Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 10, 1 October 1991 — Grover Cleveland -- ally to Hawaiian cause [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Grover Cleveland -- ally to Hawaiian cause

by Gail Chun An unlikely hero from Hawai'i's past may soon be honored with his name adorning a building, park, highway, or other major facility on Oahu — Grover Cleveland, U.S. president from 1892-1896. Grover who? Why, Grover Cleveland, of course. Despite his relative obscurity among many, the state Legislature has adopted a resolution to honor the former president. He's a man who fought against the annexation movement in the United States, only to have his efforts defeated in the next presidential election by William McKinley. It was McKinley's administration that annexed Hawai'i to the United States. Cleveland is relatively unknown by the general public as a prominent figure in Hawaiian history. Not many people knew about this ha'ole who fought for Hawaii's right to choose her own form of government. But historians view him as a man who believed in his principles and when it eame to the 'Hawai'i question,' he stood by them. According to testimony supporting the adopted resolution, Cleveland sent the Hon. James H. Blount, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 18 years and chair of the House committee on foreign affairs, to Honolulu after the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy took plaee in 1893. After arriving in Honolulu and assessing the situation, Blount reported to Cleveland that the provisional government existed without popular revolution or suffrage. In other words, and most importantly, the government was not supported by the people of Hawai'i. It wasactually instigated by a "Committee of Safety," a 13-member group that solicjted the help of U.S. diplomat John L. Stevens and

American military forces to manpower their intentions. Cleveland recognized these actions as "wholly without justification," without any proof of danger to the American people and property in Hawai'i at that time. To correct this wrongful action, Cleveland requested to Queen Liliu'okalani that she allow the U.S. justice system to correct the misdeeds done to her kingdom.

But while Liliu'okalani agreed, the revolutionist government did not. Even though Cleveland condemned the actions of Stevens by calling the overthrow "an act of war," the pro-annexation factions within the U.S. government delayed Cleveland's desire to correct the situation in until it was too late. Cleveland was succeeded by McKinley as president after losing the 1896 election, and McKinley's administration was able to annex Hawai'i by circumventing established procedures required for annexation. But Cleveland's efforts are not forgotten. Yes, there actually was someone on Hawai'i's side in the unsettling period in Hawai'i's past. Now, as pride in Hawai'i grows, so does its pride for her unsung heroes. And, Cleveland is one of them. Maybe his name will become as well known as the name of another O'ahu facility — William McKinley High School.

1 iWi Grover Cleveland, President from 1892-96.