Kamehameha Iii's Defense of the Hawaiian Kingdom in The
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LITERACY, STATECRAFT AND SOVEREIGNTY: KAMEHAMEHA III’S DEFENSE OF THE HAWAIIAN KINGDOM IN THE 1840s A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERITY OF HAWAIʻI AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY MAY 2019 By Janetta Susan Corley Dissertation Committee: David A. Chappell, Chairperson David Hanlon Fabio López Lázaro Yuma Totani Jeffrey Kapali Lyon ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I extend my thanks to each member of my committee for providing me with the assistance that has brought me through the educational process to the completion of my dissertation. Yuma Totani gave me early encouragement and support; Kapali Lyon worked tirelessly to ensure the development of my Hawaiian language skills; Fabio López Lázaro offered important advice that contributed to the early direction of my research; and David Hanlon extended his counsel and support throughout my educational journey. It is David Chappell, however, to whom I am most deeply indebted for bringing this dissertation to completion. Dr. Chappell freely gave of his time, professional experience, and advice to give me needed direction and thoughtful suggestions for improvement that have added immeasurably to my research. I also am deeply grateful to history professors Matthew Lauzon and James Kraft for their kind assistance and support. Sue Carlson also gave freely of her time and support. Barbara Dunn at the Hawaiian Historical Society and all staff members at the Hawaii State Archives also provided helpful suggestions and warm encouragement as I worked my way through their archival collections. Classmates Shirley Buchanan, Catherine Ulep, and Uluwehi Hopkins inspired and heartened me at particular points when I needed it the most. Encouragement and support from my family carried me through as I worked to complete this dissertation. I am most grateful for the love and support of my husband, W. G. Corley. ii ABSTRACT Kamehameha III’s struggle for sovereign control of his kingdom began in earnest in 1842 when he sent his diplomats on their long journey to confront the world’s greatest maritime powers in their own capitals. His struggle began several years before that, however, when as a young boy he pronounced that his rule would be characterized by literacy, and he ordered his people to learn to read and write. Without literacy, Kauikeaouli could not have defended his sovereign rights and privileges in the public forums of his opponents—and without literacy, there would be no record from the king himself how he chose to meet the threats that confronted his kingdom. Although Kamehameha III (r. 1825-1854) secured guarantees of territorial sovereignty in 1843-1844 from Great Britain, France and the United States, those guarantees did not preclude western agents’ attempts to limit the king’s ability to exercise his sovereign powers by imposing extraterritorial restrictions over key economic and juridical functions. Kamehameha III recognized that his loss of authority to exercise functional powers threatened the Hawaiian kingdom’s ability to retain its territorial sovereignty. Western opponents already had a foothold in the kingdom, and the king needed innovative tactics and strategies to prevail in his struggle. This dissertation examines the comprehensive strategy that Kamehameha III devised to retake full sovereign control of Hawaiian kingdom governance. Documentary evidence demonstrates that the king collaborated with his chiefs, ministers and legislators to implement specific governance, political and diplomatic measures. Kamehameha III’s tactics worked in tandem to structure the kingdom’s political interactions with western nation-states in ways that would restore power and authority to the Hawaiian government and secure continued independence. iii This dissertation explores kingdom governance records and other contemporary evidence about each of the measures taken, the king’s rationale for selecting the specific measure, its implementation, and its effectiveness. These records easily disprove accusations contemporary to his times that Kamehameha III’s ministers ruled in his stead. This examination contributes to a reevaluation of Kamehameha III’s leadership role and an expanded understanding of the threats and opportunities presented him during his reign. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . ii ABSTRACT . iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . .. viii ORTHOGRAPHY AND TRANSLATIONS . ix REMEMBERING KAUIKEAOULI. xiv CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: A NATION IMPERILED . 1 The solution . 5 The strategy . 6 Sources . 9 Historiography . .13 Analysis . .. 24 CHAPTER 2 LITERACY AS STRATEGY . 30 Traditional messaging methods . 31 Evangelism and literacy . 32 ABCFM missionaries begin work . 40 Learning to read and write . 45 Kauikeaouli’s royal command . 49 An explosion of learning . 53 Written framework adopted for governance structure . 60 Literacy secured sovereign recognition . 67 CHAPTER 3 CHANGING HAWAIʻI IN THE 1840s . .72 Hybrid governance . 73 Whites become Hawaiian citizens. 84 v Population changes . 87 Commerce and urban growth . 92 Land tenure restrictions impede agricultural growth . 98 Labor scarcities further threaten agriculture . 102 CHAPTER 4 WESTERN-EDUCATED MINISTERS DEFEND SOVEREIGN RIGHTS . .108 Treaties of unequal alliance . 110 Rationale for the hiring policy . 117 Harsh criticism of the policy . 123 Suspicions of a conspiracy . 129 Kauikeaouli personally responds . .133 In summary . 141 CHAPTER 5 LEGAL AND LAND REFORMS . 144 Turning points . .145 Paulet, the laws, and Kauikeaouli . .150 Britain expands extraterritorial legal restrictions . 153 Decision points . 156 Kauikeaouli initiates law and land reforms . .158 Establishing the framework for both reforms . 164 Judicial reforms are accomplished . 167 Land tenure reforms are accomplished . 171 The aftermath . .174 CHAPTER 6 TACTICAL USE OF PRINT MEDIA. .178 The Polynesian rejoins the public forum. 179 Publishing to the world. .184 Kauikeaouli sets the publication policy. 192 vi The government press broadens its reach. .197 An opposition press begins publishing. .201 Measuring success. 208 CHAPTER 7 TREATIES AND SECRET ORDERS . .. 212 Extraterritorial terms depress revenues . 213 “The French Outrage” . 217 A plan and secret orders . 223 The French provoke new secret orders . 230 Filibusters spark new negotiations . 238 International support materializes . 246 Gregg’s final inducement . .248 Afterthoughts . 250 CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION: SOVEREIGNTY SECURED . .253 Phase one: the tools . 255 Phase two: the reforms . .263 Phase three: negotiate fair treaties . ..