Office of the Historian

No. 12.
Credential letters of the Hawaiian Commissioners, exhibited to the Secretary of State February 4, 1893.

Sanford B. Dole, president of the executive and advisory councils of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands, to His Excellency Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America.

Great and Good Friend: Reposing special trust in the wisdom, integrity, and ability of the Hon. Lorrin A. Thurston, one of our distinguished citizens, we have appointed and do hereby constitute and appoint him to be a Special Commissioner of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands, with full power and authority to confer with your excellency, or your successors in office, or with any properly constituted and appointed persons and authorities of the United States Government, to negotiate and agree upon the terms of a union of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands and the Government of the United States of America, or to negotiate the terms upon which such union may be made.

He is well informed of the relative interests of the two countries, and of our earnest desire to further strengthen and cement the bonds that now exist between us, and from a knowledge of his fidelity, probity, and good conduct, we have entire confidence that he will render himself acceptable to your excellency and to the authorities of the United States Government by his constant endeavors to advance measures for the mutual benefit of both countries.

We therefore desire that your excellency will receive him favorably, and give full credence to what he may say as the “Commissioner of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands,” and, most of all, when he shall assure your excellency of the earnest wish and desire of our Provisional Government for closer and more intimate relations than those now existing and of our abiding faith in the continued friendship of the great nation over which your excellency so ably presides.

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We pray God to have your excellency ever in His safe and holy keeping.

Written at the Government house, at Honolulu, this eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety-three.

Sanford B. Dole,
President of the Executive and Advisory Councils of the Provisional Government of the Hawaiian Islands.

By the President:

  • J. A. Kings,
    Minister of the Interior,
  • P. C. Jones,
    Minister of Finance,
  • William O. Smith,
    Attorney-General,
    Executive Council of the Provisional Government of the Hatcaiian Islands    .

(Similar letters of credence were delivered by the other Commissioners, Messrs. W. C. Wilder, William R. Castle, C. L. Carter, and Joseph Marsden.)