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94-566: King Kamehameha III and his Kuhina Nui , Kekāuluohi , promulgated the Hawaiian Kingdom's first written constitution in 1840, which formally established the Kingdom's Supreme Court and Legislature. In September 1847, the legislature passed a law formally organizing the Kingdom's Judiciary Department. Prior to the construction of the Courthouse, the kingdom's highest court, known at that time as

188-544: A Privy Council and five powerful government ministers. Judd was appointed to the most powerful post of Minister of Finance. Frontier lawyer John Ricord was Attorney General , Robert Crichton Wyllie was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Richards Minister of Public Instruction, and Keoni Ana was Minister of the Interior. Kamehameha III also presided over the formalization of the court system and land titles. Cases such as those of Richard Charlton and Ladd & Co. had prompted

282-648: A declaration of neutrality in the American Civil War . At the time of Alexander's assumption to the throne, the American population in the Hawaiian islands continued to grow and exert economic and political pressure in the Kingdom. Sugar producers, in particular, pushed for annexation by the United States in order to have free trade with the United States. Alexander worried that the United States of America would make

376-482: A national holiday of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The first Christmas tree would come into the islands during his brother's reign. Under his eight-year reign the Kingdom saw the many territory additions. Laysan Island was annexed on May 1, 1857, Lisianski Island was annexed on May 10, 1857, and Palmyra Atoll was annexed on April 15, 1862. Some residents of Sikaiana near the Solomon Islands believe their island

470-509: A cast- and wrought-iron gateway between the Old two buildings. Each half of the gate bore medallions with the left gate bearing the number "49," representing the year the company was founded (1849), and the right gate bearing the number "99," representing the year the company celebrated its fiftieth anniversary (1899). At around the same time the gate was erected, the company removed the building's front portico. Although H. Hackfeld and Company moved into

564-476: A courthouse and a new jail. However, due to difficulties in finding a suitable site, the Privy Council ultimately recommended to build the courthouse and jail separately, and proceeded with the construction of a new courthouse that could also provide a meeting location for the kingdom's legislature. The site selected for the courthouse was along Queen Street near that road's intersection with Fort Street. The site

658-476: A diplomatic mission and then died in 1857. Allen became chief justice, and David L. Gregg became minister of finance. After Keoni Ana died, his brother Prince Lot Kapuāiwa was minister of the interior. Only a year after assuming the throne, Alexander took the hand of Emma Rooke , whom he had met in childhood at the Chiefs' Children's School, as his queen. Queen Emma was the granddaughter of John Young , Kamehameha

752-496: A half-sister and brother couple. He had loved his sister Nāhiʻenaʻena and planned to marry her since childhood, but the union was opposed by the missionaries due to their perceptions of incest . It was proposed in 1832 that Kamanele , the daughter of Governor John Adams Kuakini , would be the most suitable in age, rank, and education for his queen. Kamanele died in 1834 before the wedding took place. Instead Kamehameha III chose to marry Kalama Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili , against

846-458: A move to conquer his nation; an annexation treaty was proposed in Kamehameha III's reign. He strongly felt that annexation would mean the end of the monarchy and the Hawaiian people. Liholiho instead wanted a reciprocity treaty, involving trade and taxes, between the United States and Hawaii. He was not successful, as sugar plantation owners in the southern United States lobbied heavily against

940-400: A number of rented offices throughout Honolulu. As the amount of money being spent on rent increased, the Privy Council began to again discuss the construction of a new government building to consolidate the kingdom's offices. In 1872, the kingdom laid the cornerstone of what would eventually become Aliʻiōlani Hale . Construction of the building was completed in 1874. The legislature moved out of

1034-467: A one-story classical-style portico at the building's entrance. The second story of the building did not extend through the entire building as the Superior Court's courtroom was a full two stories tall, measuring 30 feet (9.1 m) from floor to ceiling. This changed in 1853, when $ 1,200 was appropriated to extend the second story of the building over the courtroom to provide additional accommodations for

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1128-401: A slave. The prince had preceded Dr. Judd and Prince Lot in occupying the compartment reserved for them for a return trip to New York and someone had arrived at the door of the compartment and questioned Alexander's right to be there. The prince wrote in his journal: I found he was the conductor, and took me for somebody's servant just because I had a darker skin than he had. Confounded fool;.

