objects, both of members of the Reform party and of the so-called Liberals in the elections of 1892. The death of Gov. J. O. Dominis, Aug. 27th, 1891, was a misfortune to the Kingdom, as his influence had always been exerted in favor of constitutional government.

THE EQUAL RIGHTS LEAGUE.

In the spring of 1892, a secret league was formed, headed by Col. V. V. Ashford, R. W. Wilcox, J. E. Bush and others, for the purpose, as they claimed, of "promoting justice and equal rights in the political government of Hawaii." Their objects included the removal of all property qualifications for election of either house, the abolition of monarchy, and ultimate union. with the United States. These measures were then advocated in a newspaper published by J. E. Bush, who afterwards became a royalist. It is stated that this league, about May 1st, numbered over three hundred members, mostly natives and half-whites. There is good reason to believe that at the same time the Queen's party was preparing to promulgate a despotic constitution similar to that which she afterwards attempted to proclaim Jan. 14th, 1893. At first they endeavored to make use of the equal rights league, both parties being opposed for different reasons, to the Reform constitution. Their overtures, however, having been finally rejected, the marshal proceeded on the 20th of May to arrest the principal members of the league for treason and conspiracy. The result

For the purpose of this sketch it is not worth while to give the details of the eight-months' Legislative session of 1892. During the greater part of the session the leaders of the liberal party combined with the reform party, (which lacked a few votes of a majority), to break the power of the palace party, allied as it was, with the powerful opium and lottery rings. Three cabinets in succession were voted out, because they were considered to represent these latter elements, and to be in favor of retaining the marshal.

The lottery bill was introduced into the Legislature Aug. 30, 1892. A secret canvass had previously been made before any discussion of the measure had taken place, and many unthinkingly signed petitions in its favor, who afterwards regretted the act. As soon as the bill was printed, a powerful opposition sprang up against it, and it was shelved, as was supposed, forever.

A bill providing for a Constitutional convention had been killed early in the session. After a struggle of four months the Queen temporarily yielded, and appointed a cabinet composed of conservative men of high character, who possessed the confidence of the country; viz., Hons. Geo. Wilcox, Minister of the Interior; Mark Robinson, Minister of Foreign Affairs; P. C. Jones, Minister of Finance; and Cecil Brown, Attorney-General. This cabinet distinctly declared its policy in regard to the lottery bill, as well as to "fiat" paper money and other subjects, but did not choose to act on the "burning question" of the marshalship while the Legislature was in session. Its course on this point, and the fact that the liberal party was not represented in it, so exasperated the leaders of that party that they joined hands with the lottery ring and voted for measures which they had previously denounced on the floor of the house. Near the end of the session, in the absence of six of its opponents, the lottery bill was suddenly brought up, rushed through and passed, to the surprise and horror of the community, undoubtedly by lavish bribery, only one white man voting for it. By the same voters an opium license bill was passed, and the Wilcox ministry was voted out January 12th, two days before the close of the session.

The Queen, by whose personal exertions the last measure had been carried, immediately appointed a new cabinet, three of whom had been members of former rejected cabinets, the fourth being the reputed agent of the lottery ring in pur

chasing Legislative votes. The liberal party leaders were ignored. The cabinet now consisted of Hons. S. Parker, Minister of Foreign Affairs; W. Cornwell, Minister of Finance; Arthur P. Peterson, Attorney-General; and John Colburn, Minister of the Interior. The lottery and opium license bills were signed without further delay.

The public indignation was intense, but no revolutionary action was yet thought of. The attempted coup d'etat, which was sprung upon the country the next day, took the community by surprise, and found it entirely unprepared. There is reason, however, to believe that the plot had been deeply laid long before, to be executed at the close of the Legislative session.

From Liliuokalani's own published statement to Col. Blount, it appears that she drafted a new Constitution in the early part of the year 1892, and in the following October placed it for revision in the hands of A. P. Peterson, who kept it for a month. A week before the close of the session, she asked him to draft a preamble for it. She had also received assurances of support from Messrs. Parker and Cornwell.

The lottery was expected by the Queen to be a source of revenue, which would render her less dependent on loans. It was also expected that the lottery company, being outlawed in the United States, could be relied upon to oppose any movement looking towards annexation.

The passage of that bill, the removal of an upright ministry, and the unsuccessful coup d'etat of the 14th of January,