Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Third Session of the Fortieth Congress
Mr. McCook to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 45, of August 31, and your dispatch No. 47, of September 4. No. 46 has not yet reached this legation.
On the 16th instant her Britannic Majesty’s steam corvette Scout, Captain Price, sailed hence to Tahiti.
Yesterday intelligence reached here that the civil authorities of the island of Hawaii had been resisted by a body of natives, the followers of one of their prophets named Ka-Oua. These people hold a religious faith somewhat similar to the Millerites, and appear to have no especial aim except to live without work, a not uncommon thing in this country.
The only life lost was that of the deputy sheriff of the island, but the authorities here thought the affair of sufficient importance to demand the presence of a military force, and yesterday sent about a hundred troops to the scene of the disturbance. I inclose a strip cut from the Commercial Advertiser of this morning, which gives all the details known concerning the matter.
I have the honor to be your very obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Insurrection on Hawaii—Revolt against the authorities—Murder of Sheriff Neville—Troops ordered to Hawaii to quell the insurrection.
The schooner Prince arrived from Kona, Hawaii, on Thursday morning, bringing intelligence of a serious insurrection in that district, resulting in the death of Sheriff Neville, the probable death of Deputy Sheriff Barrett, and severe injury of three native constables. The particulars, so far as we can gather them, are these:
For several years past, one Kaona, formerly district judge in Honolulu, and a man of considerable intelligence for a Hawaiian, imbibed the idea that he was a prophet sent by God to warn this people of the end of the world. For the past three years he has been preaching this Millerite doctrine on Hawaii, and has made numerous converts. Some months ago he was arrested and sent to the insane asylum in this city as a lunatic, but the physician decided that he was as sane as any man, and he was therefore set at liberty again. He returned to Kona, and the number of his followers rapidly increased, till now it is over three hundred. They are mostly natives, but some are probably foreigners, as we received a letter a few weeks ago from one of them, rehearsing their troubles, which we threw aside as nonsense and unworthy of notice; but in this juncture it may be well to publish a portion of it, which will be found elsewhere.
These fanatics believe that the end of the world is at hand, and they must be ready. They therefore clothe themselves in white robes, ready to ascend; watch at night, but sleep during the day; decline to cultivate anything except beans, corn, or the most common food. They live together in one colony, and have selected a tract of land about half way between Kealakekua Bay and Kailua, which the prophet told them was the only land that would not be overrun with lava, while all the rest of the island is to be destroyed. Some of their number came to Honolulu a few weeks ago to lease this land from Prince William Lunalilo, who owns it; but he was advised that it would be best not to do so. They brought the money with them and offered to pay a year’s rent in advance, but did not succeed in getting it. The land was subsequently leased to other parties, who, when they came to claim possession, found the fanatics on it, and unwilling to surrender. It then became necessary to issue a warrant agarnst Kaona and his adherents to eject them.
On Monday last Sheriff R. B. Neville, accompanied with Deputy Sheriff Barrett and several native policemen, proceeded to their camp and undertook to arrest the prophet. [Page 351] Thereupon the followers of Kaona attacked the police with stones, killed Sheriff Neville, and cut off his head from his body. His head they stuck up on a pole; his body they would not give up.
Mr. Barrett was also so severely bruised with stones that his life is despaired of. The three native policemen were also more or less injured. During the fight several of the houses of the fanatics were set on fire and destroyed. They threaten to retaliate and destroy the houses of their enemies, whether natives or foreigners.
The following letter from Dr. Gulick, under date of October 9, was received by the Prince:
“Mr. Neville this morning made an attempt to serve a warrant on Kaona and others of his followers, but was stoned to death; and the fanatics refused to give up his body. Several of the constables had a very narrow escape with their lives, and are pretty thoroughly intimidated. The most that can now be expected of the natives is that they act on the defensive till assistance arrive. Should the foreigners here act together on the morrow something may possibly be done in dispersing the infatuated followers of Kaona. But no time should be lost in communicating with the heads of the police department in Honolulu, as there seems to be a general hesitancy here among the authorities. The Kaonites have made threats this afternoon that they will burn and destroy the houses of their enemies, in revenge for some of their houses which were to-day very improperly set fire to by irresponsible persons. A number of foreigners and natives are on guard to-night in Central Kona—I am among the number, watching near the Kainaliu church.”