1222-640: A system of land ownership was implemented under the Mahele in 1848. The 1839 declaration of rights, the 1840 constitution, and various laws enacted from 1840 to 1842 came to be collectively called the Kumu Kānāwai or "foundation of law." They were published together in a dual Hawaiian/English book with a blue cover, similar to the statutory laws of the New England states at the time, and like them became known in English as

1316-471: A treaty of annexation with Wyllie by August 1854. It was never signed, and might not have been ratified by the Senate . Although there was some support in the U.S., it would take 105 more years before full statehood of Hawaii. Kamehameha III died suddenly on December 15, 1854, after a brief illness, which may have been related to a stroke . He was succeeded by his nephew and adopted son Alexander Liholiho, who

1410-519: A week and then Mr. Judd made a few remarks on his business. In May 1850, the royal brothers, boarded a ship in England and sailed to the United States for a more extensive stay before returning. At Washington D.C. , they met with President Zachary Taylor and Vice President Millard Fillmore . He experienced American racism firsthand when he was almost removed from his train car after being mistaken for

1504-510: Is called the Great Mahele of 1848 which redistributed land between the government, king, nobles, and commoners. Foreigners were allowed to own land fee simple in Hawaii for the first time. Many commoners were unaware of the program and lost out on the distribution. The domination of his cabinet by Americans (balanced only by Scot Wyllie and half-Hawaiian Keoni Ana) also discouraged the people. This

1598-564: Is preserved as a monument at Keauhou Bay. He was given to Kaikioʻewa to raise. He was torn between the Puritan Christian guidelines imposed on the kingdom by the kuhina nui (Queen Regent) who was his stepmother Kaʻahumanu , and the desires to honor the old traditions. Under the influence of Oʻahu's then governor, Boki , and a young Hawaiian-Tahitian former priest named Kaomi , Kauikeaouli's aikāne partner, he rebelled against his partial Christian upbringing. When Kauikeaouli came to

1692-523: The Book of Common Prayer into the Hawaiian language . Alexander and Queen Emma devoted much of their reign to providing quality healthcare and education for their subjects. They were concerned that foreign ailments and diseases like leprosy and influenza were decimating the native Hawaiian population. In 1855, Alexander addressed his legislature to promote an ambitious public healthcare agenda that included

1786-556: The Marquesas to Samoa and Tonga . Boyd was killed in Guadalcanal shortly after. Hawaii became a popular winter destination for frustrated prospectors in the 1850s. Some were rumored to be filibusters hoping to profit from a rebellion. One of the first was a group led by Samuel Brannan , who did not find the popular support for an uprising that they expected. By the end of 1853 the threats, whether real or imagined, caused petitions for

1880-555: The fourth monarch of Hawaii under the title Ke Aliʻi o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855, to November 30, 1863. Alexander was born on February 9, 1834, in Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu . His father was High Chief Mataio Kekūanaōʻa , Royal Governor of Oʻahu. His mother was Princess Elizabeth Kīnaʻu the Kuhina Nui or Prime Minister of the Kingdom. He

1974-465: The "Superior Court", met in a government building located between Fort Street and Garden Lane in downtown Honolulu, near the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace . The newspaper The Polynesian commented that this building was inadequate for the court, being "intolerably stuffy" and having conditions that made it difficult to find people willing to serve as jurors. The newspaper also noted that

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2068-436: The "miserable quality of the laborers employed, who have been, principally, the prisoners." The minister noted that due to these delays, an additional appropriation would be required to complete the building. In a review of the kingdom's financial records, historian Richard Greer estimated that the cost of the courthouse was $ 34,229.50, which he described as a "very considerable sum for that time, and one which apparently justified

2162-421: The (Louis Napoleon) returned with a slight bend of the vertebras. he then advanced and said, "This is your first visit to Paris", to which we replied in the affirmative. He asked us if we liked Paris to which we replied, very much, indeed. He then said, I am very gratified to see you, you having come from so far a country, he then turned towards the doctor and said, I hope our little quarrel will be settled. to which

2256-572: The 175th anniversary of the restoration of Hawaiian sovereignty in 1843. The statue was created by Oregon artist Thomas Jay Warren for $ 250,000 allotted by the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts and is part of Mayor Kirk Caldwell 's plans to revamp the park. Kamehameha IV Kamehameha IV (Alekanetero ʻIolani Kalanikualiholiho Maka o ʻIouli Kūnuiākea o Kūkāʻilimoku; anglicized as Alexander Liholiho ) (February 9, 1834 – November 30, 1863), reigned as

