Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-11-17
The Hawaiian Problem.
Secretary Gresham Declares for the Res
toration of the Monarchy, and there
Is Healthy Indignation Thcreat.

tOrRtiOn of the Monarchy, and there
Is Healthy Indignation Thcreat.
The people of this country have rarely
been taken more by surprise than upon
the publication in the papers of last Satur-
day of the report of Secretary of State
Gresham to President Cleveland on the
Hawaiian question, in which the state
ments made by ex-Minister Stevens and
The representatives of the provisional gov
ernment of Hawaii, regarding the revou-
tion of last January, are given the lie di-
rect, and the ground is taken that the mon
archial government of the islands, under
! Queen Liliuokaani, ought 20 be restored
to power by the United States Secretary
Gresham's report, which is dated Oct. Is,
claims to be founded on the "full and i'm
partial reports submitted by Hon. James
II. Blount," whom Mr.. Cleveland sent to
Hawaii last spring as his especial commits
sioner."
Mr.. Gresham begins by reviewing the
history of the Hawaiian revolution, which
began on the 14th day of last January with
the declaration of the Queen of her inten-
purpose she was obliged to give up by the
opposition of her ministers, and during
the three days following the provisional
government was formed. On the after
noon of Jan, Ii the representatives of that
government appealed to John l.. Stevens,
the American minister, for aid, on the
ground that the lives and property of the
people were in peril. In answer to this
appeal Mr.. Stevens asked Capt. Wiltse,
commander of the United States steam
ship Boston, to land force from his ship
to protect the United States legation and
American life and property. Well armed
men, Secretary Gresham's report contin-
ues, were promptly landed and marched,
with Gatling guns, through the quiet
streets of Honolulu to hall previously
engaged for them and its location so chosen
as to command the government building.
/ This done the committee having in charge
the formation of the provisional govern
ment entered the government building
land one of their number, citizen of the
/ United States, read proclamation declar-
ing that the existing government was over
thrown and a provisional government es-
tAbished in its place, 'to exist until terms
of union with the United States of Ameri-
ca have been negotiated and agreed upon '"
Mr.. Stevens was promptly notified and at
once recognized the new government
The Queen refused to recognize the new
authority or to surrender to it, "but was
informed that the provisional government
! had the support of the American minister
and, if necessary, would be maintained by
the military power of the United States
present; that any demonstration on her
part would precipitate a conflict with that
force; that she could not, with hope of
success. engage in war with the United
States, and that resistance would result in
a useless sacrifice of life She therefore
drew up and signed a solemn protest, stat
ing that she yielded to superior force, and
only until such time as the United States,
after full knowledge of the facts. should re-
instate her.
Mr. Gresham charges that Mr.. Stevens
caused the United States troops to be land
ed before the abdication of the Queen, and
that he, in effect, conspired with the revo-
lutionists for the overthrow of her govern
ment. He also charges that Mr. Stevens
and Mr.. Foster, President Harrson's sec
retary of state, deliberately misstated the
facts in their reports. Going on to eabo-
rate and confirm these charges he says
''In his despatch to Mr.. Foster of Jan.
Is, describing the so-called revolution, Mr..
Stevens says
The committee of public safety forth
with took possession of the government
building, archives and treasury, and in
stalled the provisional government at the
head of the respective departments. This
being an accomplished fact, l promptly
recognized the provisional government as
the de facto government of the Hawaiian
Islands,
"In Secretary Fosters communication of
Feb. II to the President, laying before him
the treaty of annexation, with the view to
obtaining the advice and consent of the
: Senate thereto, he says:
AT the time the provisional government
{ took possession of the government build
ing no troops or officers of the United
States were present or took any part what
ever in the proceedings. No public recog-
= milton was accorded to the provisional gov
} ernment by the United States minister un-
, til after the Queens abdication, and when
I they were in effective possession of the
, government building, the archives, the
+, treasury, the barracks, the police station,
and all the potential machinery of the gov
ernment'
8 "Similar language is found in an official
, letter addressed to Secretary Foster on
Feb. by the special commissioners sent
to Washington by the provisional govern
ment to negotiate treaty of annexation.
"These statements are utterly at vari-
T ance with the evidence, documentary and
e oral, contained in Mr.. Blount's report.
+ They are contraditted by declarations and
. letters of President Dole and other annex
ationists, and by Mr.. Stevens's own verbal
+ admissions to Mr.. Blount. The provis.
i ional government was recognized when il
s hal little other than paper existence, and
. when the legitimate government was in
: full possession and control of the palace
y the barracks and the police station. Mr.
Stevens's well-known hostility, and the
d threatening presence of the force landed
from the Boston, were all that could hav,
ower.-Latest u. S. Govt Report.