The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-10


violation OF the Constitution. That. with
such prospect before him. the President
should squrm. and snatch 1T any pretcxt
for putting OF the evil hour. is perfectly in
teillgible. II might have been predicted
when the summons from the Senate went
forth, that obedience would be deferred az
long as possible, and that no loophole for
svaeion would be left untried. or course,
everybody knows that all the Hawaiian
papers issued or received since March I,
1893. could havo been submitted TO the Sem
ate within twonty-iour hours. The plea put
forward by Mr. Villas. az an argument
against calling for the papers, was that the
President had promised 10 send speedily
special message. accompanied with all the
relevant documents, plea manifcstly Inn
plying that tho documents we're ready The
President himself. In his annual message.
attempted to explain bis retIcence touching
the Hawaiian business on the ground, not
that the explanatory papers were rs yet un-
prepared but that expected news from
Honolulu was not as yet forthcoming.
As for BLoUNT's report and the accom-
panyinR af1ldavits, everybody knows that
these have been printed and 1t would be
extraordinary indeed IL the force Of printers
and typewrlters at the disposal Of the State
and Navy departments could not furnish
within twenty-four hours copies OF all other
pertinent documents which have como into
existence since the 4th Of last March We
are told, indeed, by an organ OF the Admin
istration that the Government printers and
typewriters are engaged in making copies
OF all the papers concerning Hawaii which
have been issued or received since 1889. The
Senate has not asked for documents dated
between March 1, 1882 and March l. 1898.
When 1t goes back so far for papers. it may
go still further and call for all those be-
longing to Mr. CLEvELASD's former Admin
istration. All such materials will be useful
by and by, when Congress secs tit TO decide
what course 1t will authorize the Executive
to pursue with reference to the Hawaiian
Islands. Before that question comes up,
another Of for moro vital moment must be
settled. What the American people de-
mand, and what the Senate has asked for,
is simply the papers throwing light on tho
tenor OF the Instructions given by Mr..
CLEVELAND to Minister WILLIS. Did those
instructions involve an usurpatlon OF the
war-maklng power reserved to Congress by
tho Constitution That is the question on
which the people require light. and they
want the light Immediately.
Another organ Of the Administration sug-
gests that an intention TO usurp the war
making power OF Congress will never be
brought homo to Mr.. CLEVELAND. because
such IN intention. II 1t existed. may not ap-
pear on tho face OF the written orders given
to WILLIS, but may have been set forth in
the oral injunctions laid upon the Minister.
Those persons must be strangely misin-
formed who imagine that President could
thus sneak behind an employee. and there
by evade the penalty OF his own misdeed.
II violations OF the Constitution could lie
committed with impunlty. so long as docu-
mentary proof Of responsibility was not
producible. American liberties would In
deed hang on O thread; for we should be at
the mercy OF every ambitious and dishon-
est man who might SECURE the Office OF
Chief Magistrate. When tie authors of our
Constitution fixed the burden OF RESPONSE
bility on the President in stead OF on his
Ministers. they left the breach OF duty to
be dealt with according to tho rules which
had been followed In the case OF English
Ministers brought to account for unlawful
conduct. Not only can breach of duty on
the part Of our Chief Magistrate be proved
by oral testimony, but none OF his APP
polntees can DO excused from testiiying on
the plea that the communications were
confidential II such plea could be held
valid. all the constitutional safeguards
against the abuse OF executive authority
would not DO worth row OF pins.
From the outset Mr.. CLEvELAND's course
10 Ha Inn mn hno Eaap hNH
and evssive; and we predict that he will go
on trying to throw dust In the peoples
eyes. and to dodge the real purpose OF tho
demand for papers until the Senate pins
him firmly down.