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Committee of Safety
The Committee of Safety
Formation	1887
Dissolved	1893 (succeeded by Provisional Government)
Type	Secret society
Purpose	Overthrow of the government of Hawaii, annexation by the United States
Location	Oʻahu, Hawaii
Membership	Elite business and political leaders
Official language	English
Unofficial leader	Lorrin A. Thurston
Main organ	Committee of Thirteen, Committee of Safety
Affiliations	Honolulu Rifles

Lorrin A. Thurston wanted Hawaii to join the United States.

The Committee of Safety was a group of 13 people. It was also known as the Citizen's Committee of Public Safety. Most members were Hawaiian citizens of American background. Some were American citizens or foreign residents living in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. This group planned and carried out the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi on January 17, 1893.

Their main goal was for Hawaiʻi to become part of the United States. They wanted the U.S. to annex Hawaiʻi. A new government, the Republic of Hawaiʻi, was formed. However, U.S. President Grover Cleveland did not support this right away. Hawaiʻi did not become a U.S. Territory until 1898.

How the Committee Started
The Hawaiian League
The Overthrow
Members of the Committees
See also

How the Committee Started

The Committee of Safety grew from an earlier group called the "Committee of Nine." This group formed in 1883. Its goal was to lead the Independent Party in Hawaii's elections. Most members of this group were loyal to the "Missionary Party." They shared similar ideas about society and business.

In the 1884 elections, the Independent Party won 13 seats. They were the smaller party in the legislature. For the 1886 elections, the group met again. This time, they called themselves the "Committee of Thirteen" because some members had changed. They hoped to make the Independent Party the main party. But they only won ten seats, losing three.

The Hawaiian League

In January 1887, the Committee of Thirteen created a secret society called the Hawaiian League. They did not keep official records. However, Lorrin A. Thurston wrote down the group's rules. He was the grandson of American missionaries. The group was led by lawyers and businessmen. Most were naturalized U.S. citizens living in Hawaii.

More people joined the League over time. This included some German and British citizens. A few people of mixed Hawaiian and foreign heritage also joined. The politicians changed their party name from "Missionary" to "Reform." But many of them wanted Hawaii to join the United States, not just change the monarchy. This is why the Hawaiian League was also called the Annexation Club.

The Hawaiian League gained control of a group called the Honolulu Rifles. This was a group of about 200 armed local men. They were not native Hawaiians. They were led by Volney V. Ashford, who strongly supported annexation. In June 1887, the Hawaiian League used the Rifles to force King Kalākaua to sign the Bayonet Constitution. This new constitution greatly limited the King's power.

When Queen Liliʻuokalani became ruler in 1891, she tried to get back the power of the throne. This made the Hawaiian League decide to act again.

The Overthrow

The main reason for the overthrow was Queen Liliʻuokalani's plan. She wanted to create a new constitution. This would have given more power back to the monarch. It would have reduced the power of the legislature. In the legislature, American and European business leaders had a lot of power. This situation was a direct result of the 1887 constitution. The group's goals were to remove the Queen, end the monarchy, and have Hawaii join the United States.

On January 16, the Marshal of the Kingdom, Charles B. Wilson, learned about the planned overthrow. Wilson asked for permission to arrest the 13 members of the Committee of Safety. He also wanted to declare martial law (military rule). But these requests were denied many times. The Committee members had strong connections with the U.S. Government Minister, John L. Stevens. Officials feared that arrests would make the situation worse.

After talks with Thurston failed, Wilson gathered his men. Wilson and Captain Samuel Nowlein had 496 men ready to protect the Queen.

The revolution began on January 17. A policeman was shot and wounded. He was trying to stop a wagon carrying weapons to the Honolulu Rifles. The Committee of Safety worried this shooting would bring government forces against them. The Rifles took over Ali'iolani Hale, a building across from ʻIolani Palace. They waited for the Queen's response.

During these events, the Committee of Safety said they were worried about American residents in Honolulu. U.S. Minister John L. Stevens was told about these supposed threats. He agreed to their request. He called for U.S. Marines from the USS Boston and U.S. sailors to come ashore. On the afternoon of January 16, 162 armed sailors and marines landed. They took positions at the U.S. Legation, Consulate, and Arion Hall.

These U.S. forces did not enter the Palace grounds. They did not take over any buildings. They never fired a shot. But their presence made the Queen's defenders feel intimidated. Historian William Russ said that the order to prevent fighting made it impossible for the monarchy to protect itself. The Queen wanted to avoid any fighting and loss of life for her people. After thinking it over, and with advice from friends, the Queen ordered her forces to surrender. The Honolulu Rifles then took over government buildings. They disarmed the Royal Guard. They declared a Provisional Government.

The Committee of Safety made an announcement. Its chairman, Henry E. Cooper, read it aloud on January 17. A large crowd was gathered in front of ʻIolani Palace. The announcement said:

"First – The Hawaiian monarchy (king/queen rule) is now ended."
"Second – A temporary government is now set up. It will manage public affairs and keep peace. It will exist until Hawaii can join the United States of America."

Executive council of the Provisional Government (left to right): James A. King, Sanford B. Dole, W. O. Smith and P. C. Jones

The Hawaiian League unofficially used the American Flag. They did this to show they wanted to join the U.S. Minister Stevens raised the flag over ʻIolani Palace on January 17, 1893. However, the flag was later taken down in April by James H. Blount. This was because it wrongly suggested that the U.S. had already taken control.

Members of the Committees

The Committee of Safety was a 13-member group. It was also known as the Hawaiian League or Annexation Club. Its members included Henry E. Cooper, Theodore F. Lansing, Henry Waterhouse, Lorrin A. Thurston, Ed Suhr, F.W. McChesney, John Emmeluth, Wm. R. Castle, Wm. O. Smith, J.A. McCandless, C. Bolte, W.C. Wilder, and Andrew Brown.

Committee of Nine

Joseph B. Atherton
William R. Castle
Sanford B. Dole
William W. Hall (1841–1910)
James A. Hopper (1831–1900)
Peter C. Jones
Henry W. Mist (1833–1895)
John H. Paty
William O. Smith

Committee of Thirteen

Joseph B. Atherton
Jonathan Austin
William H. Bailey
William R. Castle
Benjamin F. Dillingham
Sanford B. Dole
Henry F. Glade (1883–1894)
William W. Hall
Peter C. Jones
Thomas May
John H. Paty
Lorrin A. Thurston
George N. Wilcox