The record-union., 1893-11-30
Special to the REcoRD-UxIox.

Special to the RECORD-UNIoS.
AUGUSTA (AIe.), Nov. 29.-Ex-Minister
Stevens makes the following answer to
Commissioner Blount:
'The deep sense of obligation to my
country and Minister'S duty to defend
an insult threatened against struggling
American colony, planted as righteously
and firmly on the North Pacific Isles as
our Pilgrim Fathers established them
selves on Plymouth Rock, demand that l
shall make answer to the astounding
misrepresentation and untruths OF Com
missioner Blount's report on Hawaiian
affairs.
Not wishing to be severe on neo-
phyte in diplomacy, with little knowl-
edge Of the worlds affairs outside of his
own country, sent on a very peculiar
errand, amid currents and quicksands
entirely unknown to him, say he has
been partly the victim of circumstances,
having been caught in meshes and snares
adroitly prepared for him by cunning ad-
visers Of the fallen Liliuokalani and by
shrewd, sharp, Iong-eXperienced British
diplomatic agent, whose aims and hopes
BlOunt has served so well, and without
=
uItIaBritish interests even more than he
was helping Hawaiian mOnarchists and
the just dethronement Of the Queen.
st is clear enough from Blount's man
ner from the day of his arrival at Homo
lulu, as well as by his letter to the De-
partment Of State, written shortly after,
that he designed at whatever cost to re-
pudiate the views and acts of the recently
terminated administration, and that i'll
order to do 50 must impugn the action of
Minister Stevens and the commander of
the United States cruiser Boston. AS a
total stranger, it was impossible for Mr..
Blount to know how uniting it was for
him to take up his quarters where he was
certain TO be surrounded by ROyailStS,
and where the supporters OF the Provis-
ional Government would be reluctant to
go. AS precautionary safeguard against
shutting out Americans from ready access
to Commissioner Blount, a wealthy and
highly respectable widow Of the Ameri-
can colony was ready to grant the use of
her house to Mr.. and Mrs. Blount, the
Commissioner TO pay the same amount it
would cost him to live at the Royalists'
hotel.
This polite offer of an American resi-
dent to an American Commissioner did not
originate with the Provisional Govern
= ent, nor did the Provisional Govern
ment have anything whatever to do with
OF three American citizens, born and edu-
Gated in the United States, men who had
not taken part in the revolutionary pro
ceedings OF the previous weeks, went on
board the Rush when that vessel came
into the harbor. At the request of the
three American gentlemen, 1 introduced
them to Mr.. Blount. His manner OF re-
ceiving their visit repelled them, and
they asked me to state the reasons why it
would not be pleasant TO him, and would
be better for all concerned, not 10 90 to
the Royaiists' Hotel, nut take residence
on neutral ground, where he would be
master of his own surroundings. AS deli
cately as | could, / stated the offer of the
committee of his cOuntrymeh, pointing
out to him that by accepting their pro-
posaI he would be near the archives of the
legation, which he could conveniently,
aid which | would be pleased to at once
place at his disposal. Brusquely he re-
fused the courteous and honestly in
tended offer OF his cOuntrymen. and at
once placed himself among rOyalists and
ultra British surroundings.
All insinuations ana implications in
Blount's report that l was adverse to his
access to the legation re ports is shameless
perYersion of facts. l took to him printed
dispatches of Minister Merrill to Secre-
tary Bayard, printed records of the re-
Gently adjourned Legislature containing
T6cOEQGN FONGS tOl dittA d5 AiilSb lIlG IOLt6IN
gang, recorded votes as TO the recent
changes of Ministers, and an official copy
OF the lottery charter-evidence of de-
cisive value. If he had really come to
Honolulu for any other purpose than to
convict HarrisOn'S administration and
the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee of
hasty and ill-advised action in January
and February last, his manner, while al
lowing me to leave these important decu-
ments in his room, showed that he cared
not to receive them, and the general drift
OF his reply indicates that he did not even
read them.
''Under date of April 2lst, he says he
disapproved OF the request Of the Pro-
visional Government that American
troops be landed for drill. l here affirm
that the Provisional Government never
made such a request. The Provisional
Government followed the exact course
followed under the monarchy"
Referring 70 Blount's assertion that be
put an end to Hawaiian anxiety about
Japanese encroachments, Stevens recites
in detail numerous interviews with the
Japanese Minister prior to Blounts ar
rival, aud says BlOunt's claim is pure as
sumption.
In Blountsi report, as given to the
press says Stevens, Il find the follow
ing: Two leading members OF the COM
mittee, NeSsrs. Thurston and Smith,
growing uneasy as to the safety OF their
persons, went to Minister Stevens to
know II he would protect them in the
event of their arrest by the authorities, to
which he gave his assent 1t is enough
to say there is no semblance of truth in
this assertion Of Blount, made by him
without his ever having hiuted it to me,
or made any inquiry of me on the subject.
He thus gives the signature of his in
dorsement TO a charge l never even
heard of until I found it in Biount's
printed report.
'He says the response to the call of the
Committee of Safety to land men from
the Boston does not appear in the files OF
the legation The meaning of this insin-
nation is obvious enough to saw there
never was any such document. received
rhe information from the Committee of
Safety for what 1t was worth, as received
otber information on the same subject I
ehorld have requested Captain Wiltze to
bo,,e landed his officers even had not the
committee requested 1t.
tsRIount squarely asserts that I prom
500 IN aid the Committee OF Safety by
+orcs This is emphatically and categori-
caIIv untrue. In reply to the rival parties
~ iifferent times, whether representa-
tivas of the Queen or her opponents, my
ansxyer was always the same: That the
force should not land until Danger should
bn rIainly imminent, and then only 10
,3~atect American life and property, and
70 no one did I ever hint that l could, or
TyoI1ld. recognize any but a de faetO Gov
ernment. whether monarchial or repub-
hcan.