Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-21

Washington, Dec. lS.-1n response
to the resolution of the senate PreSi-
dent Cleveland today transmitted to
congress a special message on the
hawaiian question. In opening the
message the president says though he
IS unable to report any definite change
in the actual situation, he is convinced
that the difficulties lately created both
here and in Hawaii are standing in
the way Of a solution through eXecu-
tive action, rendering it eXpedient that
the matter be referred 10 congress.
the message then says: Il suppose
that right and justice should deter
mine the path to be followed in treat
ing this subject If national honesty
is to be disregarded and a desire for
territorial extension or diSSa abstraction
with a form Of government not our
own is to regulate our conduct | have
entirely Inexperienced the mission
and character Of our government and
the behavior which the conscience of
our people demands of public servants.
When the present administration en-
tered upon its duties the senate had
under consideration Il treaty providing
for the annexation of the Hawaiian
islands to the territory of the United
States. Surely under our constitution
and laws the enlargement of our
limits is Il manifestation Of the highest
attribute of sovereignty, and if en-
tered upon rs an executive act, all
things relating to the transaction
should be clean and free from sus-
picion. Additional importance is at
tached to this peculiar treaty OF an
neXation because it contemplated a
departure from the unbroken American
tradition in providing for the addi-
ton to our territory of the islands Of
the sea more than two thousand
miles from our nearest coast. These
considerations might not of them
selves call for interference with the
completion of the treaty entered upon
by the previous administration. But
It appeared from the documents ac-
companyinS the treaty when submit
ted to the senate that the ownership
Of Hawaii w;S rendered to the United
States by Il provisional government
set up to succeed the constitutional
ruler of the islands, who had been
dethroned, and it did not appear that
such provisional government had the
sanction either of popular revolution
or suffrage"
The president then refers to what
he terms the ''eXtraordinary haste,
not TO say precipitancy," which char
acterized all the proceedings leading
up 10 the negotiations of the treaty
and then its submission TO the senate,
showing that, from the initiation of
the scheme for Il provisional govern
ment till the submission OF the treaty
to the senate, only thirty-tWo days
elapsed, fifteen OF which We're CON
sumed by the Hawaiian commission
els in Il journey to Washington. The
president says the treaty was not only
thus hastily negotiated but also in
fact no investigation was made into
the disputed question OF the fact of
most vital impCI lance, to-Wit, VIII Atner
the revolution was accomplished
through the aid of United States naval
forces stationed i'll the harbor at Homo
lulu. President Harrison. in the mes
sage accompanying the treaty, de
clared thai the overthrow OF the
monarchy was not in any way pro
NOTED by this government" and the
secretary of state said in an accom-
panying document: No public recog-
milton was accorded the provisional
government by the United States min
lister till after the queens abdication,"
bat a protest accompanied the treaty,
S,gned by the queen and her ministers,
which explicitly stated that she yield
ed to the superior force of the United
States whose minister had caused
United States troops to be landed and
declared Lie would supporr the provis-
iGnal government. The president con-
tinues: The truth or falsity of this
protest is surely of first Importance.
Ii true, nothing but cOncealment Of
its truth could induce our government
TO negotiate with the Semblance of q
government thus created, nor could
Il treaty resulting from the acts stated
in the protest have been knowingly
deemed worthy of consideration by
the senate. Yet the truth or falsity
OF the protest has not been investi-
gated"
The president then says he conceived
it to be his duty to withdraw the treaty
pending such investigation and tells
of the appointment of Mr.. Blount to
the work on account of his long ser
vice in congress, his experience as a
member of the committee on foreign
affairs and his high character. He
refers to Blount's report as evidence
that in submitting the treaty with the
statement that this government had nc
part in overthrowing the queen, both
President Harrison and the senate
were misled He adds that the trutf
of Blount'S conclusions are not depend
ent merely on Blount'S word Of honor
or his impartiality but is conclusive
~ shown by evidence which he sub
mitted with his report
The message passes by with Il mere
reference to the fact that a consider
able portion of American and foreign
merchants and traders in Hawaii il
January, 1898, favored annexation t
the United States. 1t then takes III
and deals at some length with the par
Minister Stevens played toward foster
ing annexation, quoting from lette
written by him to the secretary o
state in November, 1892, setting fortl
the Gesirability CT annexation on va