BAYONET CONSTITUTION EDITORIAL

The goal of the Americans is reform the Hawaiian monarchy. The Hawaiians viewed them with respect and the Americans repaid the respect they were given by helping the Hawaiians reform their government. The leader of the organization who helped reform the Hawaiian government is Lorrin Thurston. The rest of the organization consisted of European and American businessmen and ministry members. This organization saw the Hawaiian government as a nation without morals, the right race ruling it, and they didn’t think that the Hawaiians had the intelligence to govern a country without the help of America. Thurston’s organization wrote the Bayonet Constitution or Hawaiian Kingdom Constitution of 1887. King Kalakaua, who ruled as the Hawaiian monarch signed the Bayonet Constitution in 1887. Hawaii, who was a godless nation is now in the hands of the one and only. As the first article of the Bayonet Constitution says, “God hath endowed all men with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the right of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and of pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness.” (Bayonet Constitution – Article 1, 1887) The King, who had all of the power of the nation, is demoted as a figurehead. Also, only the people who can vote are required to have property and money, meaning that only well-educated people will lead the nation to its success. That is only the beginning. The Hawaiian society is filled with extreme sinners. They have developed to be polytheistic, incest, commits infanticide, gave away children to friends or relatives, remained naked and performed sexual actions publicly, and many more. The Bayonet Constitution is what helped Hawaii develop to be a better nation.