2350-418: The 1873 election, and Queen Emma , the widow of King Kamehameha IV. After the legislature elected Kalākaua by a vote of 39 to 6, an angry mob of Queen Emma's supporters forced their way into the courthouse, attacked members of the legislature, and ransacked the building and its furnishings. Many books in the judiciary's law library and many valuable government records were lost in the riot. The riot badly damaged

2444-676: The Blue Laws. The Kumu Kānāwai was primarily based on Hawaii's indigenous traditions , various laws enacted since 1823, and the principles of the Christian Bible. Over the next few years, Kamehameha III moved the capital from Lahaina to Honolulu . In September 1840 Charles Wilkes arrived on the United States Exploring Expedition . Kamehameha III was happy to support the explorers, and appointed missionary doctor Gerrit P. Judd to serve as translator. Judd treated many of

2538-611: The Doctor replied. "We put much confidence in the magnanimity and Justice of France." Failing to negotiate a treaty with France during three months in Paris, the princes and Judd returned to England. They met Prince Albert, Lord Palmerston, and numerous other members of British aristocracy. They had an audience with Prince Albert since Queen Victoria was retired from public view, awaiting the birth of her seventh child, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught . Prince Alexander accounted: When we entered,

2632-457: The Great's British royal advisor and companion. She also was Kamehameha's great-grandniece. On the day of their wedding, he forgot their wedding ring. Chief Justice Elisha Hunt Allen quickly slipped his own gold ring to the king and the ceremony continued. The marriage was apparently a happy one, as the king and queen shared interests including opera, literature and theatre. After marrying in 1856,

2726-540: The Hawaiian Kingdom neutral in the Crimean War in Europe. The present crises had passed, but the king's health declined, often attributed to his renewed drinking. The annexation question also did not go away. The British minister William Miller and French representative Louis Emile Perrin objected to the plan. New U.S. Commissioner David L. Gregg received instructions from Secretary of State William L. Marcy and negotiated

2820-581: The Honolulu Courthouse and into Aliʻiōlani Hale on April 30, 1874, and the Supreme Court followed on May 27 of the same year. After the legislature and judiciary moved out of the Old Courthouse, the Hawaiian Kingdom put the building up for sale. On September 19, 1874, the building was purchased at auction by H. Hackfeld and Company for $ 20,000, the auction's upset price. Upon taking possession of

2914-468: The Legislature, though the space ended up being used by the Supreme Court, which superseded the Superior Court as the highest court in the kingdom. During the same decade, additional space was set aside to safeguard the records of the registrar of conveyances and a portion of the basement was converted into storage space for the collector of customs. Because the building also served as a meeting location for

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3008-483: The Mission. Having been compelled to be good when a boy, he is determined not to be good as a man." Upon his return Alexander was appointed to the Privy Council and House of Nobles of Kamehameha III in 1852. He had the opportunity to gain administrative experience that he would one day employ as King. During his term he also studied foreign languages and became accustomed to traditional European social norms. He assumed

3102-474: The Privy Council as the official birthday in its meeting of March 16, 1846. He was of the highest kapu lineage. Kauikeaouli was about 16 years younger than his brother Liholiho, who ruled as Kamehameha II starting in 1819. He was named Kauikeaouli (placed in the dark clouds) Kaleiopapa Kuakamanolani Mahinalani Kalaninuiwaiakua Keaweaweʻulaokalani (the red trail or the roadway by which the god descends from heaven) after his maternal grandfather Kīwalaʻō . He

3196-559: The Royal School and went to study law. At the age of 15, he went on a government trip to England , the United States , and Panama . Liholiho recorded the events of his trip in a journal. A diplomatic mission was planned following Admiral de Tromelin 's 1849 attack on the fort of Honolulu , the result of French claims stemming back twenty years to the expulsion of Catholic missionaries. Contention surrounded three issues: regulations of Catholic schools, high taxes on French brandy, and

3290-520: The United States since the 1854 opening of Japan by Commodore Matthew Perry . Their meeting with Kamehameha IV was noted by Vice-Ambassador Muragaki Norimasa (村垣範正) as the first presentation of Japanese ambassadors to a foreign king, although Japan and Hawaii had no formal relation at this point. The Japanese delegation were later surprised to learn on their departure that the king paid for all of their expenses while in Honolulu. In August 1861 he issued

