The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-31

Washington, Dec. 3O.-The Republican
members of the foreign affairs commit
tee have accepted the minority report
on the resolution presented by Chair
man AIcCreery on the day Congress ad-
journed as a substitute for the Hit
resolution. The report was prepared
by Storer, of Ohio, and signed by Hit,
Harmer. Blair, Draper and Van Yoor-
hees of New York. 1t is very volumin-
Gus and goes into detail of the whole
history OF Blounts appointment as COM
missioner paramount and the course of
the administration. when President
Cleveland was inaugurated. March 4.
1888, says the report. the Hawaiians
were under the control of a republican
government, already recognized not
only by the United States, but by every
civilized nation. This government was
in name provisional, but in fact was to
remain in existence for an indefinite
period until the time when the terms
of union with the United States should
have been agreed upon The minister
plenipotentiary of the United States to
Hawaii was in person at his post and
the Senate OF the United States was in
session. The president sent to the
rotary Of state, and that body on March
5 confirmed the appointment 1t was at
that time publicly stated though as yet
not officially known. that James NJ.
Blount had started from Washington,
on March Z. on a mission to the Ha-
waiian islands with verbal set of in
structions from the president If this be
true, his subsequent written instruc-
tons, not made public until November
last must have been forwarded to
Blount after his departure from Wash
ington, as they bear the date of March
IL"
The report discusses at length the
presidents power to appoint a diplo-
matte officer armed with the powers
given to Blount without the consent
Of the Senate. This. the report says,
covers al that is needed to show how
the president ignored the plain Ian
guage of the Constitution He has
assumed to appoint, of his own Volt
ton. without the advice of the Sen
ate. a diplomatic officer with paramount
powers. The real purpose Of Blaunt' s
mission is not expressed in written
words, but cannot be concealed He
was to make a case against the Ameri-
can minister and discredit the friendly
government he was accredited to, and
was apparently, to use the words of
President Cleveland to President Dole.
TO advance the interests and prosperity
OF both governments In reality. ii was
facts as might appear to be a stain
both on that friendly government and
the views and recommendations of the
former administration of his own gov
eminent. Not content with withdraw
ing the Foster treaty from the Senate.
which may have been his constitutional
right the president was led to employ
nc ND
Stltuuonal agent to reverse and dis
credit the policy of the prece ding adj
mlnistration. This is more than an in
novaton in our foreign policy, hitherto
consistent and steady, since the first
days of the republic. 1t is an un-
written, but universally accepted law
that no administration Of any represen-
tauve government ever condemns the
international policy Of a preceding ad-
ulnlStrauon, for in so doing If Honld
attack its own government. The secret
and confidential instructions to Minister
Willis were made known to Congress
only after a resolution calling upon
the executive for the same had been
unanimously adopted by the House.
The official reports Of the secretary of
state, kept secret from the 18th of Oc-
tober until a week after the November
elections and then made public. aroused
an almost universal expression of pub
lie diSapproVal among the American
people. The language of the report of
the secretary of state, admitted by and
approved by the president and currently
believed and stated to have been
dictated by him, was clear and ex-
pucIt. Nothing short Of reinstatinpr
the abdicated queen could reach the
level of justice. A friendly and firmly
established and universally recognized
government was to be deposed and a
,<.f,I rob :
patches. was to be set up by the min
lister Of the United States in the name
of justice. The falseness- of the situa-
ton thus created. by giving secret in
strucuons TO a minister of the United
States to intrigue and negotiate for the
overthrow Of a government to which
he had been formally accredited. does
not seem to have struck the admins
tration- It did strike the peoDle of fhe
United States, however. Public opin-
ion had spoken and would speak still
louder and if success was to be gained
it must be gained quickly: therefore
on Nov. "a. ten days before the as
semblying Of Congress the secretary of
state telegraphed to Willis to nut an
end to delays. You viii insist upon
amnesty and the recognition of the oh
legations Of the provisional government
as essential conditions to restoration
All interests viii be promoted nv
prompt action How the interests Of
the existing friendly government of
Hawaii were to be promoted by prompt
action in restoring the monarch, is not
self evident"
The report discussed TIE presidents
peculiar position in imposing upon The
queen, as a condition precedent TO the
instatement certain peremptory de-
mands as TO amnesty. etc. which were
tantamount to absolute dictation and
completely subversive Of the indeDen-
dent sovereignty of the government tn
be reinstated
The ex-uueen was evidently disfrust-
ful OF the influence or powers. of tbe
president and asked what assurances
she would have for the faithful carving
out IF the scheme on the part of The
administration. Whatever may have
been the manner of her request. the
answer. true but tsrdy. was teleGraphed
Willis on Dec. 2, the iav before the
oDening nf Congress-: 'sYou viii saw
the president cannot use force Without
the authority of CONGRESS-,
There is no question here before rs
Of annexation. no Issue as to fhe pro
priety- of Minister Stevens. action. for
as to that we know only one side was
prepared bV an agent hostile to the
administration Of which Stevens form
ed part There is no ground of de-