The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-10

ST. LOUIS, Feb. "a letter has been
received here from John f. Colburn,
minister of the interior of Hawaii, in
which he outlines the position OF the
deposed queen, of whom no is a sup
porter. The letter is addressed to MIR.
j. Il. GAM, of this city, whose wife is
an aunt of Mr.. Colburn, and is as fol-
lows:
HONOLULU. Wednesday. Jan. is, 1892.
MIR. j. Ill. CAM, St. Louis, Mo-:
DEAR SIR: In view OF the circum-
stances that surround tho situation OF
this, our Hawaiian kingdom, 1 take the
opportunity OF writing you this letter,
trusting, with your ability and influence
with some of the leading statesmen of
your liberal American country, you can
help to place the situation OF affairs OF
this country in such an impartial man
ner to them that the Hawaiian queen,
Lilluokalani, her government and her
native population can receive such
nearing from your Government that tho
American nation will cause the queen
TO DO restored to her throne, the govern
ment to her power, and tho Hawaiian
native population to their rights
ION Thursday, January ~, 1898, the
legislature, sitting in session, brought
in resolution of lack of confidence
against her majesty's cabinet, which
consisted of G.. IL. Wilcox, minister OF
interior; r. G. Jones, minister of
finance; w. p. Robertson, minister of
foreign affairs, and Cecil Brown, and
was carried by tho constitutional ma.
lority OF twenty-five members of the
legislature OUT OF i house of fofty-eight
elective members. This cabinet that
was voted out belonged to party that
was called the reform party, and the
same party caused revolution in the
country Juno 30, 1857 Upon their
having been voted out they retired, and
sent their designations to her majesty,
tho queen. Sue accepted them, and on
the next Friday, Janunry 10, 1893 she
summoned and appointed the following
gentlemen as her cabinet: Samuel
Parker, minister of foreign affairs;
William II. Cornwell, minister of
finance; John +. Colburn, minister of
the interior, and Arthur P. Patterson,
attorney general. Mr.. Parker and my
self being the active Hawaiians in the
cabinet, and the second and third
nalaed the foreign members.
Immediately upon appointment we
repaired to the Legislative assembly
and reported to them that it had pleased
her majesty to appoint US as her cabinet.
Those of the legislature that were pres.
ent. and the population to the number
of 1000, who had gathered there, re-
ceived us with applause. We took our
seats and after going through the bust
ness of the house it was adjourned.
The next meeting Saturday, January
IA, the day that had previously been
set apart as the day to prorogue tho
legislature, came, and we presented our
selves again, and after going through
the business of tho house it adjourned
to meet at the Propagation hour. 12 m.
II may mention here that on Friday
and Saturday. the days that we had at.
tended the legislature, the party to
which this cabinet had belonged-the
reform party-were so dissatisfied and
hostile over their defeat that on both
days they refused to attend the legisla-
ture, and did not have the courtesy to
attend the Propagation.
while waiting for the hour Of IL to
approach, accidentally heard that the
queen proposed to promulgate a new
constitution. / Immediately sought an
interview with my colleagues, and
notified them that if the queen intended
to act in such an arbitrary manner |
would resign. They answered that they
were willing to do the same thing, and
we decided that if the queen intended
to carry into effect any such idea we
would ell advise her not to do SO.
~ at once repaired to the place OF the
opposition (reform party and told them
what l had heard and what we had son.
cluded to do. The leaders of the party
advised us strongly not to resign, as it
would then give the queen an oppor-
tunity to appoint others who would be
too willing to sign new constitution.
We followed their advice and thew
assured us that If any conflict came be-
tween the queen and us, her cabinet,
the community would give us their
support to resist anything OF this
measure.
'At IL m. the legislature was pro.
rogued and we repaired to the palace to
meet the queen. She then and there
told US to sign a document purporting
to be new constitution.
1--WE told her plainly that we would
not accede to her request, and advised
her to abandon the idea. She was very
determined at first, but afterwards
yielded and gave it up. She came out
and declared openly to the Hawaiian
people that she could not give them
new constitution and told them to endure
their grievances. The crowd dispersed,
and on the next dav leader of the re-
form party met us and made PROPOSE.
tion to us, viz that wing to the queens
revolutionary actions in wanting to
promulgate a new constitution we should
depose her and declare a provisional
government.
"Our answer was that we would give
them an answer later on. In the mean
time we. the cabinet, summoned six OF
the most responsible and conservative
business men Of the city and also the
DIPLOMATIC CORPS. They mot us excena.