3384-587: The Western ideas of rule of law and economics. Their first act was a declaration of human rights in 1839. In 1839, under a French threat of war, Roman Catholicism was legalized in the Edict of Toleration and the first statutory law code was established. Kamehameha III also enacted the Constitution of 1840 , Hawaii's first. This laid the groundwork for the establishment of judicial and executive branches of government, and

3478-474: The age of four, the young prince died on August 27, 1862. The cause of the prince's death is unknown: at the time, it was believed to be "brain fever" or meningitis . Later speculation has included appendicitis . On September 11, 1859, the king shot Henry A. Neilson , his secretary and one of his closest friends, who died two years later. Alexander had heard a rumour that Neilson was having an affair with Queen Emma, and after drinking heavily shot his friend in

3572-565: The announcement, there was movement among preservationists to try to preserve the building. In March 1968, the State of Hawaii's Historic Buildings Task Force proposed that Amfac swap the 25,000 square foot parcel on which the courthouse stood with an adjacent 21,000 square foot parcel, which was owned by the City and County of Honolulu and used as a park. Under this proposed deal, the courthouse would be preserved at its existing location. The deal also gave Amfac

3666-448: The backing of others who blamed him for not containing the disease (or had other political reasons to want him out of power). Judd was forced to resign on September 3 and was replaced by Elisha Hunt Allen as Minister of Finance. In 1851, Scottish-Australian entrepreneur and sailor Benjamin Boyd convinced King Kamehameha III to become regent of a Pacific empire ranging from Hawaii and

3760-551: The building of public hospitals and homes for the elderly. The legislature , empowered by the Constitution of 1852 which limited the King's authority, struck down the healthcare plan. Alexander and Queen Emma responded to the legislature's refusal by lobbying local businessmen, merchants and wealthy residents to fund their healthcare agenda. The fundraising was an overwhelming success and the royal couple built The Queen's Medical Center . The fundraising efforts also yielded separate funds for

3854-442: The building, H. Hackfeld and Company gutted and rebuilt the building's interior to serve as the company's headquarters. The company also used the building as a warehouse for groceries and feed and as a steamship agent's office. Between 1885 and 1891, a new addition was added to the rear of the building. In 1899, H. Hackfeld and Company constructed a new building next door to the Old Courthouse to serve as its new headquarters and erected

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3948-539: The chest. Following the shooting, the king apologised to Neilson and provided him with the use of his Waikiki home for the rest of his life. He also considered abdicating his throne, before being convinced not to by Wyllie, his minister of foreign affairs. Wyllie sponsored a fancy dress ball in 1860. Even the Catholic bishop came, dressed as a bishop. Kamehameha IV's father Kekūanaōʻa came in Scottish highland dress, music

4042-463: The city, and attempted to open fire on nearby buildings. However, the prisoners lacked fire to set off the guns, and police officers were able to quell the disturbance. The use of prison laborers also apparently led to delays and cost overruns. On April 14, 1852, the Minister of the Interior reported to the legislature that although the courthouse was "nearly completed," the project was facing a delay due to

4136-436: The company commenced with the demolition of the building on December 28, 1968. However, Amfac also announced that it would preserve some of the coral blocks that made up the building's structure and would donate the blocks to the state's Historic Buildings Task Force. Amfac also preserved stone blocks that made up the sidewalk adjacent to the courthouse, which had been constructed from ballast brought to Hawaii on sailing ships. At

4230-407: The court building's wood construction did not provide adequate protection for the court's important records and documents. The Privy Council examined the possible relocation of the court between 1845 through 1851, looking at various locations in Honolulu. On May 20, 1850, a committee of privy councilors tasked with examining the issue recommended the construction of a new building that included both

4324-439: The courthouse hosted a ball to celebrate the wedding of King Kamehameha IV to Emma Rooke, who became Queen Emma . The courthouse was also the location where Queen's Hospital , named after Queen Emma, was formally established on May 25, 1859, during a meeting of its subscribers, presided over by King Kamehameha IV. When King Kamehameha V died on December 11, 1872, without naming an heir, the kingdom's constitution provided that

4418-422: The courthouse, and while some sources report that the building was at least partially repaired, other sources state that the government chose to sell the building in lieu of repairing the damage. By the 1860s, the growing size of the kingdom's government created an increased demand for office space. Government offices were spread out across a number of government-owned buildings, including the courthouse, as well as

