The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-11-17


the American minister and. IL necessary
would be maintained by the military OF the
United States, II any demonstration on her
part should precipitate n 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 saeri-
ice OF life.
Submission Duty.
Mr.. Daletof, one Of the leaders OF the move
ment and afterwards ce-prcsident OF tine pro-
visional government. informed the queen that
she could surrender under protest and her case
would be considered later at Washington. be-
hcvlng that, under the circumstances. submis-
sion was . duty. ana that her case would be
fairly considered by the president Of the United
States, the queen finally yielded and sent 10
the provisional government paper which
reads:
|. Lilioukalani. by the grace OF God and uncer
T the constitution OF the Hawaiian kingdom
queen. do hereby solemnly protest against any
and all acts done against myself aud the con
sttutional government Of the Hawaiian king
/ dom by certain persons claiming To have es-
tablisned provisional government OF and for
this kingdom
That yield 10 the superior force OF the
7 United States OF America whose minister
penipoientiary. his excellency John l.. Ste
vens. has caused the United States troops to
be landed at Honolulu. and declared that he
would support the provisional government
Now, 10 avoid any collision OF armed forces
and perhaps the loss of life. | do. under this
protest and impeled by said force yield my
authority until such time as the government OF
the United States shall upon the facts being
presented 10 IT, undo the actions OF its repre-
sentative and reinstate me and the authority
which claim as the constitutional sovereign
OF the Hawaiian islands
The Protest UnchaIlensed.
When this paper prepared at the con-
clusion OF the conference. and signed by the
queen and her ministers. q number OF persons.
including one or more representatives OF the
provisional government. were present and un-
derstood its contents. aud by their silence. al
least, acQuiesced In its statements. and when
IL was carried 10 President Dole he Endorsed
upon il. Received from the hands OF the late
cabinet this nth day OF January 1893. without
challenging the truth o, any 81 its assertions.
Indeed. IL was not claimed the i7th day OF
January or for some time thereafter, by any
OF the designated officers OF the provisional
government. or any annexationists. that the
queen surrendered otherwise than Is stated ia
her protest
Recognized by Minister Stevens.
In his dispatch to Mr.. Foster OF January Il.
describing the so-called revolution. Mr.. Ste
yens says:
The committee OF public ss.ety forthwith
took possession Of the government buildings.
archives and treasury and installed the pro
yisional government at the head OF the respec-
tive departments This being an accomplished
fact. ! promptly recognized the provisional
Hawaiian islands.
Secretary Fosters Statements.
In Secretary Fosters communication OF Feb
uary IS 10 the president laying before him the
treaty OF annexation. with the view To obtain
ing advice and consent OF the senate thereto.
he says:
Al the time the provisional government took
possession OF the government building. no
troops or officers OF the United States were
present. or took any part whatever in the pro
ceedings No public recognition was accorded
to the provisional government by the United
States minister until after the queens abdica-
fion. and when they were in effective posses
sion OF the government building. the archives.
the treasury. the barracks. the police station
and all the potential machinery OF the govern.
ment
Similar language Is found IN an Official letter
addressed to Secretary Foster on February 3
by the special commissioners sent to Washing
tonby the provisional government to negotiate
treaty OF annexation.
Utterly at Variance with the Evidence
These statements utterly NJ variance
with the evidence. documentary and oral. con
tanned in Mr.. Blount's replies They are con-
tradicted by declarations and letters OF Presi-
dent Dole and other annexatonists. and Mr.
stevens own verbal admissions To Minister
Blount. The provisional government was rec
ognized when IL had little other than a paper
existence. and when the legitimate govern
ment was In full possession and control OF the
palace. the barracks and the police station.
Mr.. stevens welknown hostility and the
threatening presence OF the forces landed from
the Boston were all that could have caused
serious apprehension in the mind OF the queen,
her officers and loyal supporters.
Deceived by Stevens and the Special
Commissioners.
II Is fair to say that Secretary Fosters
statements were based upon Information which
he had received from Mr.. Stevens and the spe-
cial commissioners but I am unable to see
that they were deceived The troops were
landed. not TO protect American life and prop
erty but to aid In oyerthrowing the govern
ment. Their very presence implied cocrcive
measures against IT,
In o statement given 10 Mr. Bount by Ad
miral Skerrett. the ranking naval officer nj
Honolulu, he says:
Admiral Skerrstt Remarks.
II the troops were landed simply 10 protect
American citizens and interests. they We're
badly stationed in Arion hall; but II the inten-
tOn was to aid the provisional government
they were wisely stationed
Read Under the Protection of American
Guns.
This hall was 50 situated that the troops In
IL easily commanded the government building
and the proclamation was read under the pro
lection Of American guns At an carly stage
OF the movement. IL not at the beginning Mr.
stevens promised the annexationists that as
soon rs they obtained possession OF the gov
eminent building and read a proclamation OF
the character above referred TO. he would OF
once recognize them as n de facto government
and support them by landing n force from our
war ship then In the harbor. and he kept that
promise. This assurance was the inspiration
OF the movement. and without II the annexa-
tionists would not have exposed themselves to
the consequences OF failure.
They relied upon no military force OF their
own. for they had none worthy OF the name
The provisional government was established
by the action OF the American minister and
the presence OF the troops landed from the
Boston, and its continued existence il due TO
the belief OF the Hawaiians that IL they made
an effort TO overthrow 1t. they would encounter
the armed orces OF the United States
The Absurdity Of the Claim.
The earnest appeals to the American minis
ter for military protection by the officers Of the
provisional government after 1t had been rec
ognzed. show the utter absurdity OF the claim
that IL was established by q successful revoiu-
tion OF the people OF the islands. The appeals
were a confession by the men who made them
OF their weakness and timdity. Courageous
men. conscious OF their strength. and the jus
tice OF their cause. do not thus act.