The sun., 1893-12-21
STEVENS ATTACKS cLErELANn
ne Compares HIm ana Gresham to Georr,
HI. and Lord North.

He Compares Hlw ana Gresham TO George
| HI. and Lord North.
AUGUSTA. Me-. Dec. 20.-Following Is the an
| swer OF ex-Minister John l. Stevens to Presi-
dent Cleveland's statements regarding his
| official conduct ut Honolulu:
Human governm ent in it's best form some
times fails to secure all the Just objects for
| which II has been created. No one who has
studied the dolnRs Of the remarkable body Of
men who formulated tho Constitution OF the
United states has failed to observe what care
and effort were exercised to create an execu-
tive power which would not be abused for pur-
poses OF usurpation and tyranny The
extraordinary use OF rower by George
III. had caused the American colonists to
revolt. and to establish a new government in
the interest OF civil liberty and tho people, In
creating the office OF President 1t was impos-
slble to provide ngainat all contingencies OF
usurration by that officer. The provision for
impeachment was the best safeguard that tho
trainers OF the Constitution could institute.
Only once in our political history has ma.
jority Of the Congress OF the United States SOL
emnly resolved in favor OF impoachng the oc-
cupant OF the Executive chair Probably IL
was we'll that the effort to remove Andrew
johnson from his chair was arrested Just on
the brink OF success. The great reluctance OF
the conservatives Of the country to romove the
Chief Executive for 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 tho
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 Secretary
Of State have acted since the 7th OF March last,
coupled with the ex-parte star-ohamber
course Of Commissioner Biount relative to
the accepted testimony OF Liliuokalani's
fallen corrupt Ministers. are more sweeping
and m ore hostile to Ango-Saxon liberty than
the acts OF George III. and the Lord North
Ministry. which drove the American colonies
to successful revolt
There is nothing in American history moro
shamefu in Its scope OF injustice and tyranny
than the attempt OF President Cleveland and
Secretary Gresham to crush out civil liberty
and American interests In Hawaii by the
threat to restore the extinct Hawaiian mon
archy by force OF arms. or by diplomatic CHI
canery and pressure. more Infamous, IL DOS
sibe. thnn the use OF ball and bayo-
net. Even the atrocious attempt years
ago to force the pro-slavery Lecompton
Constitution on the people OF Kansas by Fed
eral bayonets which 80 siGnally failed OF ac-
cOmplSnmeut boeEnb ultnlnutlNe IN contrast
with the astounding proposition and avowed
purpose to overturn the Provisional Govern
ment OF Hawaii. back OF which stand that
noble American colony and around which is
crystalized the interests OF American Christian
civilization in that advanced and invaluable
American OUTPOST In the North Pacific.
'Presi 'ent Cleveland's recent special mos
sage, in which he so severely criticzes the
course OF the recent Minister at Honolulu, 10
OF Com missioner Blount and the statement Of
SECRETARY Gresham previously published.
yeg my pygbsIsS 9 io ths tsp0E
showed conelusively as Minister Thurston and
other Thoroughly responsible witnesses have
against the official conduct OF Capt. Wiltse aud
myself are grossly untrue and are In manifest
clrcum stances, and logic OF the situation ut |
Honolulu IN January Last PRESIDENT PRESIDENT Sleye:
allegation against myself ana the naval com
mander rest entirely on the stntements Of the |
four VIGOROUSLY corrupt ministers OF the |
dlscredited testimony.
ciusively overwhelming testimony OF all re-
spectacle men OF the American colony, per-
and integrity. who knew and Witnessed the |
Sdse.s w5S sonTsSs taS iss
BloInt. only repeat here what has
been amply verified again and again. |
that neither by force. nor threat offorce, nor by
any advice or action OF mine, was the fall OF |
the monarchy prscipitated From the hour on |
which ! entered on my duties at the head OF |
the United States legation to tho termination !
OF my official responsibility maintained the |
determin alton to call on the naval commander |
for aid only in the event that American lie |
and property were in danger. Cautiously. |
hut firmly. perhaps sometimes too silently. |
! made this my fixed rule OF &C. |
tion. not only TO the representatives OF |
the Queen. but to the leaders Of the parties 1
who saw no safe alternative for the welfare OF |
the islands but in the total abolishment of the |
then monarchy, President leyeland sees ht to |
make point against my official conduct that |
months before the events OF last January |
had advocated annexation. lie deliberately /
and purposely conceals that what said In my |
statement to the Department OF State OF the /
condition OF Affairs in Hawaii, report Of facts
which by the established rules and practices |
OF diplomacy ] was Ia duty bound 70 make
known to my Government. At that date my |
opinions were 80 privately held that both in |
Honolulu and in California II was believed /
that the American Minister was ayerse TO an
nexatlon. For months prior to tho date OF /
this despatch there had been continual
struggle between the Legislature ana the
Queen as TO their respective rights re-
gArdlng the Constitution and the respon-
sibility Of the Cabinet. Ministry after Min:
the votes Of the Legislature and OF
responsible public opinion. The Queen, and
her immoral tavoTite. Wilson, and tho lottery |
ring. openly dehed the Legislature and the |
property holders of the islands Only the re-
maTkable self DOS session OF the respectable /