Wilcox rebellions
Encyclopedia
The Wilcox Rebellions were a plot
in 1888, a revolt in 1889, and a counter-revolution in 1895, led by Robert William Wilcox
against the governments of Hawaii
. He was considered a populist
revolutionary
and menace to both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii
under King David Kalākaua
and the Republic of Hawaiʻi under Sanford Dole. Wilcox’s revolts were part of the Hawaiian Revolutions.
.
with the support of the Honolulu Rifles
, forced King David Kalākaua
to promulgate the Bayonet Constitution
. The constitution stripped Asians of their voting rights while at the same time limited suffrage to wealthy Native Hawaiians
, Americans and other Europeans. The king's own powers were limited substantially. Hostilities grew over the new constitution that limited mostly non-white commoners' rights and power. Kalākaua's sister, Princess Liliuokalani and wife, Queen Kapiolani
returned from Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee immediately after news reached them in Great Britain
.
Princess Liliuokalani felt that her brother, Kalākaua, was not competent to be King. Kalākaua's distant cousin, a native Hawaiian officer and veteran of the Italian
military
, Robert William Wilcox
who returned to Hawaii about the same time as Liliuokalani. Wilcox had returned in October 1887 when the funding for his study program stopped after the new constitution was signed. Wilcox, Charles B. Wilson, Princess Liliuokalani, and Sam Nowlein plotted to overthrow
King Kalākaua to replace him with his sister, Liliuokalani. They had 300 Hawaiian conspirators hidden in Iolani Barracks and an alliance with the Royal Guard, but the plot was accidentally discovered in January, 1888, less than 48 hours before the revolt would have been initiated. No one was prosecuted but Wilcox was exile
d. So on February 11, 1888 Wilcox left Hawaii for San Francisco, intending to return to Italy with his wife.
with the support of an armed militia
, forced King David Kalākaua to promulgate the 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
. The constitution
stripped Asians of their voting rights while at the same time limited suffrage to wealthy native Hawaiians
, Americans and other Europeans. The king's own powers were limited substantially. A native Hawaiian officer and veteran of the Italian
military
, Robert William Wilcox
, organized a rebellion
on July 30, 1889 to revive the powers of the monarch over administration. The rebellion was thwarted by the absence of the King at Iolani Palace (who was needed to promulgate a new constitution), and the Honolulu Rifles. Wilcox was tried for treason
, and acquitted despite his obvious guilt.
, was mainly to mock Marshal of the Kingdom C. B. Wilson
for appearing to have been tricked into putting the Kingdom on a high state of alert for no reason.
became frustrated with her over a feeling of neglect to removing the Bayonet Constitution. Wilcox organized another plot in 1892 by forming a group called the Hawaiian Patriotic League which included John Edward Bush
, Volney V. Ashford
, and J. W. “Bellowing” Bipikane. The intentions of this group were to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic.
. He had agents infiltrated the group and inform him of the League’s activities. In March 1892 Wilson was informed of an imminent Coup d'état. In response he put the Kingdom under high alert and sandbagged [[ʻIolani Palace]] (hence the name of the incident), effectively divert the attempt. In response by the League to the Kingdom’s lockdown, they aborted the coup and no event occurred. To the public the heightened alertness appeared to have no basis, since no confrontation happened, making Wilson look like a paranoid fool (hence the name of the conspiracy).
.
A few years later, after Wilcox's final rebellion, he organized the Hawaiian Independent Party, later renamed the Home Rule Party
, and won the majority of the seats in the Legislature. Wilcox was elected and served in Congress from November 6, 1900 to March 3, 1903, an advocate for Hawaiian rights and sovereignty
, and against annexation. But tensions between Governor Sanford B. Dole
(with veto power) and the Home Rule Party did not allow legislation to be passed. Wilcox died the same year he left office. Wilcox continues to be regarded as a hero by the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement
.
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
in 1888, a revolt in 1889, and a counter-revolution in 1895, led by Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox , nicknamed the Iron Duke of Hawaii, was a native Hawaiian revolutionary soldier and politician. He led uprisings against both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii under King Kalākaua and the Republic of Hawaii under Sanford Dole, what are now known as the...
against the governments of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He was considered a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
and menace to both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
under King David Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
and the Republic of Hawaiʻi under Sanford Dole. Wilcox’s revolts were part of the Hawaiian Revolutions.
