Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-12-21
HE POURs I'm HOT SHOT.

HE POURS IN HOT SHOT.
Ex.Minister stevens Makes n Spirited
Answer 30 the Message OF President
Cleveland TO Congress-The Qaeen
Was Not Driven from the Throne
by American Force.
AUGUSTA, Ne Dec. 20.-The answer of
ex-Minister John L. Stevens to President
Cleveland's statements regarding his Of
cial conduct at Honolulu Is made public
tonight.
He says that human government in the
best form sometimes fails to secure all the
just objects for which 1t has been created.
In creating the Office of president 1t was
impossible to provide against all contin-
gencies of usurpation by that officer. The
provision for impeachment was the best
safeguard that the trainers of the consti-
ton could institute. Only once in our
political history has q majority of the con-
gress of the United States solemnly re-
solved in favor of impeaching the occupant
of the executive chair. Probably 1t was
we'll that the effort to remove Andrew
johnson from his Office was arrested just
on the brink of success.
The great reluctance of the conservative
men of the country to remove the chief ex-
ecutive for abuse of power seems to have
encouraged President Cleveland to resort
to the extraordinary measure of overturn-
ing the provisional government of Hawaii,
while as much as possible concealing his
arbitrary design from the American con-
gress and the American people. Look ct
the historical facts dispassionstely and no
one will deny that the lines of usurpation
and injustice on which President Cleve.
land and the secretary of state have
acted since March last, coupled
with the ex-parte star-chamber course
of Commissioner Blount relative to the
accepted testimony of Liliuokalani and
her fallen, corrupt ministers are more hos
tile to Anglo-SsIon liberty that the acts
of George III and the Lord North minis
try, which drove the American colonies to
successful revolt. There Is nothing in
American history more shameful in Its
scope of injustice and tyranny than the
attempt of President Cleveland and Score
tary Gresham to crush out civil liberty and
American interests in Hawaii by the threat
to restore the extinct Hawaiian monarchy
by force of arms, or by diplomatic chilean
cry and pressure, more infamous, If posi-
BILE, than the use of ball and bsyonet.
President Clevelsnd's recent special mes
sage in which he 30 severely criticises the
course of the recent American minister at
Honolulu Ia but q feeble repetition of the
superficial report of Mr.. Blount and the
statement of Mr.. Gresham previously pub
lished. President Cleveland's grossly un-
true and shsmefully unjust allegation
against myself and the naval commander
rest entirely on the statement of the four
notoriously corrupt ministers of the fallen
queen, of Wilson, the Tahitan, hslfwhits,
Immoral favorite, and other thoroughly
disoredited testimony.
I will not, In this paper, 60 over the
conclusively overwhelming testimony of
respectable men of the American colony
persons of the highest character for intel
ligence and integrity. From the hour on
which I entered on my duties at the head
of the legation to the termination of my
official responsibility maintained the de-
termination to call on the naval command
or for aid only in the event that American
life and property were In danger. eau
tiously, but firmly, perhaps sometimes too
silently, made this nay fixed rule of action
not only to the representatives of the queen
but to the leaders of the parties who saw
no safe alternative for the welfare of the
islanders but in the abolition of the mon
archy.
President Cleveland sees at to make q
point against my official conduct, that
months before January I had advocated
annexation. He deliberately and purpose
ly conceals that what said in my dispatch
in November, 1892, was confidential
statement to the department of state of the
then condition of affairs In Hawaii-s re-
port of facts which, by the established
rules and practice of diplomacy, was in
duty bound to make known to my govern
ment. At that date my opinions were so
privately held that both in Honolulu and
in California it was believed that the
American minister was averse to annexs-
ton.
Mr.. Stevens, referring to the conflict be-
tween the queen and the legislature, says
that when the queen yielded both the
appointment of Jonss-Wilcox cabinet he
confidently concluded that as the close of
the legislature was near this ministry
would be able to safely carry on for the
following eighteen months, or until cleo
ton, and 30 left Honolulu in the United
States steamship Boston January 4. on q
trip TO Hilo. When he and Captain Wiltse
returned on January IA they were COM
pletely taken by surprise at what the
queen, the palace associates and the lottery
gang had accomplished in ten days.
The circumstances of the chamber of COM
merce, of the numerous petitions of some
of the best people of the island both whites
and native, and the earnest pleadings of
those who had previously adhered to the
monarchy had been defantly disregarded.
There had been an anxious desire for the
Boston's return.
AS soon as possible he sought to CO.
operate with the English minister to get
access to the queen and to try by friennly
advice to arrest the revolution. 1t was
too late; the mob of royal retainers were
gathering to the palace to aid the queen to
carry out her plan. What took place at
the palace the afternoon of January Il
ended the Hawaiian monarchy forever.
Mr.. Stevens repeats bis denial that Queen
Liliuokslani was driven from her throne
by American force or by the threat of
American force In any form or manner
whatsoever and justifes his action In land
ing the marines on the ground of the pre-
cedent established by Minister Merrill dur
ing q previous Hawaiian frscas. He says
the statement that the points at which
our small naval force was placed was not
chosen for the protection of American life
and property Is radically an error as well
know all who are familiar with the map
and the buildings of Honolulu and that the
queen had sufficient force in the limited
monarchy, is VIGOROUSLY absurd to all
honest persons acquainted with the facts.
1t remains to be seen, he Gays in conclu-
sion, If the American congress and the
American people will approve the conspir-
acy to make war on the provisional govern
ment at Hawaii, and use the military forces
of the United States or the diplomatic
pressure of the United States for the re-
storation of q semi-barbarous queen, In
wanton defiance of the best American opin-
ions and antecedsnts and by an excessive
use of executive power sgainst an Ameri-
| can colony, more positive and less excusa-
BILE than which George III and his minis
| ters sought to impose on the American
colonies that formed the government of
| the United States.
May Contest the Vote.
| CHICAGO, Dec. 20.-The complete police
returns from the election yesterday show
that John P. Hopkins is chosen mayor by 6
| plurality of IA. There is some posi-