A Brief History of the Hawaiian PeopleA Brief History of the Hawaiian People by William De Witt Alexander, first published in 1899, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it. |
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Common terms and phrases
afterwards American ancient April arrived at Honolulu Attorney-General August aumakuas Boki brig British brother called Captain Cook ceremonies cession Charlton chiefs consul crater death December deities feathers February feet Foreign Affairs four French frigate Governor Hale hameha Hawaii Hawaiian Government Hawaiian Islands heiau Hilo Hoapili Honolulu hundred idol January John Young Judd July Kaahumanu Kaeo Kahekili Kahoolawe kahuna Kaiana Kailua Kalanikupule Kalanimoku Kalaniopuu Kamehameha Kamehameha III kapa Kapiolani Kauai Kaumualii Kawaihae Kealakekua Keawe Kekuanaoa Keopuolani Keoua Kilauea Kinau king king's kingdom Kohala Kona Lahaina land Liholiho Liliuokalani Lono Lord Lunalilo March married Maui Mauna Loa Minister of Finance Minister of Foreign missionaries Molokai natives night Niihau November Oahu October offered party Paulet prayers priests Prince queen reign returned sailed sandal-wood schooner sent September ship shore tabu thousand tion took treaty United Vancouver vessel visited voyage Waimea Waipio Wakea worship
Popular passages
Page 253 - Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, taking into consideration the existence in the Sandwich Islands of a government capable of providing for the regularity of its relations with foreign nations, have thought it right to engage reciprocally to consider the Sandwich Islands as an Independent State, and never to take possession, either directly or under the title of Protectorate, or under any other form, of any part of the...
Page 202 - The president also anxiously hopes that peace, and kindness, and justice, will prevail between your people and those citizens of the United States who visit your islands ; and that the regulations of your government will be such as to enforce them upon all. ' Our citizens who violate your laws, or interfere with your regulations, violate at the same time their duty to their own government and country, and merit censure and punishment.
Page 347 - HISTORY by far the larger part of the book has been devoted to the history of the United States since 1783. From the beginning the attention of the student is directed to causes and results rather than to isolated events. Special prominence is given to the social and economic development of the country.
Page 238 - President to be quite willing to declare, as the sense of the Government of the United States, that the Government of the Sandwich Islands ought to be respected; that no power ought either to take possession of the islands as a conquest, or for the purpose of colonization, and that no power ought to seek for any undue control over the existing Government, or any exclusive privileges or preferences in matters of commerce.
Page 16 - How much of the poetry or literature of Europe would be intelligible to persons whose ideas had expanded only to the limits of a coral island; — who had never conceived of a surface of land above half a mile in breadth, — of a slope higher than a beach, — of a change of seasons beyond a variation in the prevalence of rains?
Page 16 - The plants, in all but twenty-nine in number, — but a single mineral, — -quadrupeds, none, with the exception of foreign mice, — fresh water barely enough for household purposes, — no streams, nor mountains, nor hills ! How much of the poetry or literature of Europe would be intelligible to persons whose ideas had expanded only to the limits of a coral island, — who had never conceived of a surface of land...
Page 225 - His majesty, the king of the French, having commanded me to come to Honolulu in order to put an end, either by force or persuasion, to the ill treatment of which the French have been victims at the Sandwich Islands, I hasten, first, to employ this last means as the most conformable to the political, noble, and liberal system pursued by France against the powerless, hoping thereby that I shall make the principal chiefs of these islands...
Page 245 - Where are you, chiefs, people and commons from my ancestors, and people from foreign lands ! Hear ye ! I make known to you that I am in perplexity by reason of difficulties into which I have been brought without cause; therefore, I have given away the life of our land, hear ye ! But my rule over you, my people, and your privileges, will continue, for I have hope that the life of the land will be restored when my conduct is jastified.