The group was headed by an executive committee of lawyers and businessmen mostly of non-aboriginal non-indigenous naturalized United States citizens.

[4]: 352–353 In June 1887, the Hawaiian League used the Rifles to force King Kalākaua to enact the Bayonet Constitution which limited his power.

Because the members had strong political ties with United States Government Minister John L. Stevens, the requests were repeatedly denied, fearing if approved, the arrests would escalate the situation.

Wilson and Captain of the Royal Household Guard Samuel Nowlein had rallied a force of 496 men who were kept at hand to protect the Queen.

The Committee of Safety feared the shooting would bring government forces to root out the conspirators and stop the coup before it could begin.

United States Government Minister John L. Stevens, advised about these supposed threats to non-combatant American lives and property[6] by the Committee of Safety, obliged their request and summoned a company of uniformed U.S. Marines from the USS Boston and two companies of U.S. sailors to land on the Kingdom and take up positions at the U.S. Legation, Consulate, and Arion Hall on the afternoon of January 16, 1893.

The sailors and marines did not enter the Palace grounds or take over any buildings, and never fired a shot, but their presence served to intimidate royalist defenders.

Historian William Russ states, "the injunction to prevent fighting of any kind made it impossible for the monarchy to protect itself.

The Committee of Safety issued the following proclamation, read aloud on January 17 by its chairman Henry E. Cooper to a large crowd assembled in front of the royal residence ʻIolani Palace:[8] "First – The Hawaiian monarchial system of government is hereby abrogated.

Along with every other international legations in Honolulu, the Japanese Consulate-General, Suburo Fujii, quickly recognized the Provisional Government as the legitimate successor to the monarchy.

Countries recognizing the new Provisional Government included Chile, Austria-Hungary, Mexico, Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Great Britain, Denmark, Belgium, China, Peru, and France.