Albert Sydney Willis was Minister to Hawai‘i in the administration of President of the United States Grover Cleveland. Originally a politician from Kentucky, Willis was sent to Hawai‘i on a secret mission to meet with Queen Lili‘uokalani and obtain a promise of amnesty for those involved in the overthrow of the monarchy if Cleveland restored her to the throne. After successfully securing such promise, Willis demanded on behalf of Cleveland to dissolve the Provisional Government of Hawai‘i. Willis' mission was deemed a failure when Sanford B. Dole sent a written reply declining the surrender of his authority to the deposed queen.