Dominis Conspiracy
The Dominis Conspiracy (also known as the Wilcox Rebellion of 1888) was named after Liliuokalani, who also went by the name Lydia K. Dominis. The plot was to overthrow King David Kalākaua, king of Hawaii, and replace him with his sister in a coup d'étatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
.
Background
In 1887, in response to increased political tension between the legislature and the king, a group of government ministers led by Interior Minister Lorrin A. ThurstonLorrin A. Thurston
Lorrin Andrews Thurston was a lawyer, politician, and businessman born and raised in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The grandson of two of the first Christian missionaries to Hawaii, Thurston played a prominent role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom that replaced Queen Liliuokalani with the...
with the support of the Honolulu Rifles
Honolulu Rifles
The Honolulu Rifle Company was a paramilitary force loyal to the Missionary Party and the later Reform Party. It was created in 1854 as a militia to deal with internal conflict, 24 Rifles were deployed during the [[ʻIolani Barracks#1873 Barracks Revolt|1873 Barracks Revolt]]...
, forced King David Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
to promulgate the Bayonet Constitution
1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a legal document by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, initiating a transfer of power to American, European and native Hawaiian elites...
. The constitution stripped Asians of their voting rights while at the same time limited suffrage to wealthy Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
, Americans and other Europeans. The king's own powers were limited substantially. Hostilities grew over the new constitution that limited mostly non-white commoners' rights and power. Kalākaua's sister, Princess Liliuokalani and wife, Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani formally Esther Kapiolani or Esther Kapiolani Napelakapuokakae, was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
returned from Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee immediately after news reached them in Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Plot and outcome
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox , nicknamed the Iron Duke of Hawaii, was a native Hawaiian revolutionary soldier and politician. He led uprisings against both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii under King Kalākaua and the Republic of Hawaii under Sanford Dole, what are now known as the...
who returned to Hawaii about the same time as Liliuokalani. Wilcox had returned in October 1887 when the funding for his study program stopped after the new constitution was signed. Wilcox, Charles B. Wilson, Princess Liliuokalani, and Sam Nowlein plotted to overthrow
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
King Kalākaua to replace him with his sister, Liliuokalani. They had 300 Hawaiian conspirators hidden in Iolani Barracks and an alliance with the Royal Guard, but the plot was accidentally discovered in January, 1888, less than 48 hours before the revolt would have been initiated. No one was prosecuted but Wilcox was exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d. So on February 11, 1888 Wilcox left Hawaii for San Francisco, intending to return to Italy with his wife.
A second plot
Princess Liliuokalani was offered the throne several times by the Missionary Party who had forced the Bayonet Constitution on her brother, but she believed she would become a powerless figurehead like her brother and rejected the offers outright.Wilcox Rebellion of 1889
In 1887, in response to increased political tension between the legislature and the king, a group of government ministers led by Interior Minister Lorrin A. ThurstonLorrin A. Thurston
Lorrin Andrews Thurston was a lawyer, politician, and businessman born and raised in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The grandson of two of the first Christian missionaries to Hawaii, Thurston played a prominent role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom that replaced Queen Liliuokalani with the...
with the support of an armed militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
, forced King David Kalākaua to promulgate the 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a legal document by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, initiating a transfer of power to American, European and native Hawaiian elites...
. The constitution
Constitution of Hawaii
The Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi refers to various legal documents throughout the history of the Hawaiian Islands that defined the fundamental principles of authority and governance within its sphere of jurisdiction. Numerous constitutions have been promulgated for the Kingdom of Hawaii,...
stripped Asians of their voting rights while at the same time limited suffrage to wealthy native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
, Americans and other Europeans. The king's own powers were limited substantially. A native Hawaiian officer and veteran of the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox , nicknamed the Iron Duke of Hawaii, was a native Hawaiian revolutionary soldier and politician. He led uprisings against both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii under King Kalākaua and the Republic of Hawaii under Sanford Dole, what are now known as the...
, organized a rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
on July 30, 1889 to revive the powers of the monarch over administration. The rebellion was thwarted by the absence of the King at Iolani Palace (who was needed to promulgate a new constitution), and the Honolulu Rifles. Wilcox was tried for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, and acquitted despite his obvious guilt.
Burlesque Conspiracy
The Burlesque Conspiracy also known for an event called the Sandbag Incident. The name of the conspiracy, BurlesqueBurlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
, was mainly to mock Marshal of the Kingdom C. B. Wilson
Charles Burnett Wilson (marshal)
Charles Burnett “C.B.” Wilson was a British and Tahitian superintendent of the water works and fire chief under King Kalākaua, and was Marshal of the Kingdom under Queen Liliuokalani. and father of John H. Wilson-Early years:...
for appearing to have been tricked into putting the Kingdom on a high state of alert for no reason.
