King George, would deceive them into the obedience of a people against whom they should afterwards most probably revolt.”
“These were the prominent features in the several speeches made on the occasion: in every one of which their religion, government, and domestic economy was noticed …”
“… and it was clearly understood, that no interference was to take place in either; that Tamaahmaah, the chiefs and priests, were to continue as usual to officiate with the same authority as before in their respective stations, and that no alteration in those particulars was in any degree thought of or intended.”
“These preliminaries being fully discussed, and thoroughly understood on both sides, the king repeated his former proposition, which was now unanimously approved of, and the whole party declared their consent by saying …”
“… that they were no longer Tanata no Owhyhee, (i.e.) the people of Owhyhee; but Tanata no Britannee, (i.e.) the people of Britain. This was instantly made known to the surrounding crowd in their numerous canoes about the vessels, and the same expressions were cheerfully repeated throughout the attending multitude.”
“Mr. Puget, accompanied by some of the officers, immediately went on shore; there displayed the British colours, and took possession of the island in his Majesty’s name, in conformity to the inclination and desire of Tamaahmaah and his subjects.”
“On this ceremony being finished, a salute was fired from the vessels, after which the following inscription on copper was deposited in a very conspicuous place at the royal residence.”
“‘On the 25th of February, 1794, Tamaahmaah king of Owhyhee, in council with the principal chiefs of the island, assembled on board his Britannie Majesty’s sIoop Discovery in Karakakooa bay, and in the presence of George Vancouver, commander of the said sloop …’”
“‘… Lieutenant Peter Puget, commander of his said Majesty’s armed tender the Chatham; and the other officers of the Discovery; after due consideration, unanimously ceded the said island of Owhyhee to his Britannic Majesty, and acknowledged themselves to the subjects of Great Britain.’” (Vancouver Journal)
According to Kekūanāo’a, Boki stated that Kamehameha stated to Vancouver, “go back and tell King George to watch over me and my whole kingdom.”
“I acknowledge him as my landlord and myself as tenant, (or him as superior and I as inferior.) Should the foreigners of any other nation come to take possession of my lands, then let him help me.” (Kekūanāo‘a in Report of the Foreign Minister, 1855)
While Kamehameha and his chiefs became willing to acknowledge King George as their suzerain, in expectation of his defending them against foreign and outside foes, they expressly reserved to themselves the autonomous government of their island in their own way and according to such laws as they themselves might impose.”
“It is not evident that Vancouver did or could hold out to the Hawaii chiefs anything more than the probability of such protection, the cession, from even his point of view, requiring the acceptance and ratification of the English Government, which it never received. “
“That Kamehameha and his chiefs did not understand the full meaning of the word cession is plain from the reservations which they made.”
“As it was, the so-called cession of the island of Hawaii was no doubt entered into by Vancouver with the very best intentions for the protection and advancement of the Hawaiians …”
“… and by Kamehameha and his chiefs with undisguised expectations of receiving material aid in their wars with Kahehili and Kaeo, and of certain commercial advantages not very well defined.”
“The cession, however, was never accepted or ratified by the English Government, and no steps were taken by emigration or colonisation to make good use of the friendly disposition of the chiefs, and to secure by stronger ties the suzerainty thus loosely acquired.” (Fornander)