Immediately on the receipt of this news, government determined to send a force to the seat of the disturbance. The schooners Kaimaile and Prince were at once provisioned and fitted out, and sailed at 2 o’clock p. m. on Thursday, with one hundred and seventy-six soldiers, arms, ammunition, &c. The expedition is in charge of his excellency Governor Dominis, who is accompanied by his excellency the acting minister of war, Marshal Parke, Major C. H. Judd, Captains Von Gosnitz and Hassinger, Lieutenant A. W. Judd, and others. The plan is to proceed direct to Lahaina, intercept the steamer Kilauea, and take her on from that point, transferring her mails and passengers to the schooners. By this arrangement the expedition will reach Kona early on Saturday morning.
The promptness with which the government has acted in the matter is deserving of commendation. Although this revolt is not directly against the government itself, i. e., the fanatics have no design except to retain possession of their camping ground, yet it is a bold defiance of its local authority, which should never be permitted to pass without a prompt exhibition of power, and a suppression.
We do not imagine that these fanatics will show any resistance to armed force when it arrives, and if they are still at their camp at Kainaliu, will probably disperse and secrete themselves in the forests back of Kona. They are said to have no arms, and their only weapons being stones and clubs, the force sent up can find no great trouble in dispersing them, even should they resist. Kainaliu is about three miles north of Kealakekua, and near the late Mr. Johnson’s land.
We are permitted to make some extracts from a letter from Mr. Roys to Jas. Lemon, which gives a better insight into the purposes of the Kaonites than anything we have seen, and show that they are more determined than is generally supposed:
“Friday, October 16.—Mr. Neville and the constables arrived here this morning, and we rode down to the camp to put up notices, but the scene this morning was worse than last night. As fast as a notice was put up it was spit on and then torn from the tree that it was nailed to. After receiving much abuse from them we left the ground and returned to our house.
“Saturday, 17.—At the appointed time the magistrate and friend Neville were at my house, but not one of the Kaonites came. Their names were called three times, and no response made. The magistrate then nailed up three warrants, ordering their arrest, and I, in company with sixteen constables rode down; and I must here say that they deserve great credit for the cool way in which they acted, and received the bad usage and blows which they did. One poor constable was dragged from his horse and shamefully beaten, and his horse, saddle, and bridle taken away, so that he had to walk home. The constables stood all this, but never returned a blow. So we made good our retreat. Neville was not with us this time.
“Sunday, 18.—To-day Neville is notifying all parties to muster here to-morrow morning, as the time fixed to carry out and maintain the law in the name of the King. I expect there will be lives lost on both sides.
“Monday. 19.—This morning some two hundred men mustered here, and headed by Neville we rode down to the camp, and such a sight! Blood flowing in all directions; and I am sorry to say Mend Neville is killed. This night I expect my house will be in flames, and many more. There are some dozen or more houses on fire. I am taking the children and clothing away, also Mrs. Roy, as they have threatened to kill her to-night. God help us.”
P. S.—We have letters this morning from Kealakekua dated Wednesday, the 21st. On [Page 352] Monday afternoon there was another attack on the rebels, resulting in the death of a native named Kamai, who was one of the attacking party, and also the death of three rebels—five in all, including Mr. Neville.
Since that, up to Wednesday noon, no more lives have been lost, though the rebels openly threaten to kill Mr. Roys and his wife, and also Rev. Mr. Paris. One or two prominent foreigners are in sympathy with and aiding the rebels.
Thus it appears that there have been three lives lost so far, and the rebels have taken an oath that they will never leave their land alive.
In this connection we insert the letter before referred to, which will give some insight into the movements of the deluded followers of Kaona.
From the camp at Kainaliu.
“To the Editor of the Commercial Advertiser:
“Some folks might like to know what a jolly time we had celebrating the 150th psalm. You see we are justified in having a big time. We had been a month previous collecting all the kerosene oil cans, tin pots and kettles, pipes and plates that we could think of, except the old harps of King David, which we did not know how to make. Our thanks are due to a neighbor, who fitted us up with some big drums, made from sugar kegs, which answer the purpose well—he being a man well skilled in all manner of work. Our prophet says we must keep it up for seven days, as they did among the Israelites of old.