4512-424: The development of a leprosy treatment facility built on the island of Maui . In 1856, Kamehameha IV decreed that December 25 would be celebrated as the kingdom's national day of Thanksgiving , accepting the persuasions of the conservative American missionaries who objected to Christmas on the grounds that it was a pagan celebration. Six years later, he would rescind his decree and formally proclaim Christmas as

4606-641: The duties of Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief of the Forces of the Hawaiian Islands and began working to reorganize the Hawaiian military and to maintain the dilapidated forts and cannons from the days of Kamehameha I. During this period, he appointed many officers to assist him including his brother Lot Kapuāiwa, Francis Funk , John William Elliott Maikai , David Kalākaua , John Owen Dominis and others to assist him. He also worked with Robert Crichton Wyllie ,

4700-528: The feasibility of moving the Old Courthouse building to the Honolulu Civic Center. The State's comptroller noted that ʻIolani Barracks had been moved, brick by brick, in a similar fashion to the grounds of ʻIolani Palace at a cost of $ 250,000. Despite the interest in saving the building, Amfac announced in December 1968 that no organization had submitted a plan to take possession of the Old Courthouse and

4794-514: The first time that I have ever received such treatment, not in England or France or anywhere else........In England an African can pay his fare and sit alongside Queen Victoria. The Americans talk and think a great deal about their liberty, and strangers often find that too many liberties are taken of their comfort just because his hosts are a free people. At a dinner party in New York with friends of Judd,

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4888-487: The incidents of 1843 and subsequent litigation. Under Kamehameha III, Hawaii rapidly transitioned from indigenous traditions to a new legal system based on Anglo-American common law. Lorrin Andrews became a judge for foreign cases in 1845. William Little Lee (the first to actually graduate from law school) became the first chief justice. A commission to Quiet Land Titles was formed on February 10, 1846. This led to what

4982-537: The independence of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and that too became a national holiday, Lā Kūʻokoʻa — Independence Day. Through the 1840s a formal legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom and cabinet replaced the informal council of chiefs. The chiefs became the House of Nobles, roughly modeled on the British House of Lords . Seven elected representatives would be the start of a democratic government. The cabinet consisted of

5076-729: The islands against future attacks such as the one it had just suffered at the hands of Admiral de Tromelin. Advisors to Kamehameha III thought it best that the heir apparent, Alexander, and his brother, Lot Kapuāiwa, would benefit from the mission and experience. With the supervision of their guardian Dr. Judd, Alexander and his brother sailed to San Francisco in September 1849. After their tour of California , they continued on to Panama , Jamaica , New York City , and Washington, D.C. They toured Europe and met with various heads of state, aiming to secure recognition of Hawaii as an independent country. Speaking both French and English, Alexander

5170-419: The judiciary had used for hearings just a few years prior: Justice in a grass house is as precious as justice in one of coral, but no one can fail to agree with me, that the latter with all its comforts and conveniences is greatly to be preferred, inasmuch as it tends to promote that dignity and propriety of manners so essential to secure a proper respect for the law and its administration. May this Hall ever be

5264-465: The king to consider annexation to the United States. Wyllie and Lee convinced the king to insist that annexation would only be acceptable if Hawaii became a U.S. state. In 1852 a group of missionaries set out from Hawaii for the islands of Micronesia. They carried with them a letter of introduction that bore the official seal of King Kamehameha III, the then-ruling monarch of the Hawaiian Islands. This letter, originally written in Hawaiian and addressed to

5358-426: The kingdom was restored on July 31. It was at the end of this period of uncertainty that the king uttered the phrase Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono , "the sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness". July 31 was celebrated thereafter as Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea , Sovereignty Restoration Day, an official national holiday of the kingdom. Later that year, on November 28, Britain and France officially recognized

5452-486: The kingdom's legislature, it was also called "Parliament House" and acted as the kingdom's capitol building. The hall in which the legislature met included a throne, overlain with an ʻahu ʻula , from which the king would open each legislative session. In addition to these government functions, the building also served as a gathering space for a variety of private and community activities, including meetings, concerts, plain and fancy dress balls, and church services. Notably,

5546-412: The last chain of oppression. He gave them a voice in his councils and in the making of the laws by which they are governed. He was a great national benefactor, and has left the impress of his mild and amiable disposition on the age for which he was born. On July 31, 2018, a 12-foot bronze statue of Kamehameha III and a flagpole flying the Hawaiian flag was unveiled at Thomas Square in a ceremony honoring

