But if the troops had landed, Colonel Soper, with the information he had, intended to retire before them with all the arms and ammunition. All the gates were to be locked with Yale locks so they would have to break them down, and this would detain them for some time. When the ex-queen had been placed in the executive building, the marines having performed their duty would retire, and the patriots could retake the building, capture the queen, and resume business as a republic.

But the people of Honolulu were never in any danger of an attack from the marines of the Philadelphia, for there never was any intention to land them. On the 29th the arrival of President Cleveland's message referring the whole matter to the arbitrament of Congress relieved both the Government and the people from the long strain of apprehension and alarm. The President of the United States knew he had no authority to overthrow the republic of Hawaii. If they had glanced at Article I., Section 8, of the Constitution of the United States, the people would have understood that the President did not dare land troops in Honolulu for a warlike purpose.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE UPRISING OF 1895

AFTER the ineffectual efforts to restore the queen, the republic of the Pacific would, no doubt, have been at peace but for foreign interference. On July 4, 1894, the provisional government was made permanent, and those whose hearts were fixed on annexation determined to abide the result in silence.

The natives were well treated and filled a majority of the offices at the disposal of the chief executive. In this way a great many were won over to the republic. The elective franchise was extended to all Hawaiians who would take the oath of allegiance to the new Government, and particular pains were taken to reconcile the natives to the new order of things.

No punishment would be too severe for the "missionary government," as the patriots are sometimes called, if they had injured the Hawaiian people as has been charged. With all their faults, the Hawaiians are kind-hearted, gentle, affectionate, and hospitable, and any men who would take advantage of their

generosity, usurp their Government, and enslave them, ought to be severely punished. The facts show however that the missionaries, these “P. G.'s” as they are derisively called, are the only true friends the Hawaiians have on the islands. They who first induced the king to give them lands and homes and liberties are now the people who favor placing them on an equal footing with the greatest men of the earth.

Up to the time of the insurrection of 1895, some of the natives were kept in a constant state of alarm by designing parties, who were trying to convince them that their property and liberties were to be taken from them.

It is claimed that among those most active in fanning the flame against the Hawaiian republic were some of the English in Honolulu. There were many things sufficient to arouse suspicion. On January 3, 1895, only three days before the insurrection, the following notice appeared in the daily papers of Honolulu:

"British subjects residing in the Hawaiian Islands are requested to register themselves at her Britannic Majesty's Consulate-General, Honolulu. They will be required to produce their certificates of birth or some other satisfactory proof of their right to the nationality they claim, and further to make solemn declaration that they have not at any time renounced this nationality. British subjects not residing in Honolulu should apply to H. B.