The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-28

Gresham.
Washington, December 27.-The sub.
committee of the Senate committee on
foreign relations which was charged with
an inquiry into the events leading up
to the revolution in Hawaii, the in
staliation of the provisional government
and the conduct of the executive branch
of this government in the matter, met
this morning at the capitol. One mem
ber was absent, Senator Butler of South
Carolina. The mem bers present were
Senator Morgan, chairman and Senators
Gray of Delaware, Frye of Maine and
Sherman of Ohio
The committee adjourned at 1.15 until
Tuesday mor1ang. The sergeant-at-arms
was no titled to subpoena a number of
witnesses, who will be in attendance on
that day. Among them are Prof. Alex
ander, surveyor general of the islands,
and ex-Minister Stevens, who will reach
Washington before Tuesday morning.
The committee will adhere to it's conclu-
sion to conduct the inquiry in secret, not
the people, but to prevent the publica-
tion of anything that might Interfere
with our relations with foreign govern
ments, Hawaii especially, and for the
further purpose of preventing express
sions and sentiments of purely personal
nature, which may crop out during the
investigation, from hnding publicity.
Talks with members of the committee
and men prominent both in this commit
tee and on the floor of the Senate lead to
the conclusion that when the committee
is ready to make its report, the report
will be brought before the Senate in
open session, SO the whole country may
know just what it has done and what
conclusions it has reached. Senator
Frye, a warm personal friend of ex
Minister Stevens, and Mr.. Sherman, the
other Republican member of the COM
mittee, will see to it that the adminis-
tration of Mr.. Harrison is protected
throughout the inquiry. Mr.. Morgan,
chairman of the committee, is for the
right wherever it may be found. His
policy in conducting the inquiry is to
get at the facts from every source, SO the
conclusion based upon all the facts, mar
show the exact status of the case. He
will, as a member of the committee said
today, deal with the matter as iurist
would with case before him, and will
find for the parties in interest with i'm
partiality. When the President sent his
message on the Hawaiian matter to the
Senate, two letters were withheld, Mr..
Cleveland stating it was incompatible
with the public welfare to transmit
them. One letter was from Minister
Willis, sent to the State Departments
shortly after his arrival on the islands,
and presumably the one which caused
the change in the policy of the admins
tration. The other was from Minister
Stevens, when he was in charge of the
affairs of this country in Hawaii. Both
these letters will be called for by the
committee, and it is thought the Presi-
dent will not refuse to submit them.
Another letter about which very little
has been said is one written by Minister
Thurston to Mr.. Gresham, just before his
departure for Hawaii. Tne speech Of
Senator Hoar in the Senate the other day
indicated that he, at least, had an ink
ling of the text of this letter. 1t is said
to be very remarkable document bear
ing upon the subject of international re-
lations and presenting some views which
will be of interest to the committee. Mr..
Gresham may be called upon to deliver
this letter to the Senate committee. At
all events, it is known no effort will be
made to gain it. There is an evident
disposition on the part of the committee
to discuss the Hawaiian question from
the standpoint of the value of the
islands to the United States as stragetic
position.