5640-409: The long trips around Cape Horn or from Europe meant infected sailors were either recovered or buried at sea by the time they arrived. The short voyage from California brought several waves of diseases that decimated the native Hawaiians who had no immunity. In the summer of 1853, an epidemic of smallpox caused thousands of deaths, mostly on the island of Oʻahu. Judd, always at odds with Wyllie, lost

5734-420: The minister of the interior's strictures." According to state statistician Robert C. Schmitt, the Courthouse probably had the first flush toilets in the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Superior Court held its first session at the new courthouse on July 5, 1852. Before beginning the session, Chief Justice William Little Lee dedicated the new building, the modern nature of which he contrasted with the thatched huts that

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5828-495: The new headquarters next door in 1903, the company, and its successors continued to use the Old Courthouse for office and warehouse space until 1968. In February 1968, Amfac announced plans to demolish the Old Courthouse to make way for a new high-rise office complex. Although Amfac indicated the building could not stay at its current location, it stated it would be willing to donate the Old Courthouse and provide up to $ 25,000 to dismantle and reconstruct it at another location. After

5922-549: The other twin Albert Kūnuiākea survived and was later adopted by Kamehameha and his wife Queen Kalama. Kūnuiākea lived to adulthood but died childless (1851–1902). Kamehameha III led the development of Hawaii's first formal written laws. In 1838, senior advisor Hoapili convinced former missionary William Richards to resign from the church and become a political advisor. Richards (although he had no legal training himself) gave classes to Kamehameha III and his councilors on

6016-434: The place cut out for the neck to his waist. Their hostess was very angry when she found what a mean trick her servant had played on them. These displays of prejudice in the United States and the puritanical views of American missionaries probably influenced his slightly anti-American point of view, along with that of the rest of the royal family. Judd later wrote about him: "educated by the Mission, most of all things dislikes

6110-465: The prince was standing a little aside of the door, and bowed to each of us as we came in. He was a fine man, about as tall as I am, and had a very fine bust, and straight legs. We kept standing, Palmerston on my right, and the doctor on my left, and then Lot. the prince began the conversation by asking if we intended to make a long stay (in London) to which I answered by saying that we expected to leave in about

6204-416: The princes were again exposed to a racist incident. Helen Kinau Wilder recalled in her memoirs: In Geneva (New York), visiting friends, the butler was very averse to serving "blacks" as he called them, and revenged himself by putting bibs at their places. Alexander unfolded his, saw the unusual shape, but as he had seen many strange things on his travels concluded that must be something new, so quietly fitted

6298-476: The right to develop the area above Fort Street Mall, a pedestrian mall that separated the city park from the land on which the company's 1903 headquarters stood. However, Amfac stated that it had previously considered such a land swap and decided not to pursue it because it would "destroy the effectiveness of the Fort Street Mall." In addition to the proposal from the task force, the state government also studied

6392-529: The royal couple had their only child on May 20, 1858, named Prince Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa a Kamehameha . Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was Prince Albert's godmother (by proxy) at his christening in Honolulu. Alexander Liholiho thought he was responsible for the death of Prince Albert because he gave him a cold shower to "cool him off" when Albert wanted something he could not have. His ailing health worsened. At

6486-619: The sailors who suffered from altitude sickness on their ascent of Mauna Loa . Wilkes vastly underestimated the task and did not leave until March 1841. In February 1843, British Captain Lord George Paulet pressured Kamehameha III into surrendering the Hawaiian kingdom to the British crown, but Kamehameha III alerted London of the captain's rogue actions which eventually restored the kingdom's independence. Less than five months later, British Admiral Richard Thomas rejected Paulet's actions and

6580-413: The secretary of war and navy and the minister of foreign affairs, who supported creating a Hawaiian army to protect the islands from California adventurers and filibusters who were rumored to be planning to invade the islands. Kamehameha III died on December 15, 1854. On January 11, 1855 Alexander took the oath as King Kamehameha IV, succeeding his uncle when he was only 20 years old. His first act as king

6674-450: The selection of a new monarch fell to the kingdom's legislature. As the meeting location of the legislature, the legislature convened on January 8, 1873, at the courthouse to elect William Charles Lunalilo as the new king. Following Lunalilo's death on February 3, 1874, the legislature convened again at the courthouse on February 12, 1874, to elect a new monarch. Two candidates stood in the election: David Kalākaua , who had also stood in

