Peirce to F. W. Hutchison , Hawaiian, December 12, 1872

Extract from Hawaiian Gazette, December 18, 1872.

Upon the return of the chancellor of the kingdom from Lahaina, he expressed a desire that the privy councilors should assemble informally at an early day, and, after consultation, his honor, being the oldest councilor, issued the following invitation:

“In view of the great calamity which has overtaken this nation, the chancellor of the kingdom requests the members of the privy council to assemble, informally, at Iolani palace on Monday, December 16, at 12 o’clock noon, to place upon record some suitable expression of their regard for the memory of His late Majesty Kamehameha V, and their appreciation of the great loss which his people have sustained.

“Court-House, Honolulu, December 16, 1872.”

All the privy councilors known to be in Honolulu assembled, on this invitation, at Iolani palace on Monday, when the chancellor addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen: In view of the overwhelming loss to the nation by the sudden death of our beloved sovereign, and of the sorrow which this mechancholy event has especially caused to us, who have been so long and so intimately associated with His late Majesty ‘in the consideration of matters for the good of the state,’ I thought it proper, in which the cabinet of His late Majesty concurred, to ask you to assemble informally that we might give such expression of sympathy and sorrow as the melancholy event may naturally suggest.

“In making a request for this meeting, I have assumed no authority, gentlemen, to ask you to assemble as a privy council; but it was the best mode which occurred to me of asking the friends of His late Majesty, who have been associated with him in the public councils, to assemble together that they might have opportunity to give such expression as they thought worthy of the occasion, and to place upon record a memorial of the very high appreciation we have always entertained of his wisdom and patriotic devotion as a sovereign and his noble qualities as a man.”

Upon the conclusion of the chancellor’s remarks the privy councilors, after consultation, unanimously agreed upon the following declaration and resolutions, which shall be signed and presented for record when a new sovereign shall summon a privy council:

“The privy councilors of his late Majesty Kamehameha V, having assembled, after receiving intelligence of his untimely demise, by invitation of the chancellor of the kingdom, are anxious to have placed upon the records of the privy council some expression of their appreciation of their deceased sovereign. Most of them have served the late king during the entire period of his reign, and many of them held a seat in the council during the reign of at least one of his predecessors. They were thus brought in contact with the late sovereign before his accession to the throne, and while he held a most responsible position in the organization of the government.

“They therefore request his honor, the chancellor of the kingdom, whenever any privy council may lawfully be assembled hereafter, to present the following resolutions, and to request that they may be placed upon its records:

“Resolved, That the privy councilors here assembled have received with profound sensibility the intelligence of the untimely death of their late sovereign, King Kamehameha V, in the meridian of life, while they were sincerely hoping that his mild reign would have continued for many years to promote the welfare of his people and the dignity and strength of his nation.

“Resolved, That we bow with reverence to the inscrutable decrees of Divine Providence, which tempereth all things well, but we cannot be indifferent to the great loss which this kingdom has sustained; that we especially appreciate the moral force, the sagacity and deliberate wisdom, which enabled our late lamented sovereign to uphold with so much dignity the authority of his crown, and the mild spirit which characterized all the sovereigns of the Kamehameha dynasty, and which was largely shared by the last of the line.

“Resolved, That we sincerely respect his attachment to the people of his own native race, and the pride with which he contemplated their position among the nations of the earth; the firmness with which he always asserted their independence, and the anxiety for their welfare, which had a controlling influence upon his national policy. Now that he is numbered with his ancestors, we humbly commend the people, who are deprived of a father, to the generous consideration of the whole world, and the guardian care of Almighty God.

“Resolved, That in this hour of personal as well as public affliction the privy councilors tender the expression of their profound sympathy to all who were connected with the late sovereign by any ties of kindred or affection, and most especially to Her Excellency Ruth Keelikolani, the sister of the deceased and the last of his immediate family, to whom the chancellor is especially requested to communicate the feelings of the privy councilors in such form as may seem most appropriate in view of her great bereavement.”

The following-named privy councilors were present: His honor the chancellor, and the cabinet ministers, Hons. C. Kanania, P. Kanoa, P. Nahaolelua, S. N. Castle, His Highness W. C. Lunalilo, Honorables C. R. Bishop, C. C. Harris, D. Kalakaua, W. P. Kamakau, J. W. Makalena, Godfrey Rhodes, and J. M. Smith.

Immediately upon the announcement of the death of His late Majesty, his excellency the acting minister of foreign affairs addressed the following note to the foreign diplomatic and consular agents resident in Honolulu:

Department of Foreign Affairs, Honolulu, December 11, 1872.

Sir: It is with profound grief I inform you that it has pleased Almighty God to call hence my late sovereign, Kamehameha V, at 20 minutes past 10 on the forenoon of this day.

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,

FRED. W. HUTCHISON.

Addressed to all the foreign diplomatic and consular agents in Honolulu.

