The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-09
TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1898,
WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN ?

One of the royalist prints is again
exerting itself to prove that the United
States forces overthrow the Queen,
saying that letter exists which shows
--actually--that Minister Stevens re-
cognized the new government three
minutes" before Mr.. Dole and his
triumphant party entered the doors of
the Hawaiian Capitol In another
place the same paper charges that an
hour and a half or two hours after that
event had taken place, the Minister
notified Sam Parker and others that he
had recognized the Dole administration,
Inasmuch as the 'three minute stay
belongs exclusively to the antics Of
opera bouffe journalism and the other
tale might be true as gospel and yet
not prove the slightest participancy Of
the United States in the royal over
throw, it is hard to deal with the
diatribe with any degree Of seriousness.
Still for the sake of historical accuracy
the STAR would like to ask the royalist
papers to explain a few points which
are not yet clear although this paper
has once before brought them to their
attention. To proceed;
If the American marines overthrow
the Queen why did she not say so in
her official protest of January 18th p
a protest which covered about every
thing else. The only acts done against
herself and her authority at that time,
of which she and her ministers com
planned, were those of certain persons
claiming to have established a Provi-
sional government" These certain
persons she specified in postscript as
rs. B. Dole Esq, and others compos
ing the Provisional government" The
sole references the ex sovereign made
to american interference" were in the
clause relating to the troops having
landed Ia proceeding which was in no
sense an act of war any more than was
the landing in Alexandria of American
marines during the bombardment of the
that city by the British heet) and in the
assertion that Minister Stevens had de
Clared that he would support the Pro-
visional authority 1t was not even hint
ed in the proclamation that he had said
this in Advance of the institution of the
new regime, an idea which appears to
have been a mere afterthought of those
having the royal case in charge. 1t
may be added that since that time no
scrap of written or oral evidence
which could pass muster in court Of
law has been found to implicate Minis
ter Stevens in the overthrow Of Liluo-
kalani, though it can be clearly proved
that he refused to use his troops for
anything except the protection Vi Amer
lean interests until such time as the Pro
visional forces had taken full control of
the military and civil belongings Of the
old government
Now if the royaist papers can show
how it came about that Liliuokalani
forgot to mention that the American
forces had coerCed her and alleged
instead that the Provisional author
tiles were guilty of the overt acts;
if they can show any international
or other law which makes the landing
of foreign troops to protect foreign life
and property during a revolt an act of
coercion against the local authorities;
if they can prove by an item Of sound
evidence that Minister Stevens con-
nived at the revolution or gave it
military support before it had won its
own way to powerfully then they
will have case to bring before the
United States authorities. Until then
they may as we'll retire, with their be-
draggled plumes, from the field of rev.
dictionary discussion.