Liliʻuokalani was the first queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. The queen ascended to the throne on January 29, 1891, nine days after the death of her brother Kalākaua, and inherited his cabinet ministers. The four cabinet positions were Attorney General, Minister of Finance, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Interior. The ministers were ex-officio members of the House of Nobles in the legislature and the Privy Council of State, a larger body of advisors.
The Bayonet Constitution that Kalākaua had been compelled to sign in 1887 allowed the monarch to appoint the cabinet, but transferred the power of their removal to the legislature alone. A legislative "resolution of want of confidence" would force the resignation of an entire cabinet. The new law allowed non-residents to vote, but economic and literacy restrictions disenfranchised a majority of Asians and native Hawaiians. After her brother's funeral, the queen demanded the resignations of his ministers, causing a legal challenge when they refused. The case was decided in her favor by the Supreme Court of the kingdom.
Shortly after her accession, Liliʻuokalani began to receive petitions through the political party Hui Kālaiʻāina and the National Reform Party to re-write the constitution. The proposed constitution co-written by the queen and two legislators, Joseph Nāwahī and William Pūnohu White, would have restored the power to the monarchy, and voting rights to the disenfranchised population.
Attorney General Arthur P. Peterson, Minister of Finance William H. Cornwell, Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Parker and Minister of the Interior John F. Colburn were specifically appointed on January 13, 1893, because the queen believed they would support her promulgation of a new constitution, but they refused to sign the document. On January 17, 1893, the Kingdom of Hawaii fell to a coup d'état, planned and executed by the Committee of Safety, mostly foreign-born residents in Honolulu, whose goal was the annexation of Hawaii by the United States.
Cabinet ministers January 29, 1891 – January 17, 1893
Name PortraitCabinet post Notes Cecil Brown Attorney General Nov, 1892 – Jan 12, 1893Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on January 12, 1893, ousting the Wilcox cabinet Godfrey BrownMinister of FinanceJan 29 – Feb 25, 1891 Hold-over from Kalākaua administration; until Liliʻuokalani installed Herman A. Widemann in the position.John F. Colburn Minister of the InteriorJan 13–17, 1893Jan 17 overthrow of the kingdom triggered by Colburn, Cornwell, Parker and Peterson refusing to support the queen's promulgation of a new constitution. William H. Cornwell Minister of Finance Nov 1– 8, 1892Jan 13–17, 1893Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on November 1, 1892, ousting the new cabinet on its first day.January 17, 1893, overthrow of the kingdom triggered by Colburn, Cornwell, Parker and Peterson refusing to support the queen's promulgation of a new constitution.Charles F. Creighton Attorney GeneralNovember 1–8, 1892Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on November 1, 1892, ousting the new cabinet on its first day.Exiled for his part in the 1895 Wilcox rebellion to restore the monarchy. The son of Kalākaua's minister of foreign affairs Robert James Creighton; ; ; The Supreme Court of the Hawaiian Islands December 23, 1892 court case challenging whether or not Creighton was actually Attorney General, to sign an indictment on November 7, due to the legislature's November 1, 1892 want-of-confidence vote on the cabinet. Opinion of the court by justices Richard F. Bickerton, Sanford B. Dole and Albert Francis Judd held that the cabinet remained in place until their successors were appointed on November 8. John Adams CumminsMinister of Foreign AffairsJan 29 – Feb 25, 1891Hold-over from Kalākaua administration, until Liliʻuokalani installed Samuel Parker in the position Charles T. GulickMinister of the InteriorAug 6, 1883 – June 30, 1886Sept 12 – Oct 17, 1892Nov 1– 8, 1892Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on November 1, 1892, ousting the new cabinet on its first day.Exiled for his part in the 1895 Wilcox rebellion to restore the monarchy.;Peter Cushman Jones Minister of FinanceNov 8, 1892 – Jan 12, 1893Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on January 12, 1893, ousting the Wilcox cabinet Edward C. Macfarlane Minister of FinancePremierSept 12 – Oct 17, 1892Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on October 17, 1892 John Mott-SmithMinister of FinanceJuly 28 – Oct 17, 1891Editor of the Hawaiian Gazette, and supporter of the monarchy. ;Joseph Nāwahī Minister of Foreign AffairsNov 1– 8, 1892Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on November 1, 1892, ousting the new cabinet on its first day.Paul Neumann Attorney GeneralAug 29–30, 1892Sept 12 – Oct 17, 1892Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on October 17, 1892; ; Samuel Parker Minister of Finance (acting)Mar 10 – June 28, 1891Oct 17, 1891 – Jan 28 1892Minister of Foreign AffairsFeb 25, 1891– Nov 1, 1892Jan 13–17, 1893 Jan 17 overthrow of the kingdom triggered by Colburn, Cornwell, Parker and Peterson refusing to support the queen's promulgation of a new constitution. Arthur P. Peterson Attorney General Jan 29– Feb 25, 1891Jan 13–17, 1893 Hold-over from Kalākaua administrationJanuary 17 overthrow of the kingdom triggered by Colburn, Cornwell, Parker and Peterson refusing to support the queen's promulgation of a new constitution.Exiled for his part in the 1895 Wilcox rebellion to restore the monarchy.; Mark P. Robinson Minister of Foreign AffairsNov 8, 1892 – Jan 12, 1893Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on January 12, 1893, ousting the Wilcox cabinet Charles Nichols SpencerMinister of the InteriorJan 29, 1891 – Sept 12, 1892Hold-over from Kalākaua administrationWilliam A. Whiting Attorney General Feb 25, 1891 – July 27, 1892Resigned over conflict with Samuel Parker Hermann A. Widemann Minister of FinanceFeb 25 – Mar 10,1891July 28 – Sept 12, 1892Justice of the Supreme CourtJuly 10, 1869 – Feb 18, 1874Appointed by Kamehameha VMinister of the Interior under Kalākaua; George Norton Wilcox Minister of the InteriorNov 8, 1892 – Jan 12, 1893Legislative "resolution of want of confidence" passed the legislature on January 12, 1893, ousting the Wilcox cabinet
See also Cabinet of the Kingdom of Hawaii Kalākaua's Cabinet Ministers 1892 Legislative Session of the Kingdom of Hawaii Liliʻuokalani's Privy Council of State MOS Hawaii-related articles
References
Bibliography
Further reading
"A List of All the Cabinet Ministers Who Have Held Office in the Hawaiian Kingdom"
37 pages relating to the Bayonet Constitution