A Last Monarch

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6626, 12 August 1931, Page 10

A Last Monarch

Who: QUEEN LILIU OK ALAN 1 (Le-le-wo-ka-la-ne) Where: Hawaiian Islands. When: Nineteenth to twentieth centuries. Why famous: Eighth and last monarch of tho group of the Hawaiian Islands. She was tho sister of King Kalakaua, whom she succeeded in 1891. When her brother ascended the throne, Liliuokalani acquiesced iu all his riews. During his world tour of 1881 she became his able regent, having her own ideas as to the development of tho islands, being familiar with the court procedure which was based upon that so dissimiliar Court of St. James’s. When sho herself came to the throne, she duly took oath to support tho Constitution of 1867, designed as it was to abolish personal rule and to place all power iu the hands of a cabinet which would bo responsible alone to the Legislature. But the Queen was an autocrat at heart, and she did not keep her royal oath. Soon came trouble with the nonnative population, at the close of the second year a popular uprising which resulted in the downfall of the monarchy. . A committee of safety dethroned tho Queen and imprisoned her in her own palace on a charge of conspiracy. Tho government buildings were seized and tho provisional government sought recognition by the United States. It was received during the Administration .of President Harrison, but withdrawn by President Cleveland, who desired to sec tho Queen reinstated. T-.is tho provisional government re fused; so it all ended in 1898 when Hawaii became a territory of the United States. After her brief rule of two years, the ex-Queen lived on for another 20 years. For tho most part, she remained in semiregal state at her home in Honolulu. There her royal pose was sustained. Levees were held at which the same faithful friends attended, the same courtly chamberlain made tho introductions. In the corner of the drawing room stood the royal standard. Outside was the samo miracuousJy lovely world; sunshine on the- coconut palms, the tinkle and strum of ukulele and guitar, soft voices lifted in songs which, the Queen herself had composed. But there was no longer a Queen of Hawaii.