1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii

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Queen Liliʻuokalani wrote the draft 1893 constitution.

The 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was a proposed revision of the Constitution of 1887 put forth by Queen Liliʻuokalani. While it never became anything more than a draft, the constitution had a profound impact on Hawaiʻi's history: it set off a chain of events that eventually resulted in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

[edit] Background

Prior to 1887, the monarchs of Hawaiʻi ruled the kingdom as executive monarchs. Following the writing of the 1887 "Bayonet Constitution," however, the monarch was reduced to a mere figurehead.

Most native Hawaiians and other Hawaiian citizens opposed these changes and wanted the monarch to return to its original, executive role. During the 1890 legislature, the Hawaiian king, David Kalākaua, backed a number of proposals to amend or rewrite the 1887 constitution. However, all of these measures failed in the foreigner-controlled legislature.

In 1891, Liliʻuokalani ascended the throne. In 1892, she backed measures in the kingdom's legislature to amend or rewrite the constitution. However, the measures failed as they had during the reign of her brother. Among the measures that failed was an amendment that would lower the property requirement to vote so most of the general public could vote. When that was voted down, many Hawaiian citizens protested. Thousands petitioned the Queen to issue a new constitution as Kamehameha V had done in 1864 (the Constitution of 1864). Thus, the Queen drafted a new constitution (that was for the most part a modified version of the 1887 constitution).

[edit] The Proposed Constitution

The statue of Queen Liliʻuokalani on the grounds of the Hawaiʻi State Capitol shows the Queen holding, among other things, a copy of the Constitution of 1893.

The constitution that Liliʻuokalani proposed differed from the 1887 constitution in the following respects:

• Members of the privy council, notary public, and agents would be able to run for the legislature.
• Princess Kaʻiulani, Prince Kawānanakoa and Prince Kalanianaʻole would be added to the line of succession.
• The Queen would be given the power to call meetings of the legislature.
• The legislature would meet for regular sessions in April instead of May.
• The Queen’s private lands and other property were made inviolable.
• The Queen would sign all bills before they became law. Under the 1887 constitution, any bills vetoed by the Queen and then repassed by the legislature with a two-thirds majority would automatically become law without the signature of the Queen. Under the proposed 1893 constitution, the Queen would be obligated to sign all bills repassed by the legislature with a two-thirds majority.
• The pay of the legislators would be increased to $500 from $250.
• Nobles would be appointed by the Queen instead of elected.
• The number of representatives could be increased from 24 to 48.
• Only subjects would be able to vote (under the 1887 constitution, anyone of Hawaiian, European, or American could vote).
• Requirements for voters were decreased.
• Supreme court judges would be appointed for six years instead of for life.
• The Queen would be able to appoint governors of each island for four years.

[edit] Backlash

Queen Liliʻuokalani met with her ministers at ʻIolani Palace about her new constitution while thousands of Native Hawaiians waited outside for the constitution's proclamation.

On January 14, 1893, the Queen met with her cabinet at ʻIolani Palace to discuss her proposed constitution. None of her ministers agreed to sign the constitution, believing that having the Queen simply proclaim a new constitution would spark unrest. The ministers went so far as to inform the Queen's political enemies of her plans, and were afraid of her threats of mob violence if they didn't follow her orders.^[1] The Queen finally gave in late that afternoon, but the wheels of her overthrow had already been set in motion.

Outside, a large crowd of Native Hawaiians had gathered, expecting the Queen to proclaim a new constitution. However, after her meeting with her cabinet, Liliʻuokalani instead went outside onto the palace balcony and told the crowd that a new constitution would have to wait and that they should peacefully return to their homes.

That evening, a group of the Queen's opponents met to discuss the events of the day. Most were concerned over the Queen's attempt to restore the power of the crown. Some annexationists, like Henry Baldwin, urged moderation but others, like Lorrin A. Thurston urged the overthrow of the monarchy. A plan of action was created by the group, including the creation of a Committee of Safety, the overthrow of the monarchy, the establishment of a provisional government, and the petitioning for annexation to the United States.

The following Monday, the Queen issued a statement saying that she would not attempt to amend the constitution except by the means provided in the 1887 constitution. However, the Committee of Safety did not believe her promise was sincere, and continued with their planning. A group of men mostly drawn from the ranks of the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom formed the Committee of Safety and asked the United States Minister, John L. Stevens, to land troops from the U.S.S. Boston (anchored in Honolulu Harbor) into Honolulu, to protect American lives and property. At 2:00pm on January 17, 1893, a proclamation was read on the steps of Government building, declaring the monarchy overthrown. U.S. peacekeepers were at the time stationed at Arion Hall, the U.S. Consulate, and the U.S. Legation, under orders of strict neutrality and out of any potential line of fire between the Provisional Government and Royalist forces. The Queen abdicated under protest ostensibly "to the superior force of the United States government", though her surrender was delivered to the Provisional Government, not the United States. The Kingdom of Hawaiʻi had ended, and a new provisional government was declared.

Although the Blount Report of July 17, 1893 implicated the U.S. peacekeepers and Minister Stevens in the overthrow, further investigation by the Senate produced the Morgan Report on February 26, 1894, which exonerated both Minister Stevens and the U.S. peacekeepers from any role in the revolution. President Grover Cleveland, who had commissioned both the secret investigation of James Henderson Blount and the public investigation of the Morgan Report, reversed his stance after the evidence gathered by the Morgan Committee repudiated the information gathered by Blount.

[edit] References

1. ^ The Morgan Report, p960

• Potter, Norris W. and Kasdon, Lawrence M. Hawaiʻi, our Island State. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Books, Inc., 1964.

[edit] External links

• A copy of the proposed Constitution. Includes a description of changes from the 1887 constitution