visional government, with a deep and solemn sense of the gravity of the situation and with the earnest hope that your answer will be inspired by that high patriotism which forgets all self-interest, in the name and by the authority of the United States of America, I submit to you the question, Are you willing to abide by the decision of the President?"

President Dole, who listened carefully to his speech, informed the minister that he would give the matter due consideration, and answer him later. It was a plain proposition and did not require much study to give a decision. A man in his senses is not apt to surrender the liberties he has risked his life to obtain.

President Dole's reply to the demand of Minister Willis is an excellent state paper. After discussing their conduct and their right to frame and form a Government of their own, irrespective of the United States, he denied that the United States had any right to interfere now with their Government. The sumtotal of President Dole's answer to the demand of Minister Willis was that he refused to surrender to the ex-queen.

The transmission of President Dole's letter, it was supposed, would result in the landing of troops from the Adams and Philadelphia, and active preparations for defense were made. The patriots filled bags with sand, and entrenched the capitol building. Their batteries were manned and men kept constantly on duty. The citizens' guard, the regulars and militia,

bade adieu to their families and took their places behind the breastworks to die by the bullets and bayonets of the marines, rather than to be enslaved by a tyrannical monarchy.

The officers and marines of the Philadelphia were in sympathy with the patriots, and took many ways to show it. They kept them posted as to all that took place on board the vessels, and of every visit made by the American minister. One of the secret messages sent to Colonel J. H. Soper, commander-in-chief of the Hawaiian army, was in substance as follows:

"If we land, for God's sake don't allow your men to fire on us, but move back and take all your arms and ammunition with you. All we will be required to do will be to place the queen in the government building, then retire and leave her alone."

This verbal message was received on December 5. The day previous Colonel Soper had received the following note in pencil, written on a piece of wrapping paper:

"There will be a landing-party from the ship to-morrow at Io A. M. Do not be caught with your eyes shut. The American Minister spent an hour on board the ship this morning. Yours truly,

There was a rumor among the patriots, to the effect that the officers of the Philadelphia held a meeting at

which it was decided not to fire on the patriots even if commanded to do so, but this rumor was never verified.

The ship was cleared and guns ready. Boats were lowered and manned, and it seemed as if trouble was inevitable. The women and children were almost frantic with fear, while the husbands, fathers, and brothers took their places in line of battle, pale but firm and determined.

The commander-in-chief, with President Dole and his cabinet, consulted on what was best, and finally reached the following conclusion. They wished above all things to avoid a collision with the United States marines. Colonel Soper knew that the royalists were eager to bring on an engagement between the Americans and the patriots. They would themselves open fire on the marines, to lay the blame on the patriots. He stationed sharpshooters in the top of the capitol building with orders to shoot every royalist who should fire on the marines.

Colonel Soper had fifteen hundred men under arms. It was a dark, rainy day. Express wagons were on the ground in which all the ammunition was loaded. The cannon could either be dragged off or rendered useless by removing the supporting pins. The intentions of the commander-in-chief were kept even from his subordinate officers, who supposed, and many of whom suppose to this day, that they were to fight.