The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-15
BLOUNT GOES TO HAWAII
CLEVELAND MAKES HIM A sPR.
CIAL COMMISSIONER.

His Mission a Secret One and His Re-
and Not Given to the Pubhc-He Win
Be Paid q Handsome Salary Out OF
the Contingent Fund.
WASHINGTON, March 14.-Ex-R Represent
alive BlounE Of Georgia, chairman of the
committee on foreign affairs in the last
House, has been sent by President Cleveland
as gpecial commissioner to Honolulu to iu-
vestigate and report as to the Hawaiian
situation. Mr.. Blount, who returned from
Georgia on Sunday on telegraphic request
from the President, sent through Secretary
Hoke Smith, received his instructions in
several conversations with the President
and Secretary Gresham, concluding with
an interview with the entire cabinet
at its meeting to-day, and took his
leave aud departed for Honolulu
this evening. He will begin his in-
vestigation as soon as he arrives, and
VIII make his report as soon as possible. He
will not necessarily return with his report,
but will probably remain at Honolulu until
be is summoned to Washington ready to
make any additional investigation which
may be required. While he goes only as a
commissioner Mr.. Blount will practically
supersede, as to his functions, Minister
Stevens, being clothed with full authority
for his mission, which in itself indicates
tnat the present administration does not
rely upon the dispatches or accept the
recommendations of Minister Stevens.
HIS MISSION A SECRET ONE.
Mr. Blount's mission is a secret one, and
bis reports will be confidential oommunica-
tions for the information Of the President
and not for publication. He will be given
a handsome salary out Of the contingent
fund of the state department. Pending his
investigation and report the statu quo on
the islands will be maintained. The admin
istration proposes to see that the United
States loses none of its rights legal or
moral, In Hawaii. The Hawaiian treaty
will remain on the Presidents table until
the President has received and considered
Commissioner Blouut's report, or reports.
1t is regarded as unlikely that the President
will return 1t to the Senate. 1t is ex-
pected that the information to be received
from Commissioner Blount will not support
this treaty and that either a protectorate or
annexation under other conditions will be
the ultimate outcome. The whole matter
is so jsalously guarded by the state depart
ment shat it is impossible Tonight to get
the details of Commissioner Blount's in
structons, but it is known shat the general
tenor of them requires thorough and ex7
haustive examination of all the facts with
especial regard to the objections raised
against the treaty, and also to the various
interests to be affected by annexation.
WHY BLoUNT WAS CHOSEN.
Mr.. Blount was chosen for this delicate
and difficult mission because of his we'll
known ability as q diplomatist and his
thorough acquaintance with our foreign
affairs. The President, knowing so we'll his
admirable equipment for the service de-
sired, thought it best not to hamper him
with associates. Mr.. Blount may continue
to serve the administration as a special
agent as John W. Foster did under the last
administration until be became Secretary
Of the State, or he may become minister to
Chile when he gets through with Hawaii.
ADVICES FROM HONOLULU.
The mail from Honolulu which reached
San Francisco last Thursday arrived in
Washington this afternoon. The annexation
commissioners received large budget of
newspapers and letters One of the letters
stated that Mr.. Wodehouse, the English
consul general at Honolulu, had up
to the time the steamer left there
not called upon the members of the pro-
visioual government nor extended to them
any Of the usual courtesies. Tho same was
true of the officers of the Japanese trigate,
which had recently arrived in the harbor,
and the letter giving this information
stated that there seemed to be q certain un'
der influences of the British.
The official reception given to Capt.
Wiltse Of the United States ship Boston,
just prior to his departure from the islands
for San Francisco, was the largest social
effair ever held in Honolulu. The affair
was given under the auspices of the provi-
sional government and leading citizen.
The officers Of the British steamer Gar
nett, who had been invited, did not attend
the reception.
A member Of the provisional government
wrote to the commissioners stating that
there was no truth in the report that a
division of opinion existed among the mem
bers of the cabinet. but that everything was
progressing with the same harmony that
marked the inauguration of It's admInistra-
ton. The same mail brought two dis
patches to the navy department which were
not made public,