Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2022 — “I Do, Under This Protest...Yield My Authority” [ARTICLE]

“I Do, Under This Protest...Yield My Authority”

By Puanani Fernandez-Akamine When Queen Lili'uokalani was sworn into office on Jan. 29, 1891, the political situation in Hawai'i was already tense. Native Hawaiians, non-Hawaiian citizens, and foreigners residing in the kingdom had conflicting interests; while foreign powers postured and flexed their eolonial muscles in their insatiable hunger for more territory, influence, power and weahh. Even among Native Hawaiians there was political division. At the time there were four major polhieal parties: The Reform Party, The National Reform Party, The Hawaiian National Liberal Party, and The Native Sons of Hawai'i. The Reform Party was the group that forced King Kalākaua to sign the so-called "Bayonet Constitution" in 1864. Pro-American annexationists comprised their radical ffinge. The other parties were primarily Native Hawaiian, but their political visions varied. The National Reform Party, supported by Lili'uokalani, was a de facto government

party that challenged the mostly haole "Reform Party." The Hawaiian National Liberal Party wanted an independent Hawai'i with a more liberal constitution. The Native Sons of Hawai'i wanted to keep the monarchy intact. During the 1892 legislative elections, no party emerged dominant, and when the legislative session began, a power struggle for control of the Queen's cabinet was center stage. Lili'uokalani had the constitutional right to select her own cabinet members. However, the legislators opposing her rejected her legitimate appointments in an effort to plaee their agents in her cabinet. By January 1893, the situation had heeome volatile. At a January 14 meeting with legislators Lili'uokalani made it known that she intended to replace the existing eonstitution and restore power to the monarchy and to the Hawaiian people. Signed by her brother at gunpoint almost 20 years earlier, the "Bayonet Constitution" transferred significant political power from the monarchy to the predominantly pro-business legislature. It also granted suffrage to foreigners (Americans and Europeans) by linking voting

rights to property ownership. Lili'uokalani's declaration set off a ehain of events that culminated with the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom three days later, on Jan. 17, 1893, by the self-de-clared "Committee of Safety," a group of 13 Americans who conspired with the U.S. government to depose the Queen and establish a Provisional Government. Protesting American aggression the Queen surrendered writing (in part), "Now, to avoid any collision of armed forces, and perhaps the loss of life, I do, under this protest...yield my authority until such time as the Government of the United States shall, upon the facts being presented...undo the action of its representative and reinstate me in the authority whieh I elaim as the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Islands." ■ In observance ofthe overthrow, an 'Onipa'a March will be held on Monday, January 17, at 10:00 a.m., beginning at Mauna'ala and ending at 'Iolani Palaee. All are weleome to attend. Masking and social distancing protocols will be observed. For more information go to: https://kalahuihawaii. net/.