Clip from Nation Within

produced by Tom Coffman

During the first year, hopes rose and fell and rose again. The bell rang every morning before dawn at Kaumakapili Church, calling the Hawaiian citizens to pray for restoration of the native government.

The Queen spent New Year's Eve of 1894 in seclusion at Washington Place. She wrote in her diary that the missionary descendants were gathered at their coral church, singing praises to God, while their spies were lurking and fifty armed men roamed the streets.

Rumors circulated that she was to be assassinated.

Finally she dozed, only to be awakened by the explosion of fireworks and the ringing of church bells. She resumed her writing.