Territory of Hawaii - Provisional Government

Provisional Government

Upon the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani in 1893, the Committee of Safety led by Lorrin A. Thurston established the Provisional Government of Hawaii to govern the islands in transition to expected annexation by the United States. Thurston actively lobbied Congress while the monarchy, represented in Washington, D.C. by Princess Victoria Kaʻiulani, argued that the overthrow of her aunt's government was illegal.

First annexation proceedings began when U.S. President Benjamin Harrison stepped down and Grover Cleveland took office. Cleveland was an anti-imperialist and was strongly against annexation. He withdrew the annexation treaty from consideration, mounted an inquiry and recommended the restoration of Liliʻuokalani. Further investigation by Congress led to the Morgan Report, which established that the actions of U.S. troops were completely neutral, and exonerated the U.S. from any accusations of complicity with the overthrow.

The provisional government convened a constitutional convention in Honolulu to establish the Republic of Hawaii. Thurston was urged to become the nation's first president but he was worried his brazen personality would damage the cause of annexation. The more conservative former Supreme Court Justice and friend of Queen Liliʻuokalani, Sanford B. Dole, was elected the first and only president of the new regime.