The following replies have been received:

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note of date yesterday, and officially announcing the demise on that morning of His late Majesty Kamehameha the Fifth.

The Government and people of the United States, when informed, Mr. Minister, of the important and melancholy event alluded to, will feel profound regret for and deeply sympathize with the government and people of this country on the great loss now met with.

I offer my sincere condolence to you and your colleagues and the subjects of the realm on this afflicting dispensation of Divine Providence.

I am, sir, very sincerely, your excellency’s most obedient servant,

Monsieur le ministre: J’ai reçu aujourd’hui la notification que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’adresser de la mort de sa majesté Kamehameha V.

La nouvelle n’en sera, il est vrai, envoyée en France que par le prochain courrier, mais l’inalterable amitié qui a toujours uni la nation française à la nation hawaienne me fait un devoir de vous transmettre, des à présent, tons les regrets qu’éprouvera de ce fatal événement, le gouvernement de la république française, qui ne manquera, d’ailleurs, point de vous le faire mander en son temps et lieu.

Permettrez moi, monsieur le ministre, de vous exprimer moi-même, dans cette cruelle occasion, mes plus cordiaux sentiments de condolance et de vous dire combien, pour ma part, je m’associe à votre douleur personnelle et au deuil national que supporte, en ce moment le peuple hawaien.

Veuillez à gréer les assurances de le très-haute considération avec laquelle j’ai l’honneur d’être, monsieur le ministre, de votre excellence le très-humble et très-obéissant serviteur,

Sir: I have received with unfeigned sorrow your excellency’s dispatch of this date, announcing the decease of His late Majesty Kamehameha V.

I shall communicate the melancholy information to Her Majesty’s government, and I am assured that the intelligence will be received by Her Majesty Queen Victoria with profound grief.

I have the honor to be, sir, with the highest consideration, your excellency’s obedient humble servant,

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s letter of December 11, announcing the death of His Majesty Kamehameha V, at 20 minutes past 10 on the forenoon of 11th of December.

This sad news has filled me with profound grief, and I beg most respectfully to request your excellency that you will be pleased to express to the members of the royal family my sincere condolence and sympathy in their and the Hawaiian nation’s affliction.

I shall not fail to inform the government of the German Empire, and the kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, of this melancholy event, and beg your excellency to receive the assurance of the respect and consideration with which I have the honor to he your excellency’s most obedient servant,

Sir: With deep regret I received your excellency’s dispatch informing me of the demise of His late Majesty Kamehameha V, at 20 minutes past 10 o’clock on the 11th instant. I shall not fail to inform the imperial and royal Austro-Hungarian government of this sad event by the first opportunity.

I have the honor to remain your excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of the 11th instant, informing me of the demise of His Majesty Kamehameha V, yesterday at 20 minutes past 10 o’clock a.m.

I beg most respectfully to join with yourself and all who have the well-being of the Hawaiian nation at heart in the expressions of heartfelt grief at the loss sustained by the early death of the last of the Kamehamehas.

By the first opportunity I shall not fail to inform my government of this sad event.

I have the honor to remain your excellency’s most obedient humble servant,

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s dispatch or yesterday, by which I received the mournful intelligence of the sudden and unexpected demise of His Majesty King Kamehamaha V.

I beg to assure your excellency of the profound feelings of sympathy and condolence with the royal family and the Hawaiian nation with which this sad event has filled me, and have the honor to remain your excellency’s most obedient, humble servant,

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of yesterday, December 11, apprising me of the death of His Majesty Kamehameha V at 20 minutes past 10 o’clock.

By first opportunity I shall not fail to inform my government of this sad and melancholy event.

Assuring your excellency of my deep regret and sympathy for the royal family and Hawaiian nation, I have the honor to remain, sir, your excellency’s most obedient servant,

Sir: It is with feelings of sadness I acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication, conveying the mournful intelligence of the decease of His late Majesty Kamehameha V. This afflicting event I will make known to the government I represent. Expressing the deep sympathy I feel with you at the loss this nation has sustained by this bereavement, I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your most obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of December 11, announcing that it has pleased Almighty God to call hence your late sovereign, Kamehameha V, at 20 minutes past 10 on the forenoon of the 11th of December.

This sad intelligence has not failed to make the impression of profound grief upon me, and I hereby most respectfully request your excellency to express my feelings of condolence and sympathy for this mournful loss to the members of the royal family.

His Russian Imperial Majesty’s government will be informed of this melancholy event by first opportunity.

Renewing the assurance of my profound respect and consideration, I remain,

Your excellency’s most obedient servant,

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of December 11, in which you convey to me the melancholy intelligence of the demise of his late Majesty Kamehameha V.

This sad, and to me unexpected, event has filled me with profound grief, and your excellency will permit me to convey through you to the members of the royal family my expressions of deep sympathy with them in their sad affliction.

I have the honor to subscribe myself, with the highest consideration,

Your most obedient servant,