Background
After the rise to power by Queen Liliuokalani, members of the National Liberal Party of the Hawaiian KingdomNational Liberal Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom
In 1892, the Hawaiian National Liberal Party also known as the National Liberal Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom was a political party of the Kingdom of Hawaii near its end.-Liberal nationalism:In their platform the Liberal Party “We deem that all Government should be founded on the...
became frustrated with her over a feeling of neglect to removing the Bayonet Constitution. Wilcox organized another plot in 1892 by forming a group called the Hawaiian Patriotic League which included John Edward Bush
John Edward Bush
John Edward Bush was a politician and newspaper publisher in the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Early life:John Edward Bush was born in Honolulu on February 15, 1842 ....
, Volney V. Ashford
Volney V. Ashford
Volney V. “V.V.” Ashford was an American soldier and involved in 19th century rebellion in Hawaii.-Military career:Ashford joined the Union Army in 1863 after leaving his home in Port Hope, Ontario. He was a British citizen since Canada was a territory of the United Kingdom. He became a...
, and J. W. “Bellowing” Bipikane. The intentions of this group were to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic.
Sandbag Incident
Wilcox and Bush’s speeches drew the attention of Marshal of the Kingdom Charles WilsonCharles Burnett Wilson (marshal)
Charles Burnett “C.B.” Wilson was a British and Tahitian superintendent of the water works and fire chief under King Kalākaua, and was Marshal of the Kingdom under Queen Liliuokalani. and father of John H. Wilson-Early years:...
. He had agents infiltrated the group and inform him of the League’s activities. In March 1892 Wilson was informed of an imminent Coup d'état. In response he put the Kingdom under high alert and sandbagged [[ʻIolani Palace]] (hence the name of the incident), effectively divert the attempt. In response by the League to the Kingdom’s lockdown, they aborted the coup and no event occurred. To the public the heightened alertness appeared to have no basis, since no confrontation happened, making Wilson look like a paranoid fool (hence the name of the conspiracy).
Aftermath
Wilson raided the League on May 20 arresting and jailing more than a dozen conspirators including Wilcox for plotting to overthrow the government. Wilcox spent 36 days in jail and was not convicted leading to his release. Ministers to the queen felt that the exposing of the conspiracy made it harmless. The conspiracy was received by Liliuokalani as one of many voices demanding the removal of the 1887 Constitution, subsequently she drafted the 1893 Constitution1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a proposed replacement of the Constitution of 1887, primarily based on the Constitution of 1864 put forth by Queen Lili'uokalani...
.
1895 Counter-Revolution in Hawaii
In 1895, Wilcox participated in another attempt, this time to overthrow the Republic of Hawaiʻi and to restore Liliuokalani to power. Royalist supporters landed a cargo of arms and ammunition from San Francisco, California in a secret Honolulu location. At the location on January 6, 1895, a company of royalists met to draft plans to capture the government buildings by surprise. A premature encounter with a squad of police alarmed Honolulu and the plans were abandoned as the royalists were quickly routed. Wilcox spent several days in hiding in the mountains before being captured. The son of one pro-annexationist was killed. Several other skirmishes occurred during the following week resulting in the capture of the leading conspirators and their followers. The government allegedly found arms and ammunition and some potentially evidential documents on the premises of Washington Place, Liliʻuokalani's private residence implicating her in the plot.Wilcox's continued resistance
Home Rule Party of Hawaii
As soon as the United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands and established the Territory of Hawaii, native Hawaiians became worried that both the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Republican Party were incapable of representing them...
, and won the majority of the seats in the Legislature. Wilcox was elected and served in Congress from November 6, 1900 to March 3, 1903, an advocate for Hawaiian rights and sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
, and against annexation. But tensions between Governor Sanford B. Dole
Sanford B. Dole
Sanford Ballard Dole was a lawyer and jurist in the Hawaiian Islands as a kingdom, protectorate, republic and territory...
(with veto power) and the Home Rule Party did not allow legislation to be passed. Wilcox died the same year he left office. Wilcox continues to be regarded as a hero by the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement
Hawaiian sovereignty movement
The Hawaiian sovereignty movement is a political movement seeking some form of sovereignty for Hawai'i. Generally, the movement's focus is on self-determination and self-governance, either for Hawaiʻi as an independent nation, or for people of whole or part native Hawaiian ancestry, or for...
.