New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-19
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floor and guessing what Its agents are to be
directed to do by the legislative branch Of the
Government.
It is hard to treat the Presidents message to-
day as a serious State paper on an important
diplomatic topic. OF the fourteen pages Of type,
fully twelve devoted to an elaboration Of
the charges brought against Minister Stevens
In the now generally discredited report oe
Paramount Bount Mr.. Cleveland seems to
harbor the singular Illusion that II he can only
show some evidence Of collusion with the revo-
lutionists on Mr.. Stevens's part, his own even
radical and violent efforts at intervention
in Hawaiian affairs will be at once atoned for
Thus he spends six-sevenths Of his arguments
in restating Mr.. Blount's discoveries about
the character of the revolution of January last.
pushing the Dsinuations or his Paramouns
Commissioner to a PORT which would undouot:
edly make the credulous and preJudiceo
Georgia investigator blush
DIPLOMACY GONE TO WRECK.
Throughout the President assumes without .
shade OF scruple, his own undispntcd authority
to put up the Queen or pull down the Provis-
ional Government as he At. ingeniously al
leging the wholly absurd and worthless appeal
Of the Queen on abdicating for a review Of the
case in Washington asa contract binding upon
both this Government and the contending fac
tions in Hawaii. dim suspicion that the
whole policy of PREPARATION" rests on an uncer.
tain and ridiculous basis is. in fact betrayed In
the admission at one point OF "the fact that Dotn
the Queen and the Provisional Govern
ment had at one time apparently ac-
quIesced in reference of the en-
III. case to the United Stetes Government"
This acquiescence. except TO the President ana
Secretary Gresham, has never been anything
but apparent, and on the falacy OF an accrulng
power TO review and settle the whole question
by n simple dogmatic decision the diplomacy
Of the Administration has gone Wholly 10 wseex. I,
IT, indeed the President was lawful arpiter
between the Queen and the Provisional Govern
ment he must have been invested at the same
time with power to enforce his decision But
this power could only be found in the naval
and military forces Of the United States, and
no strength Of imagination Is sufficient to clothe
the Executive with authority to settle the Hae
waiian dispute by the use OF arms This theory
was abandoned by the President himself in his
latest instructions to Willis, and with IL falls
every pretence which the Administration has
made 10 authority to restore the Queen by "Ex.
ecutive action only. No diplomatic incident. In.
deed has ever left the Administration conduct
and no Presidential message. perhaps has ever
been written in defence OF policy OF such
mingled feebeness and folly as that read from
Mr.. Cleveland to-day.
In the general stupor which fell upon the
Democratic side OF the Senate after the reading
Of the message. most amazing eXhibition or
party stupidity was allowed to occur. Noting
that the Willis instructions had not been In
cuded in the message. several Republican Senae
tors asked that they might be read, for informa-
tion from the accompanying records To the
astonishment Of everybody. Mr.. Butler objected.
and he was sustained In this unreascning course
by Mr.. Voorhees, and Mr. Faulkner and Mr..
Mills Points of parliamentary law were raised
To prevent the reading Of the instructions. which
the Democratic Senators desired TO send unheard
to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Mr..
Morgan. the chairman Of the committee, sat In
his seat and made no sign while the hubbub
against the reading of the instructions contin.
ued and to their credit most OF the other Demo.
cratic Senators quietly disappeared from the
chamber
WHAT WAS MR.. MILLS AFTEg'
Mr. Hoar. Mr.. Chandler Mr.. Allison and other
Republicans insisted that they had right to
hear the instructions and finally the papers were
read and given to the press Mr.. Mills being the
only objector who continued his protests against
this outrage on the Executive until the end oe
the incident. Some Of his colleagues thought the
Texas Senator was in earnest others thought
that he was simply putting a protest in the
slot" 10 get another mi might letter Of thanks
from the President. Mr. Hoar after the instruc-
tlons were read. made motion TO refer the
message and all the papers TO the Committee on
Foreign Relations. and then asked 10 have that
motion go over for day so that chance TO de.
bate the phases of the situation would be
offered tomorrow. Many Senators are not salts
fed that all the correspondence In the case has
been given TO the public. and II is limited that
some further inquiries may be made as TO docu.
ments like the instructions 10 Admiral Irwin,
Minister Williss reports and the letter or MI:
ThurstOn to Secretary Gresham, when are saio
70 be missing.
The anxiety of the Democrats TO smother de-
bate and prevent the reading Of Minister Williss
instructions was the cause OF noisy ana exc
citing scene in the House of Representatives late
this afternoon The special message or the Presi.
dent together with the accompanying documents.
had been received soon after the sitting began,
and printed copies ~ the message mad been dls-
triblted among members Of the House. many
Of whom at once read 1t. Some of the Democrats
were disposed at first 10 criticise the Presiuents
tN,,f ,f
satisfaction that lie had succeeded in putting
80 good a face on the affair." as one or them
phrased It. 90
lister Willis or the dispatch sent to him on DE.
cember 3, the day preceding the assembling OF
Congress which was a Sunday-neither or whlcn
documents was In print. or they might not nave
committed themselves freely In favor OF the
policy outlined and defended in the message
Once having done so, however they @ neI ois con,
strained to stick to It. Close attention was paid
Ia the reading OF the message and as soon as IL
was concluded the cuckoo leaders began 10 Gap
their hands vigorously. and their eSamp,e was
followed with less vgor by considerable pro-
norton Of the Democrats. IL was sort OF ap.
plause which seemed to indicate leelhg Oh Iellet
to find that matters were no wTrse; raenvr % Una"
hearty and enthusiastic approval OF policy.
rpvIxc TO HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS READ
Chairman McCreary AMI Mr. Hit. Of the Com.
rittce on Foreign Affairs. and Mr. Boutellc were
all on their feet. demanding recognition as soon
as the last sentence had been read. Mr. MO.
Creary wanted TO move the reference of the mes.
sage and accompanying documents in order to
nrevent the reading of any Of the latter. ana
Nessrs Hit and Boutelle were trying to In.
sist that the instructions should be read. Mr..
Boutelle finally succeeded in obtaining hearing
and making known his demands chairman NC
Crcarv interposed a point OF order. and the
Speaker ruled that II was well taken. The
Intention TO prevent the reading II possible, was
very evident, but Mr.. Bcutelle persisted In hs
i ba thllmbinR CODY
of the Manual" diligently for some time. finally
found and read a paragraph in which the usage
Of the House In regard to such matters was
described as though that settled II, but Mr..
Boutelle called his attention to the fact that
that was only usage, not a rule OF procedure.
and that II did not conclude the right OF any
member who might demand the reading Of a doc
ument which was reply to a resolution OF tho
House of Representatives adopted In pursuance