The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-22
A REMARKABLE THEORY.

that has yet been made of the position
of the administration in the Hawaiian
affair comes from lawyer named JEFF
ferson Chandler. and is being extensive
ly circulated by the Harrison press of
the country Mr.. Chandler speaks on
the hypothesis that the revolution in
Hawaii was an accomplished fact before
Mr.. Cleveland came into office; that the
provisional government had been recog-
nized by number of nations: and that
there is no right or power of review. He
says:
If one administration may occupy it
self by inquiries into the sufficiency of
facts upon which its predecessor acted,
and as the result of such inquiry SUBJ
stitute it's judgment for the judgment
of the past administration, then the
principle above stated of equal authority
among presidents is oVerthrown. 1t is
pie that governmental affairs become or
derby, permanent, and dignified. Mr..
Harrison was elected for four years
with full jurisdiction to administer the
presidential office during that period
Mr.. Cleveland succeeded him for four
to administe' the presidential Office for
a succeeding four years. If Mr. Cleve-
land may create a tribunal to secretly
inquire into the prOpriety Of the legal
sufficiency of what was done by Mr..
Harrison during the period i'm which he
was supreme, and to undo what he did
If it does not command the favor of Mr..
Cleveland. then Mr.. Harrison. should
he return for four years after Mr.. Cleye-
land, may restore the old status and re-
view the official conduct of Mr. Cleve-
land. and may undo that which does not
meet with his approval Under such a
system the United States becomes a gov
eminent of men and not OF law.
IL this position were correct there
would be no power in the United States
to correct a wrong once done, for the
acts of subordinates, approved by the
executive head. would be entitled to the
same immunity as the acts of the presi-
dent. There could be no change of
policy. The negotiations opened with a
foreign power by an outgoing executive
would have to be continued in the same
spirit by the incoming administration.
even if the outgoing administration were
defeated by the people on account of
that very policy. So far as the princi-
Pile invoked by Mr. Chandler has any
application at all. it applies only to
executed policy II can not possibly
apply to matters still under considera-
ton. He might as well try to apply the
rule of res judicata to a case which had
not been decided. but as to which
judge had about made up his mind when
ne left the bench. \ question that is
open when a president goes out is nee
essarily open when his successor comes
in. If the successor follows the same
policy he adopts and becomes response
BILE for preceding action in the same line.
If he disapproves of the policy he must
adopt his own course and disavow re-
sponsibility for the action of his pre-
decessor. No sane man ever questioned
the right of Mr.. Lincoln to follow
policy differing from tina, Of Mr.. Blu
chanan.
When Mr.. Cleveland came into office
he found a treaty before the senate
awaiting confirmation. He had a per-
feet right to withdraw it, If he had not
done so ne would have indorsed it by
implication. Earnest criticism Of the
treaty and of the policy of Mr. Harrison
had been made by a large portion of
the American press. 1t was known that
a revolution in Hawaii had been brought
-. u.
Americans by sympathy if not I'm actual
citizenship. II was known that the
revolution had been accomplished by
them. when our troops had been landed.
for the avowed purpose of protecting
American citizens" 1t was commonly
reported and believed by many that this
revolution had been made possible by
the connivance and support of our min
lister. The position of the provisional
government forced 1t into embarrassing
relations TO us. for its official proclama-
ton declared that it was established ito
exist until terms of union with the
United States Of America have been ne
gotiated ard agreed upon" The speed
with which they were negotiated and in
part agreed upon by our executive gave
strong ground for suspicion that the pre-
ceding administration was a party to the
revolution. Mr. Cleveland very wisely
declined to accept the responsibility of
indorsing the action of his predecessor
without fully understanding the case.
He sent a man whom he could trust to
make the investigation, and became con-
WINGED that the policy of his predecessor
was one that he should not follow. He
has decided on his own course. He is
responsible for it. To say that he had
no right to adopt his own course under
such circumstances would surely be to
overthrow the pricipIe of equal author
ity among presidents"
The exact nature of the report of Mr..
Blount is not known to the public, but
it may be inferred from the action of
the administration and front the facts
that are known. We know that our
troops were landed before any provis-
ional government was formed and landed
for the stated purpose of protecting
Americans. We know that Immediately
after the landing these same Americans
organized a revolutionary government
and forced the abdication of the queen.