_His Majesty's Letter to Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland._[A]
GREAT AND GOOD FRIEND:--Believing that Your Majesty takes a
sincere interest in every thing which concerns the Hawaiian
nation, I doubt not but that You will partake in my sorrow for
the loss of my Predecessor, Kamehameha III., who died on the
15th of December last.
In accordance with the will of the late King, and the
Constitution of my Realm, I have succeeded to the throne of my
forefathers. My anxious endeavor will be to rule for the good
of my subjects, and of all foreigners residing within my
jurisdiction; and, in so doing, I shall rely, under God, upon
the sympathy and good will of Your Majesty, and of the British
nation.
Your Good Friend,
(Signed,) KAMEHAMEHA.
By the King.
(Signed,) R. C. WYLLIE.
[Footnote A: The same letter, _mutatis mutandis_, was sent to their
Majesties the Emperor of the French, the Emperor of Russia, Kings of
Denmark, Prussia, Sweden and Norway, Presidents of the United States, of
Hamburg, Bremen, Chile, and Peru.]