“We have seven banners of divers colors to represent the seven vials of wrath which is to come, and we have other flags of different colors to represent the clouds at night, which we keep watch for, while other people sleep. It’s true we feel very stupid in the morning, and are not able to do any work, although we have been offered work. But then our beloved prophet tells us we don’t require any work, provided we keep awake night and day a fasting, and that we will talk with unknown tongues, and then we, ourselves, will prophesy. Well, you see it is a fact, and that any man may see, if he will come and see for himself, for our tongues are so thick, and ourselves so stupid, that we can’t understand each other, from watching and fasting.
“This same day we were much troubled by seeing our prophet fall into a trance; so then we expect to hear of another volcano running down, as that would be fulfilling another prophecy, that all outsiders are going to be destroyed, and we only saved, who were then stopping on the land Lehuula nui. But when he came to himself, what astonished us most was, that God objected to our renting that said land, and that the man sent to Honolulu came back with the money, $120; Mr. C. Kanaina declining to receive it. That was all right, as God told the prophet that a stream of lava would soon run down said land. We believe all this to be a fact, and so would others if they had taken their oaths on the Bible, as we have done, to stick to Joseph Kaona through thick and thin. So you see, when a man takes an oath on the Bible it is hard to break it, although I don’t mean to say that all the prophecies come right, for at the time we had a long drought he told us to fill all our bottles and calabashes with water, and stow them away in holes, caves, and in our trunks, as there would be no more rain until the millennium, which would destroy all but ourselves.
“Whenever we see our enemies, or go by their houses, we strike up the psalm King David sung against his enemies, and we, the parents, instruct our children to do the same, as therein we feel joyful.
“Now, then, since the prophecy about the land, we understand that our neighbor, the noble Duke, had secured the land previous to our application, and that we have no one to blame but ourselves, since we gave out what a fine time we would have gathering our enemies’ Stock. But our neighbor, who likes a retired life, did not like the idea of being harassed at the bar of justification, and having an eye to number one, he engaged the land in good time, for which he deserves the thanks of others of his neighbors in the same fix as himself. However, it will not be a hard matter for us to get other land, as that will be the only land that will be safe from the volcano that is to destroy all other places.
“It is true we are getting short of products, such as hogs, turkeys, chickens, and taro, and now that our feast of leaven is taking place, we have cooked all on the hot stones or altar, as they did of old with the blood. You see our doctrine is an improvement.
“We are getting a good many new disciples, who are coming in every day, and we hope to get some influential ones, to help us keep up our feasts. They might as well do it, as they will lose all they have got if they don’t join us. If they will come to us, they will not have to work, as our prophet will tell them how to get along without it.
‘Sometimes persons come among us wearing our white veils, but whether they think as we do or not is best known to our prophet, who knows all things; or whether it is [Page 353] to kill two birds with one stone or not, and who have kindly invited our prophet to wine. So you see we are a respectable sect. We would like to bring all these things to light, so that this good government, so kind in subsidizing foreign steam navigation, might help us. It may now be late for us to ask for a little subsidy, yet if we are behind the last legislature, we may be in time for the next Parliament. If not that, couldn’t we get the island of Lanai or Kahoolawe? We will not be particular about the soil, as we don’t cultivate except sweet potatoes, corn, and beans, which come to maturity quick; we calculate to live mostly by psalm singing.
“Another pilikia we have just at hand. The tax collector is coming along on the 6th of next month for money that we have not on hand, as we spent all we had for linens, which are costly, and got credit. But we did not consider that anything, as we expected before this time that all would be destroyed except ourselves. Another misfortune is, that instead of going to the place where the assessor told us to assemble, we would not go because the owner of that house was not of our persuasion; the consequence is that he took down the last year’s assessment, although we previously sold our horses to buy our white robes, to be ready for our passover. But we will soon know something mighty, as our prophet prophesies that he has to go to prison once more, which then will be seven times; and then will be the end, and we will be all right. So you see we are waiting patiently for this last miracle. Some of us are prophesying; you must know by this time we all do a little at that business.
“The church Lanakila is going soon to be opened, and we are all going to make a grand rush to that building, as we all contributed towards the building of it, and that might be the time our great Head may do something that might commit him. But I am in hopes they won’t keep him altogether the next time they get him down there, for that would spoil our fun, and there might not be a chance of subsidy. We want reduction in the taxes, as we ourselves, and the blight, and the ants, are a heavy pressure on this little place, Kainaliu. There are over three hundred of us, and we are sworn to abide by our Makua, and as he tells us we must not work, we need the subsidy or the island before mentioned. We are not allowed to sign individually. We call ourselves
“New Camp, Lehuula.”