Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-30
The Presidents Message.

In my recent annual message to the con-
Rress | briefly referred to our re ations
with Hawaii and expressed the intention
OF transmitting further information on
the subject when additional advices per-
mitted. Though l am not able now to
report definite change in tie actual sit
uation / am convinced that the difficult
ties lately created both here and Ia Ha-
waii render IL proper and expedient that
the matter should be referred to the
broader authority and discretion of
congress with statement OF the
considerations which have governed
my action. If national honesty
is to be disregarded and a desire for terri
torial extension or dissa tisfaction with a
form Of government not our own ought TO
regulate our conduct have entirely mis-
apprehended the mission and character
OF our government and the behavior
which the confidence of our people de-
mands of their public servants.
When the present administration entered
upon its duties the senate had under con-
ncxation OF the Hawaiian islands to the
United States II appeared from the doc.
uments accompanying the treaty when
su omitted to the senate that
the ownership of Hawaii was
rendered to the United States by pro-
visional government set up to succeed the
constitutional ruler OF the islands who
that such provisional government had the
sanction Of either popular revolution or
suffrage. Upon the face OF the papers
submitted With the treaty 1t clearly
appeared that there was open and unde-
termined an issue OF fact of the most vital
Importance.
But protest also sc' o npanied said
treaty, signed by the que n md her min.
listers, at the time she M de way for I Q
provisional government which explicitly
stated that she yielded to the superior
force Of the United States whose minister
had caused United States troops 10
be landed at Honolulu and de-
clared that he would support such
provisional government The truth or
talsity of this protest was surely Of the
first Importance. IL true. nothing but the
soncealment OF its truth could induce our
government to negotiate with the
sem alliance OF government thus
created, nor could treaty re-
sulting from the acts stated in
the protest been knowingly deemed
worthy OF consideration by the senate
Yet the truth or falsity OF the protest had
not been investigated. I conceived il to
be my duty, therefore, to W thdraw the
treaty from the senate for examination
and meanwhile to cause an accurate, full
and impartial investigat tion to be made OF
the facts attending the subversi0n of the
constitutional government Of Hawaii and
the installment In its place of the provis-
tonal government. ! selected for the
work of investigation the Hon. James ii
Blount OF Georgia, whose service OF eigh-
teen years as q member of the house of
representatives and whose J expert.
ence as chairman of the committee
of foreign affairs In that body and
his consequent familiarity with interna-
tional topics joined with his high charac-
ter and honorable reputation seemed to
render him peculiarly fitted for the duties
entrusted to him. His report detailing
his action under the instructions given to
him and the conclusions derived from his
accompany this mes
sage. These conclusions do NOT
rest for their acceptance entirely
Facts Agree with Blounrs Report.
upon Mr.. Blount's honesty and ability a.
tiality as IN investigator They are &C.
counted by the evidence upon which they
are based, which evidence 10 also here
with transmitted and from which II seems
to me no other deductions could
possibly be reported than those
arrived at by the commissioner.
and such other evidence as IL now before
the congress or Is herewith submitted,
justifes In my opinion the statement that
when the president was led to sub-
init the treaty TO the senate with
the declaration that ''the overthrow OF
the monarchy was not In any way pro.
noted by this government and when the
senate was induced to receive and discuss
Is on that basis. both president and senate
were inisled.
Stevens Not Passive Factor.
The attempt will not be made In this
communication to touch upon all the facts
which throw light upon the progress and
contamination OF this scheme Of annexa-
tion. A very brief and imperfect refer
VIII exhibit Its character and the
birth. II Is unnecessary. 10
search for the reasons which in January.
1888, led . considerable proportion Of
American and other foreign merchants
and traders residing at Honolulu to favor
the annexation OF Hawaii to the United
States. Il Is sufficient to note the fact
and to observe that tho project was one
which was zealonsly promoted by the min
ister representing the United Ststea In that
country. He evidently had an srde nj. de-
sire that IL should become fact accom-.
plished by his agency and during his min
tstry and was not iuc0nveniently scrupu.
lous as to the means employed TO that end
On tho 18th day of Novemb Der, 1897, nearly
two months before the first overt act tend
ing toward the subversion of the Hawaiian
government and the att mpt d transfer
q Hawaiiau territory 20 the United
States he addressed u lopg letter 10 tha
secretary OF state in which the question
o. ANNEXATION w.s c.aborateiy ar.
:ssnomiesi s,ouod.. na Hs Rs''',Sss s:ss.. ssS g
Me loss Of the HawAi1Au susar anaeroae6