Treaty seal of the United States

Whereas, from 1826 until 1893, the United States recognized the independence of the Kingdom of Hawaii, extended full and complete diplomatic recognition to the Hawaiian Government, and entered into treaties and conventions with the Hawaiian monarchs to govern commerce and navigation in 1826, 1842, 1849, 1875, and 1887;

"There shall be perpetual peace and amity between the United States and the King of the Hawaiian Islands, his heirs and his successors." Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, 1849

Pacta Sunt Servanda lies at the core of the law of international agreements and is perhaps the most important principle of international law. It includes the implication that international obligations survive restrictions imposed by domestic law. Restatement of the Law Third, Vol 1 § 321 The Foreign Relations Law of the United States The American Law Institute, 1986

United States Constitution, Article VI § 2 This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

"So here they're admitting that the invasion, overthrow, occupation, annexation, starting in 1893, on up, violated all these treaties, violated basic norms of international law... It even violated the terms of the United States Constitution at the time where treaties were the "supreme law of the land." So again, legally you're in a much different, much better situation than Native Americans." Prof. Francis A. Boyle Dec. 28, 1993