Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-11

Similar language, continues the report,
is found in an official letter addressed to
Secretary Foster on February by the spe-
ciai commissioner sent to Washington by
the provisional government to negotiate
treaty of annexation.
These statements are utterly at variance
with the evidence, documentary and oral.
contained In Mr.. Blounts reports. They
are contradicted, says Secretary Gresham,
oy declarations and letters of President
ooie' ana other anneXationists, and by Mr..
Stevens own verbal admission m Mr.
Blount
1t Is fair to say that Secretary Fosters
statements were based upon information
whlch ne mad received from Mr.. Stevens and
the special commissioners, but l am unable
to see that they were deceived" So saws
secretary Gresham. 1.-THE troops were
landed not to protect American life and
properly but to aid in overthrowing the
existing government Their very presence
implied coercive measures against it."
The Secretary's Conclusions.
Secretary Gresham concludes his report
as follows:
The earnest appeals to the American
minister for military protection by the Off
GERS OF the provisional government, after III
had been recognized, show the utter absurd
ity OF the claim that it was established by a
successful revolution of the people of the
lsiands. These appeals were a confession
oy the men who made them of their weak
ness ana tmidity. Courageous men, cvn-
scious OF their strength and the justice Of
their cause, do not thus act.
II Is not now claimed that a majority of
the people having the right to vote under
the costitution of 1887 ever favored the
existing authority, or annexation to this or
any other country. They earnestly desire
that the government of their choice shall be
restored, ard its independence respected
BlOnnt a hot u,bi oI,,l,,
ne did not meet single annexationist who
expressed Willingness to submit the Ques-
ton to vote Of the people, nor did he talk
with one on that subject who did not insist
that, II the Islands were annexed, suffrage
should be so restricted as to give complete
control to foreigners o. whites, and repre-
sentative annexationistS have repeatedly
made similar statements to the undersigned
The government Of Hawaii surrendered its
authority under threat of war, until such
| time only as the government of the United
States upon the facts being presented to it,
should reinstate the constitutional sovereign,
and the provisional government was created
to exist until terms Of union with the
United States of America have been nego-
tiated and agreed upon
"A careful consideration Of the facts will
think, convince you that the treaty which
was withdrawn from the Senate for further
con sideration should not be resubmitted for
its action thereon.
Should not the great wrong done to a
| feeble but Independent state by an abuse of
the authority of the United States be undone
by restoring the legitimate government?
Anything short of that will not, respect
| fully submit, satisfy the demands of justice.
Can the United States consistently insist
that other nations shall respect the indie
pendence of Hawaii while not respecting 1t
themselves? Our government was the first
| to recognize the independence of the islands,
and it should be the last to acquire SOW
e-eignty over them by force and fraud"
The above report to the President was
made October IS, but its publication was not
| authorized until yesterday.
Senator Morgnn's Comments.
Senator Morgan, chairman Of the COM
mittee en- foreign relations. was at first
averse to discussing the matter owing to
the position he held but finally. speaking.
| as he said, conservatively upon what seemed
| to be the logic Of the situation. he said:
Before expressing any opinion as IL what
is the attitude Of the United States on this
question. and how far 1t is to be justified. l
would like to know to whom Minister Will
lis was accredited when he was sent by
this government to the Hawaiian Islands
After the provisional government was es-
| tablished there. the President Of the United
States recognized 1t the government de
jure by sending Mr.. Blount to confer with
President Dole. While Mr.. Blour was
| there the troops were ordered back and the
flag Of the United States, flying over the
barracks where the troops were stationed.
was hauled down. This merely indicated
to my mind, at least that the bivouac Of
the troops had been broken UP and they
had returned to their quarters on shipboard.
That act was not the withdrawal Of an in
PREVENTION on the part Of the United States
| except for the preservation of the peace
and the protection of American citizens on
the islands. 1 never understood 1t was the
assertion of sovereignty by the United
States over the islands and / cannot under
stand why the withdrawal Of troops under
such circumstances could be construed as
a withdrawal Of the moral support of the
United States to the government existing
there. unless the United States had invaded
Hawaii and assumed sovereign turisdicti ton,
which was not the case. The United States
did not intervene to establish a provisional
government in Hawaii. 1t only interviewed
| 20 preserve the peace and protect American
citizens. 1t withdrew the troops, leaving
| the provisional government in FULL peace
able and uninterrupted possession as the
sovereign power of those islands. To in
terfere now to reinstate the queen would,
under the circumstances. be simply the re-
establishment of monarchy. without any
other excuse than the mere assertion Of it's
legitimacy as compared with that Of the
provisional government"
Ex-Minister Stevens' Strong Language
dispatch from Augusta, Me-, quotes Mr..
John l.. Stevens, late minister to Hawaii,
as follows on the subject of Secretary Gres-
hams report:
1.-The position to which Secretary Gresham
has seen fit to commit himself is so extra
ordinary, so void of a real foundation of
| truth. so calumnious of the living and the
dead, that l have no extended reply to
make at this time. I prefer to let time and
events and history decide as to the issue the
Secretary has raised against the provisional
government and the aspersions he sees fit
to cast on the deceased captain of the Bos-
ton, the officers under his command and
myself. The way the United States minis
ter and the officer of the Boston discharged
their responsibilities at Honolulu in Janu-
airy last was more than covered by Secre-
tary Bayard's instructions. approved by
President Cleveland. of July Il, 1887. Sec
rotary Gresham has allowed his party pre-
JUDGES and animositieS to raise an issue
which Congress, full sitting of facts and
an intelligent public opinion will determine
justly"
Some Ancient Locks.
From the London Daily News.
In discoursinR of locks and safes before