Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-21
MR.. STEVENS REPLIES.
He COntradfcts the President's As
count of His Omcial Conduct.

He COntradfcts the Presidents Ac.
count Of His Omcial Conduct.
Following is the reply Of Minister John
l.. Stevens to President Cleveland's state
ments regarding his official conduct at
Honolulu:
THE great reluctance of the conservative
men OF the country to remove the chief ex-
ecutive Tor abuse OF power seems to have
encouraged President Cleveland to resort TO
the extraordinary measure of overturning
the provisional government Of Hawaii, while
as much as possible concealing his arbitrary
design from the American Congress and the
American people. Look at the historical
facts dispassionately, and no one will deny
that the lines Of usurpation and injustice on
which President Cleveland and the Secre-
tary OF State have acted since the 9Th OF
March last. coupled with the ex-parte star
chamber course of Commissioner Blount rel
alive to the accepted testimony Of Liliuo-
kalanrs fallen corrupt ministers, are more
sweeping and more hostile TO Anglo-Saxon
liberty than the acts Of George Ill and the
Lord North ministry whtcL drove the Amer
lean colonies 10 successful revolt.
There is nothing In American history
that is more shameful I'm its scope of MUS
tice and tyranny than the attempt Of Pres
ident Cleveland aud Secretary Gresham to
crush out civil liberty and American inter-
ests in Hawaii by the threat to restore the
extinct Hawaiian monarchy by force OF
arms, or by diplomatic chicancry and pres-
sure more Infamous II possible than the
use Of ball and bayonet. Even the atrocious
attempt years ago TO force the pro-slavery
Leccmpton constitution on the people of
Kansas by federal hayonets. which SO sig
nally failed OF accomplishment, seems d.
minutive in contrast with the astounding
proposition and avowed purpose ID over
turn the provisional government of Hawaii
back OF which stanc that noble American
co;cny, and around whic Cd is crystalized the
interests Of American Christian civiliza ticn
in that advanced end invaluable American
outpost in the North Pacific.
president Clevelands recent special mes
sage, in which he SO severity criticises the
course Of the recent American minister at
Honolulu is but a feeble repetition of the
superficial report OF Commissioner Blount
previously published.
In my answer to Mr. Blount's report. ex-
tensively published in the United States. I
showed conclusively. as Mr.. Thurston and
other thoroughly responsible witnesses have
shown, that the allegations in that report
against the official conduct of Can't wiltse
and myself are grossly untrue-are in mani
fest antagonism to all the reasonable prob
abilities, circumstances and logic of the sit
uation at Honolulu In January last Presi-
dent Cleveland's grossly untrue and shame
fully unjust allegation against myself and
the naval commander rests entirely on the
statements OF the four VIGOROUSLY corrupt
ministers Of the fallen Queen OF Wilson, the
Tahitan half-white immoral favorite. and
other thoroughly discredited testimony.
Il will not, in this paper. go over the con-
clusively overwhelming testimony of all
respectable men OF the American colony,
persons Of the highest character for intelli-
gence and integrity, who knew and witness
ed the events when the Hawaiian monarchy
fell, who contradict expressly the secretly
collected testimony OF Commissioner Blount
1 only repeat here what has been amply
verified again and again that neither by
force or threat OF force, or by advice or
action Of mine. was the fall Of the mon
archy precipitated"