The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-30
Ex-Minister Stevens Defends
Himself From Attack.
QUEEN LII DgPosso HERSELF.
Troops Not Landed Till Provisional
Government Was Established.
The Paramount Comnfssiener Was .
Royaitst when He Arrived In Ha-
Waffle Treated Leading Ci,isens
Most uneiviiiy.

AusrsrA. Ne Nov ~ This IS ex. Minis
ter Stevens answer 10 Commissioner
Bsount:
Il deep sense of obligation to nav ccun-
try and a minister duty to defrnd an In
suit threatened against \ s.ru ggiing Amer
lean colony. planted as righteously and
firmly on the North Pacific isles as our
Pilgrim fathers established themselves on
Plymouth rock. demand that I shall
make answer 10 the astonishing misrepre-
senfations and untruths OF Comnli ssioner
Biount's report on Hawaiian affairs Not
wishing TO be severe on a neophvte in
diplomacy. with no knowledge of the
worlds affairs outside Of his own country,
sent on very peculiar errand amid cur
rents and quicksands entirely unknown TO
him, Isay ne has been partly . victim of
circunstanees. having been caught in
meshes and snares adroitiy prepared for
him by cunning advisers OF the fallen
Liliuokaiani and by shrewd, sharp long
experienced British diplomatic agent,
whoss aims and hopes Biount has served
% we'll and without the least suspicion
that he was aiding ultrs- British interests
even more than he was helping the Ha-
waiisn monarchists.
1T is clear enough from Blouut's man.
ner from the day Of his arrival at Homo
lulu. as we'll as by his letter to the depart
ment Of state written shortly after, that he
designed. at whatever cost, 20 repudiate
the views and actions of the recently ter
minated administration, and that in order
TO do so he must impugn the action of
Minister Stevens and the commander OF
the United States steamer Boston. A
total stranger, il was impossible for Mr..
Biount TO know how uniting il was for
him to.take UP his quarters where he was
surrounded by royaiists and where the
supporters Of the provisional government
would be reluctant TO 20. As prscau-
tionary safeguard against shutting out
Americans from ready access TO Com.
missioner Blount. . wealthy and
highly respectable widow lady Of
the American colony Was ready
to grant tho use Of her house to Mr.. and
Mrs. Blount. the commissioner 10 pay the
same amount IL would cost him to live at
the Royaiist hotel. This polite offer of
an American resident to the American
com missioner did not originate with tho
provisional government, nor did the pro-
visional government have anything to do
with the proposed arrangement. A COM
mittee of three American citizens, born
and educated in the United States,
men who hsd not taken part IN the
revolutionary proceedings in previous
weeks, went on board the Rush when that
vessel came into the harbor. At the re-
quest of the three American gentlemen
introduced them to Mr.. BIounf. His man.
ner of receiving their visit rcpelled them.
and they asked me TO state reasons why IL
could not b pleasant to him and
better for all c0ncesHe1 not TO 80
TO the Royalist hotel, but take .
residence on neutral ground, where he
would be master of hts own surroundings.
As deiicateIy as could stated the Offer
of committee of his eountrymep. point
ing out to him that by accepting their
proposal he would be near the archives Of
the legation, which he could con-
venicntly use, and which l would be
pleased to at once place at his disposal.
"Brusquely he refused the courteous
and honestly intended offer Of his coun-
trymen and at once placed himself among
Toyaiisr and ultra British surroundings.
The insinuations and implications in
Blount's report that / was averse to his
access to the legation records is q shame
less perversion of the facts took to
Merrill 10 Secretary Bayard. and
the printed records of the re-
Gently adjourned legislature, con-
tanning the recorded votes for and
against the lottery gang, the recorded
votes as to the recent changes OF ministers
and an official copy ot the lottery charter,
evidence Of decisive value If he had really
than 10 convict Harrson's administration
and the senate foreign affairs committee
of hasty and ill-adyised action In January
and February last His manner while
allowing me TO leave these important doc
uments in his room showed that he cared
not TO receive them. and the general driit
OF his reply ind icates that he did not even
read them.
.'Under date of April q he says he dis
approved of the request of the provisional
government that the American forces be
landed for drill. / here affirm that the
provisional government never made such
a request. The provisional government
followed the exact course followed under
the monarchy"
Referring to Blount's assertion that he
put an end to Hawaiian anxiety about
Japanese encroachments, Stevens recites
I'm detail numerous interviews with the
Japanese minister prior TO B.ount's ar
rival aud says:
"Biount's claim Is pure assumption. In
Blount's report. as given TO the press, /
find the following: Two leading members
OF the COMMITTEES. Messrs. Thursion and
Smith. growing uneasy as to the safety Of
their persons, went TO Minister Stevens TO
know ii he would protect them in the
event OF their arrest by the authorities TO
which he gave his assent IL is enough to
say there is not sembiance OF truth in
this .asseriion Of Blount. made by him
without his ever having hinted IL to me or
made any inquiry OF rue on the subject.
lie thus gives the signature of his indorse-
men. TO q charge never even heard of
until I found il in Blouns's report
s.He says the response 10 the call OF the
committee of safety 20 land men from the
Boston does not appear in the fiies OF the
legation. The meaning Of this insinua-
!
never wHs any such document / received
the invitation Of the committee of safety
for v hat it va. worth, as received other
information on the same subject should
have requested Capt. WItse to land his
forces even had not the committee re-
quessed IL.
"BloGnt squarely ssserts that + prom
ised 20 aid the COMMITTEES of safety by
force. This = enphaticaily and cafegor-
ieaiiy untrue. In reply to the rival par
ties al different times. whether represent
aiiyes OF the queen or her opponents, my
answer was always the same, that the
forces should nos land until dancer should
be plainly imminent. and then only to
project American bis and property.
and 10 no one did ever
hint that could or would
recognize any bat the De faeto government.
whether nouarcnlea or republican, a.
ss.d in nv letter 20 Secretary Gresham
here affirm thar the royalisEs and their op-
ponents had equal access 10 the legation
and 10 i,s osseisI head. The best an.
swer 10 the basele.s charge that
promised to use forcs against the
queen - the order OF Capt. Wiltse
/ 10 his officers and men TO remain passive.
and thai no force sGs ss be used, thongn
the queen, through fsr ministers. strongly y
requested il hours before shs provisional
goyernmen, was recognized By ms sad al