"
His death closed the first era of Hawaiian history, and the orderly
succession of one recognised dynasty. No successor to the throne
had been proclaimed, and the king left no nearer kin than the
Princess Keelikolani, his half-sister, a lady not in the line of
regal descent.
Under these novel circumstances, it devolved upon the Legislative
Assembly to elect by ballot "some native Alii of the kingdom as
successor to the throne." The candidates were the High Chief
Kalakaua, the present King, and Prince Lunalilo, the late King, but
the "Well-Beloved," as Lunalilo was called, was elected unanimously,
amidst an outburst of popular enthusiasm.
From his high resolves and generous instincts much was expected, and
the unhappy failing, to which, after the most painful struggles, he
succumbed, on the solicitation of some bad or thoughtless
foreigners, if it lessened him aught in the public esteem, abated
nothing of the wonderful love that was felt for him.
He died, after a lingering illness, on February 3, 1874. Although
the event had been expected for some time, its announcement was
received with profound sorrow by the whole community, while the
native subjects of the deceased sovereign, according to ancient
custom, expressed their feelings in loud wailing, which echoed
mournfully through the still, red air of early daylight.
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