6768-470: The signing of both the 1840 Constitution , which was the first Hawaiian Language Constitution, and the 1852 Constitution . He was the longest reigning monarch in the history of the Kingdom, ruling for 29 years and 192 days, although in the early part of his reign he was under a regency by Queen Kaʻahumanu and later by Kaʻahumanu II . His goal was the careful balancing of modernization by adopting Western ways while keeping his nation intact. Kauikeaouli

6862-402: The south at 19°33′31″N 155°57′41″W  /  19.55861°N 155.96139°W  / 19.55861; -155.96139  ( Kaleiopapa Street ) . His successor described his reign: The age of Kamehameha III was that of progress and of liberty—of schools and of civilization. He gave us a Constitution and fixed laws; he secured the people in the title to their lands, and removed

6956-459: The temple of Justice—may its walls ever echo with the accents of truth—may its high roof ever look down upon us in the faithful discharge of our duties—and may the blessing of Him who builded the Heavens and whose throne is the fountain of all justice ever rest upon us. As completed, the courthouse was two stories tall, with dimensions of 56 feet (17 m) by 75 feet (23 m), with

7050-539: The throne in 1825, the native population numbered about 150,000, which was already less than one-third of the Hawaiian population at the time of Captain Cook 's arrival to Hawaii in 1778. During his reign, that number would be halved again, due to a series of epidemics. In ancient Hawaii , the upper classes considered a marriage with a close royal family member to be an excellent way to preserve pure bloodlines. His brother Liholiho (King Kamehameha II) and his Queen Kamāmalu were

7144-510: The time of the Old Courthouse's demolition, it was the oldest government building standing in Honolulu. Several artifacts from the Old Courthouse are displayed at Walker Park, a small park next to the office complex that was constructed at the site of the courthouse, including two coral blocks used in the building's construction and the cast- and wrought-iron gateway that stood next to the courthouse. Kamehameha III Kamehameha III (born Kauikeaouli ) (March 17, 1814 – December 15, 1854)

7238-520: The treaty, worried that competition from Hawaii would harm their industries. In an effort to balance the amount of influence exerted by American interests, Alexander began a campaign to limit Hawaii's dependence on American trade and commerce. He sought deals with the British and other European governments, but his reign did not survive long enough to make them. In 1862, as part of his atonement for shooting his secretary and friend Neilson, he translated

7332-408: The use of French language in transactions with the consul and citizens of France. Although this struggle had gone on for many years, the Hawaiian king finally sent Gerrit P. Judd to try for the second time to negotiate a treaty with France. Envoys Haʻalilio and William Richards had gone on the same mission in 1842 and returned with only a weak joint declaration. It was hoped the treaty would secure

7426-668: The various rulers of the Pacific Islands, said in part: "There are about to sail for your islands some teachers of the Highest God, Jehovah, to make known unto you His Word for your eternal salvation. . . . I commend these good teachers to your esteem and friendship and exhort you to listen to their instructions. . . . I advise you to throw away your idols, take the Lord Jehovah for your God, worship and love Him and He will bless and save you." On May 16, 1854, King Kamehameha III proclaimed

7520-484: The wishes of Kīnaʻu. Kalama's father was Naihekukui . After his sister's death in late 1836, he married Kalama on February 14, 1837, in a Christian ceremony. Kamehameha III and Kalama had two children: Prince Keaweaweʻulaokalani I and Prince Keaweaweʻulaokalani II who both died while infants. He and his mistress Jane Lahilahi , a daughter of his father's advisor John Young , had twin illegitimate sons: Kīwalaʻō, who Kamehameha initially took to raise, died young, while

7614-462: Was annexed by Kamehameha IV to Hawaii in 1856 (or 1855). Some maintain that through this annexation, Sikaiana has subsequently become part of the United States of America through the 1898 annexation of "Hawaii and its dependencies". The U.S. disagrees. Alexander died of chronic asthma on November 30, 1863, and was succeeded by his brother, who took the name Kamehameha V . At his funeral, eight hundred children and teachers walked to say goodbye. He

7708-510: Was born at Keauhou Bay , on Hawaiʻi island , the largest island of the Hawaiian Islands archipelago. He was the second son of King Kamehameha I and his highest ranking wife, Queen Keōpūolani , born in Maui. Early historians suggested June or July 1814, but one accepted date is August 11, 1813. Biographer P. Christiaan Klieger cites 17 March 1814 as his birthday, which is the date declared by

