***** QUEEN LILIUOKALANI’S LETTER OF ABDICATION
THE ABDICATION LETTER AND THE OATH OF LOYALTY, BOTH PERSONALLY SIGNED BY LILIUOKALANI, ARE AVAILABLE IN THE ARCHIVES OF THE STATE OF HAWAII. Photocopies are available in file folders available on request from the librarian, and the originals are kept in a safe accessible only with the permission and direct supervision of the head Archivist. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ORIGINALS WERE TAKEN ON MARCH 25, 2008 AND CAN BE SEEN AT
http://historymystery.grassrootinstitute.org/2008/04/04/liliuokalanis-abdication-and-loyalty-oath/
ISLAND OF OAHU,
HONOLULU, Jan. 24, 1895.
TO THE HON. SANFORD BALLARD DOLE, President of the Republic of Hawaii:
SIR: — 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 Hawaii, 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, A. D. 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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii and the legitimate successors forever all claims or pretensions whatsoever to the late throne of Hawaii, or to the late monarchy of Hawaii, or to any past, or to the existing, or to any future Government of Hawaii, or under or by reason of any present or formerly existing constitution, statute, law, position, right or claim of any and every kind, name or nature whatsoever, and whether the same consist of pecuniary or property considerations, or of personal status, hereby forever renouncing, disowning and disclaiming all rights, claims, demands, privileges, honors, emoluments, titles and prerogatives whatsoever, under or by virtue of any former, or the existing Government, constitution, statute, law or custom of the Hawaiian Islands whatsoever, save and excepting only such rights and privileges as belong to me in common with all private citizens of, or residents in the Republic of Hawaii.
Third. I do hereby respectfully implore for such misguided Hawaiians and others as have been concerned in the late rebellion against the Republic of Hawaii, 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 Hawaii.
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 Hawaii, or from any member of the Government of Hawaii, concerning the same or any part thereof, or concerning any action or course of my own in the premises.
Relying upon the magnanimity of the Government of the Republic, and upon its protection.
I have the honor to be, Mr. President,
Very respectfully,
Your most obedient servant,
(Signed) LILIUOKALANI DOMINIS.
[** note by Ken Conklin: “Dominis” is her married name as a private citizen, and not a royal signature **]
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** Note by Ken Conklin: As the “fifth” item listed in Lili’uokalani’s abdication says, she swore an oath of allegiance to the Republic of Hawaii, also dated January 24, 1895. Here is the text of her oath:
***** LILI’UOKALANI’S OATH OF LOYALTY TO THE REPUBLIC OF HAWAII
Honolulu, Island of Oahu ss.
Hawaiian Islands.
I, Liliuokalani Dominis, do solemnly swear in the presence of Almighty God that I will support the Constitution, Laws and Government of the Republic of Hawaii, and will not, either directly or indirectly, encourage or assist in the restoration or establishment of a Monarchial form of Government in the Hawaiian Islands.
[signed] Liliuokalani Dominis
Subscribed and sworn to
this 24th day of January
A.D. 1895 before me,
[signed] W L. Stanley
Notary Public [notary seal]
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Source of the abdication document:
William De Witt Alexander, “History of Later Years of the Hawaiian Monarchy and the Revolution of 1893 (Honolulu: Hawaiian Gazette Co., 1896).
Hawaii State Library, call number “H 996.9 A”. The abdication statement is found on pp. 215-216, in the portion at the end of the book (pp. 203-232 were written by Wallace Rider Farrington).
