9 6 , ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Hawai i ▁act ively ▁sought ▁an nex ation ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁However , ▁despite ▁int ensive ▁debate ▁on ▁the ▁matter ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature , ▁an nex ation ▁was ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Pres iden cy , ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Hawai i , ▁and ▁much ▁of ▁Congress ; ▁the ▁Tur pie ▁Resol ution ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁took ▁an nex ation ▁off ▁the ▁table ▁entirely . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁expansion ist ▁president ▁William ▁McK in ley ▁was ▁elected . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁McK in ley ▁negoti ated ▁a ▁treat y ▁with ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Hawai i , ▁which ▁he ▁attempted ▁un success fully ▁to ▁pass ▁through ▁Congress ; ▁however , ▁only ▁ 4 6 ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 0 ▁requ is ite ▁votes ▁were ▁proc ured , ▁and ▁so ▁the ▁treat y ▁failed . ▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁in ▁Hawai i ▁was ▁indeed ▁voc ifer ously ▁opposed ▁to ▁U . S . ▁an nex ation . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁single ▁week long ▁pet ition ▁drive , ▁ 2 1 , 0 0 0 ▁sign atures — re present ing ▁well ▁over ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁adult ▁population ▁of ▁Hawai i ▁at ▁the ▁time — w ere ▁proc ured ▁by ▁horse back , ▁boat ▁and ▁foot ▁travel . ▁ ▁These ▁pet itions ▁were ▁hand - car ried ▁to ▁Washington ▁and ▁delivered ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate . ▁