10/17/2025
Today is Princess Victoria Ka'iulani's 150th Birthday.
From "Princess Ka'iulani' Her Life and Times":
When Ka'iulani arrived at New York harbor, several newspapers across the United States and Hawaii, published Ka'iulani's statement to the American people:
"Unbidden, stand upon your shores today where I thought so soon to receive a royal welcome on my way to my own kingdom. I come unattended, except by the loving hearts that have come with me over the wintry seas. I hear that commissioners from my land have been for many days asking this great nation to take away my little vineyard. They speak no word to me, and leave me to find out as I can from the rumors of the air that they would leave me without a home, or a name, or a nation.
Seventy years ago Christian America sent over Christian men and women to give religion and civilization to Hawaii. They gave us the gospel, they made us a nation and we learned to love and trust America. Today three of the sons of those missionaries are at your capital asking you to undo their fathers' work. Who sent them? Who gave them authority to break the constitution, which they swore they would uphold.
Today, I, a poor, weak girl, with not one of my people near me, and all these Hawaiian statesmen against me, have strength to stand up for the rights of my people. Even now I can hear their wail in my heart and it gives me strength and courage and I am strong, strong in the faith of God, strong in the knowledge that I am right, strong in the strength of 70,000,000 people who in this free land will hear my cry and will refuse to let their flag cover dishonor to mine.”...
Ka‘iulani’s presence in the US forced the American press to eat their words. They recorded her every move, from the moment she set foot on American soil.
Reports of Ka'iulani's speech quickly reached The White House. President Grover Cleveland and his wife First Lady Frances Cleveland were impressed, and wanted to meet this “Woman of the Hour”. Upon reading the reports of this accomplished, Crown Princess, who was being educated in England in preparation to inherit the throne of Hawaii, Cleveland believed it was possible that he been misinformed about the state of affairs in Hawaii.
"Her beauty, grace and sweetness completely won Mrs. Cleveland's heart, the President was charmed with her—how could it be otherwise? And Mr. Davies’ representations put matters before President Cleveland in a new light. Cleveland became aware of abuses which he had not suspected; he promised to do all he could in the interests of Princess Kaiulani, and he was as good as his word."
In her darkest moments, Ka'iulani found the strength to cross the ocean and fight for her nation. In the face of widespread slander and libel against the Hawaiian people and Monarchy, she faced the world and spoke the truth. Her frank words and stunning beauty took the American President, people, and press, by storm, changing forever their idea of the Hawaiian people. Her mission to America was a triumph. She was only seventeen at the time.
Read more at https://princesskaiulaniproject.com/about_princess_kaiulani.htm
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