The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-12-27

SUI Nltlutu lti duNltIlNN " IltNful "
collision Of armed forces and loss of life,
and only until such time as the Govern
ment of the United States, upon the
facts being presented to it, should undo
its action and rcinstatc her. The Pro
visional Government, with this I'M
answered protest in hand, proceeded to
negotiate with the United States for the
permanent Punishment of the Queen |
from power and for the sale of hel
kingdom. | believe that candid and .
thorough examination of the facts will /
force the conviction that the Provisional /.
Government owes its existence to armed I.
invasion by the United States As | |
apprchend the situation, we are
brought face to face with the fol !
lowing conditions; The lawful
Government of Hawaii was oyer
thrown without drawing sword or fir
ing shot. by process every step of
which it may safely be asserted, is di-
rectly traceablc and dependent for its
success upon the agency of the United
States, acting through our representa-.
lives But for the notorious predictions
of the annexation committee the idea of
annexation would never have existed.
But for the landing of United States
forces the committee would never have
expose Themselves to the pains and
penalties of casuu by undertaking the
suhyersion of the queens Government.
But for the presence of United States
forces the committee would not have
proclaimed the Provisional Government
| from the steps of the government build
. ings, and, finally but for the lawless
occupation of Honolulu under false pre-
/ texts by United States forces. and but
4 for Minister Stevens recognition of the
/ Provisional Government when the Unit
ed States forces were the sole support of
/ the queen, her Government would never
/ have yielded to the Provisional Govern
ment. Believing, therefore, that the
| United States could not under
/ the circumstances disclosed, an
mex the islands without Justly
! mourning the imputaton of acquiring
/ them 10y uniustihabe methods, | shall
not again submit the treaty of an
ucNation to the Senate for ITS con-
sidcra,ion. This decision appears i'm
| the instructions of Minister Willis.
a copy of which accompanies this mess
age. | have instructed him to so in
/ form the Provisional Government, but
/ in the present instance our duty does
not, in my opinion, end with refusing to
Cousummatc this questionable transac-
! ton. II has been the boast of our Gov
ernment that it seeks to do Justice i'm all
! things, without regard to the strength
or weakness of those with whom it
deals. BY an act of war, committed
with the participation of the diplon a,ic
representative of the United States.
without the authority of Congress. the
Cover nmcnt of friendly and conlidrg
population has been overthrown, and a
substantial wrong has thus been done.
which due regard for our national char
acter, as well as the rights of the in
iurcd people. require we should en-
deaVOr to repair.
THE Provisional Government has not
assumed Republican or other Consti.
lutional form, but has remained mere
executive council or oligarChv. Ii has
not sought to find permanent basis of
popular support; indeed, the repre-
sentatives of that Government assert
that the people of Hawaii are unfit FOR
popular government, and frankly avow
that they can best he ruled by an arbi-
trary and dospotic power. The United
States cannot properly bc put in the
position of countenancing the wrong
after its commission any more than il
can of COnscnting that it shall advance
on that ground. 1t cannot allow itself
to refuse to redress the injury inflicted
through abuse of power by officers
clothed with its authority and wearing
its uniform, and on the same ground if
a feeble but friendly state is in danger
of being robbed of its independence or
its sovereignty by misuse of the
name and power of the United States.
the United States cannot fail to
vindiCatc its honor and its sense Of
justice by an earnest effort to make all
possible reparation.'
In behalf of the Queen as well as her
enemies | would be willing to adopt
such a course as would meet these con
ditions and view as fact that both the
Queen and the Provisional Government
had at one time apparently aCquiesced
in reference of the entire case to the
United States Government, and Consid-
ering the further fact that the Provi-
sional Government by its own declara-
ton was limited only to exist until
terms of Union with the United States
of America had been negotiated and
agreed upon. | had further hoped, after
receiving assurances from the members
of the Government that such a union
could not he contaminated, that a
peaceful ad justmcnt might he made
without difficulty. Actuatcd by these
desires and purposes, | instructed
porters of my desire to aid in the resto-
ration of the status existing before the
lawless landing of the United States
forces in Honolulu on the 10Th of Janu-
AIRY last, if such restoration could be
effected upon terms providing for
ClemenCy as well as justice to all parties
concerned. The conditions suggested,
as the instructions show, contemplate
general amnesty 70 all those concerned
in setting up the Provisional Govern
ment and recognition of all its bona .fde
acts, obligations. and in short that the
restored Government should resume
authority as if its continuity had
not been interrupted. These conditions
have not proved acceptable to the
queen although she has been inform
ed they will be insisted upon and unless
acceded to that the effort of the Presi-
dent to aid in the restoration of her
government will cease. | have not thus
far learned whether she was willing to
yield them her acqulescence and the
check which my plans have thus en-
countered prevented their presentation to
the members of the Provisional Govern.
ment. while unfortunate public msre-
presentations OF the situation and ex-
aggerated statements affecting the senti-
ments of our people have obviously IN
iured the prospects of successful eXecu-
tive mediation. Therefore, I submit
this communication with its accompany
ing exhibits, embracing Blount's report,
evidence and statements taken by
him in Honolulu, instructions
given both Blount and Willis and cor
respondence connected with the affair
in hand. Commenting this subject to
the extended powers and wide discre-
ton of Congress desire to add the as
surance that | shall be gratified to
cooperate in any legislative plan which
may be desired for the solution of the
problem before us which is consistent
with American honor, integrity and
morality.
(Signed), GROVER CLEVELAND,
Executive Mansion,
Washington, Dec. Is, 1898,
Morgan and Faulkner.