THE ABDICATION LETTER AND THE OATH OF LOYALTY, BOTH PERSONALLY SIGNED BY LILIUOKALANI, ARE AVAILABLE IN THE ARCHIVES OF THE STATE OF HAWAII. Photocopies are available in file folders available on request from the librarian, and the originals are kept in a safe accessible only with the permission and direct supervision of the head Archivist. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ORIGINALS WERE TAKEN ON MARCH 25, 2008 AND CAN BE SEEN AT
http://historymystery.grassrootinstitute.org/2008/04/04/liliuokalanis-abdication-and-loyalty-oath/
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Introductory comment written in 1896 by Wallace Rider Farrington on page 215 immediately preceding the actual abdication statement:
When it became apparent that all hopes of the restoration of ex-Queen Liliuokalani had been irretrevably blighted, it became generally rumored that the ex-Regent was prepared to make a formal abdication of her claims as the only lawful ruler of the people of Hawaii — a claim to which she had adhered most tenaciously from the day of the overthrow. During her detention in the Executive Building she was in constant touch with her friends and advisers, through her agent Charles B. Wilson, who was allowed free access to her apartments by the military authorities.
On the afternoon of January 24th, the members of the Cabinet were informed that the ex-Queen had an official document which it was desired should be presented to the Executive. They signified their willingness to listen to any communication which the now military prisoner might submit. During the latter part of the day a copy of the following correspondence was put in the hands of Attorney-General Smith. The letter was drawn by Judge A. S. Hartwell who had been consulted by Messrs. Wilson, Parker and Neumann regarding the matter, and acted as advising counsel for them. Judge Hartwell also attended the execution of the document:
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Comment by Ken Conklin, website editor:
The formal abdication document makes it absolutely clear that Lili’uokalani not only renounced the crown but also offered and presented “my duly certified oath of allegiance to the Republic of Hawaii.” Liliuokalani instructed her followers “… 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.”
Today’s diehard deadender Hawaiian sovereignty royalists might assert the objection that Lili’uokalani wrote her statement under duress, because at the time she was a prisoner of the Republic of Hawaii being held in the Palace awaiting trial on charges of misprision of treason as a co-conspirator in the attempted counter-revolution a few days earlier by Robert Wilcox. (She had allowed guns and bombs to be hidden in the flower bed of her private residence nearby at Washington Place; and she had signed documents appointing cabinet ministers and department heads for her anticipated revived government in the days before the attempted counter-revolution). However, the preliminary comments by Wallace Farrington clearly describe that Liliuokalani had constant free contact with and advice from close friends and Kingdom government officials whom she had appointed and also her personal attorney Paul Neumann (a citizen of Germany who at her request had drafted her proposed new Constitution which precipitated the revolution of 1893).
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On January 24, 1895 ex-queen Liliuokalani signed a five-page letter of abdication and a one-page oath of loyalty to the Republic of Hawaii. Six witnesses including her personal attorney and her cabinet ministers signed a statement certifying that she had freely and voluntarily signed in their presence. Notary W.L. Stanley also notarized the documents. Knowing that at least 19 nations had already recognized the Republic of Hawaii, and that the attempted counter-revolution by Robert Wilcox had been crushed earlier in the month, Liliuokalani decisively ended any hope for the monarchy and pledged her loyalty to the Republic. Thus Liliuokalani herself formally recognized the Republic — her abdication and loyalty oath belong among the letters whereby heads of government around the world (including Liliuokalani for those who believed her position as head of state for the Kingdom of Hawaii was still viable) gave de jure recognition to the Republic as the rightful government of Hawaii.
Click on the photos to zoom in for more detail.
Abdication letter, pages 1 – 5:
All eight pages were the originals from 1895, stored in the safe of the Archives of the State of Hawaii. A packet containing all 8 pages was brought out from the safe by Archivist Luella H. Kurkjian and photographed by Sandra Puanani Burgess, assisted by Kenneth R. Conklin, on March 25, 2008.
Related materials:
Liliuokalani’s letter of abdication and her oath of loyalty to the Republic are available as digitized text (they can be copy/pasted and searched) at
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/big60/LiliuAbdication.html
Full text of the Constitution of the Republic of Hawaii, to which Liliuokalani was swearing her oath of loyalty, can be found at
http://www.angelfire.com/planet/big60/RepubHawConst1894.html