7802-522: Was buried with his son at the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii on February 3, 1864. Queen Emma remained active in politics. With the end of the Kamehameha dynasty and King William C. Lunalilo dying without an heir of his own, Queen Emma ran unsuccessfully to become the Kingdom's ruling monarch. She lost to David Kalākaua who would establish a dynasty of his own — the last to rule Hawaii. The Feast of

7896-456: Was educated by Congregationalist missionaries Amos and Juliette Cooke at the Chiefs' Children's School (later known as Royal School) in Honolulu. He was accompanied by 30 attendants ( kahu ) when he arrived, but they were sent home and for the first time Liholiho was on his own. Alexander Liholiho played the flute and the piano, and enjoyed singing, acting, and cricket . When he was 14 he left

7990-430: Was just south of Fort Kekuanohu (also known as Fort Honolulu), which at the time also served as the city's jailhouse and police headquarters. Construction commenced sometime in 1851. The construction utilized prison laborers, which brought about challenges. In October 1851, a group of about forty prisoners working on the project overpowered the guards who were supervising them, took possession of gun batteries overlooking

8084-521: Was not the end of foreign conflicts either. In 1849, Admiral Louis Tromelin led a French invasion of Honolulu . The French sacked and looted the city after the king refused his demands. In September 1849, Judd was sent with the heir apparent Prince Alexander Liholiho and Kamehameha V on a diplomatic mission. They returned with a new treaty with the United States but failed in visits to London and Paris. The Constitution of 1852 and subsequent legislation continued to liberalize politics. The court system

8178-418: Was promised to Kuakini in adoption , but as at birth he appeared to be delivered stillborn, Kuakini did not wish to take him. But Chief Kaikioʻewa summoned his kaula (prophet) Kapihe who declared the baby would live. Kauikeaouli was cleansed, laid on a rock, fanned, prayed over and sprinkled with water until he breathed, moved and cried. The prayer of Kapihe was to Kaʻōnohiokalā , "Child of God". The rock

8272-491: Was provided by German musicians, and the food by a French chef. Emma came as the earth goddess Cybele . The conservative American missionaries did not approve, especially of the dancing. In 1860, Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma entertained a group of Japanese diplomats who were stopping in Honolulu on their way to Washington. These men were part of the Japanese Embassy to the United States , Japan's first diplomatic mission to

8366-423: Was styled as King Kamehameha IV . In 1865, Kamehameha III was reburied in the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii known as Mauna ʻAla. The access to his birthplace at Keauhou Bay is via Kamehameha III Road from the north from Hawaii Belt Road , at 19°34′7″N 155°57′41″W  /  19.56861°N 155.96139°W  / 19.56861; -155.96139  ( Kamehameha III Road ) and Kaleiopapa Street from

8460-436: Was the grandson of Kamehameha I , first monarch of all the islands. Alexander had three older brothers, David Kamehameha, Moses Kekūāiwa and Lot Kapuāiwa, and a younger sister, Victoria Kamāmalu. As a toddler, Alexander was adopted by his uncle, King Kamehameha III who decreed Alexander heir to the throne and raised him as the crown prince . His name 'Iolani means "hawk of heaven", or "royal hawk". Alexander Liholiho

8554-400: Was the third king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweʻula Kīwalaʻō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweʻula Kīwalaʻō Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kīwalaʻō i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne. Under his reign, Hawaii evolved from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy with

8648-399: Was to halt the negotiations his father had begun regarding Hawaii's annexation by the United States. His cabinet ministers were: Wyllie, as minister of foreign affairs, Keoni Ana (John Young II) served as minister of the interior, Elisha Hunt Allen as minister of finance, and Richard Armstrong as minister of education. William Little Lee served as chief justice, until he was sent on

8742-401: Was unified, instead of having separate courts for Hawaiians and foreigners. Local Hawaiian magistrates became Circuit Judges, and a Supreme Court was formed with Lee, Andrews, and John Papa ʻĪʻī as members. Voting rules were formalized and the role of the House of Representatives was strengthened. The California Gold Rush brought increased trade, but also some unwelcome visitors. Previously

8836-542: Was well received in European society. He met president of France Louis Napoleon . Sixteen-year-old Alexander Liholiho described a reception given at the Tuileries by: General La Hitte piloted us through the immense crowd that was pressing on from all sides, and finally we made our way to the president...Mr. Judd was the first one taken notice of, and both of them made slight bows to each other. Lot and myself then bowed, to which

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