July 7, 1898: Newlands Resolution Annexing Hawaiʻi to the United States
On July 6, 1898, the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution called the Newlands Resolution. On the following day, July 7, 1898, President McKinley signed the resolution and it became law. Below is the first page of the joint resolution:
Joint Resolution of July 7, 1898, Public Resolution 55-51, 30 Stat. 750, to Provide for Annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States. Available at the National Archives here.
Dr. Ron Williams, in his article, “Race, Power, and the Dilemma of Democracy: Hawai‘i’s First Territorial Legislature, 1901,” explains the events leading up to creation of this resolution:
When the native monarchy was overthrown in a January 1893 coup backed by U.S. forces, Native Hawaiians filed diplomatic protests, organized, testified, and succeeded in achieving the dismissal of a treaty of annexation. When a second treaty was promoted in 1898, amidst the Spanish-American War, Native Hawaiians once again actively engaged the issue: delivering the prolific “kū‘ē” anti-annexation petitions to the U.S. Congress. They succeeded a second time in killing a treaty of annexation as their voices and testimony helped prevent the necessary two-thirds vote for approval. Only through the closed-door decisions of a U.S. administration to subvert constitutional requirements on annexation did the long-desired act of U.S. dominance in Hawai‘i come to fruition. (pg. 38)
Below is the second page of the Newlands Resolution:
Joint Resolution of July 7, 1898, Public Resolution 55-51, 30 Stat. 750, to Provide for Annexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States. Available at the National Archives here.
A Hawaiian translation of the Newlands Resolution was written by J. Mokuohai Poepoe, and published in Ke Kanawai. Below is a copy of the first page with an accompanying transcription:
Joseph Mokuohai Poepoe, Ke Kanawai 7-10 (Feb. 1902).
OLELO HOOHOLO NO KA HOOHUI AUPUNI
–
PAUKU 1
Oiai, mamuli o ka hoike maopopo ana mai o ke Aupuni o ka Repubalika o Hawaii i kona ae ma ke ano i hoakaka ia ma kona Kumukanawai e haawi kaokoa ana, me ke koe koena ole, ia Amerika Huipuia i na kuleana mana aupuni apau o kela ame keia ano maloko a maluna o ko Hawaii Pae Aina ame ko lakou mau panalaau, a e panai mai hoi ma ka hoolilo ana mai ia Amerika Huipuia i ke kuleana alodio a noho ona ana no na aina o ka lehulehu, ke aupuni a lei-alii paha, na hale aupuni, na awa pae, na awa kumoku, na lako koa ame na waiwai e ae apau o ka lehulehu o kela a me keia ano i kuleana ai ke Aupuni o ko Hawaii Pae Aina, me na kuleana a me na pono apau o kela a me keia ano i pili ia mau mea.
Nolaila, –
E hooholo e ka Senate a me ka Hale o na Luna-