The Indianapolis journal., 1893-11-11

a
armed force under the command OF a reso-
lutte, capable officer. The same afternoon
Gan. I'D the Queen, her Ministers. repre-
sentatives of the provisional government and
others held conference at the palace. Re
fusing to recognize the new authority or
surrender to it, she was informed that
the provisional government had. the support
or the American minister, and if necessary
would be maintained by the military forces
OF the United States then present; that any
% demonstration on her part would precipi-
tate conflict with that force: that she
could not, with hope of success, engage in
war with the United States and that re-
slstance would result in useless sacrifice of
NE, Mr.. Damon, one of the chief leaders
OF the movement, and afterwards Vice Pres
ldent of the provisional government in
formed the Queen that she could surrender
under protest and her case would be con-
sldered later in Washington. Believing that,
under the circumstances, submission was a
DUTY. and that her case would be fairly
considered by the President of the United
States, the Queen finally yielded, and sent
to the provisional government the paper
which reads:
81, Liliuokalini. by the grace of God,
and unde.r the Constitution Of the Hawaiian
kingdom, Queen, do hereby solemnly protest
against any and all acts done against myself
and the constitutional government of the Ha-
waiian kingdom by certain persons claim
Ing to have established a provisional gov
ernment of and for this Kingdom; that I
yield TO the superior force OF the United
States of America, whose minister plenipo-
tentiary, his EXcellency, John L. Stevens,
has caused United States troops to be
landed at Honolulu, and declared that he
would support the provisional government.
Now, to avoid any collision of armed forces,
and perhaps the loss Of life / do, under this
protest and impelled by said force, yield
my authority until such time the govern
ment of the United States shall, upon the
facts being presented to it, undo the action
of its representative and reinstate me and
the authority which / claim as the constitu-
tinnaI n Islands
when this paper was prepared, at the
conclusion of the conference, and signed by
the Queen and her Ministers, a number of
persons, including one or more representa-
tiVeS of the provisional government, VINO
were still present and understood its con-
tents, by their silence at least, acquieSced
to its statements, and when it was car
ried to President Dole he indorsed it Re
ceived from the hands of the late Cabinet
this 18th day of January, 1S93.' without
challenging the truth of any of its asser-
tions Indeed it YVES not claimed on the
das q bv ANU Of the designafed % o
GERS of the provisional government, or any
annexationist, that the Queen surrendered
otherwise than as stated in her protest.
"In his dispatch to Mr.. Foster, of Jan.
1S describing the so-called revolution, Mr..
Stevens says: The committee OF public
ernment building and treasury, and in
stalled the provisional government, with
the heads OF the respective departments.
This being an accomplished fact, prompt
fly recognized the provisional government
as the de facto government OF the Ha-
waiian Island
Feb. Is TO the President, laying before him
the treaty of annexation, with the view to
obtaining the advice and consent of the
Senate thereto. says: AT the time the pro-
visional government took possession of the
government building no troops or officers
of the United States were present or took
any part whatever in the proceedings No
public recognition was accorded TO the pro-
visionaI government by the United States
minister until after the Queens abdication,
and when they were in effective possession
of the government building, the archives,
the treasury the barracks, the police sta
ton and ali the potential machinery of the
goyernInent.' Similar Language is found in
an official letter addressed TO Secretary
Foster on Feb. by the special commits
sioners sent to Washington by the pro-
visional government to negotiate a treaty
of annexation.
GRESHAMS CONCLUSIONS.
There statements are utterly at variance
with the evidence, documentary and oral,
contained in Mr.. Blounts reports. They
are contradicted by declarations and letters
of President Dole and other annexation
ists and by Mr.. Stevenss own verbal adj
missions to Mr.. Blount. The provisional
government was recognized when it had
little other than a paper existence, and
when the legitimate government was in
full possession and control OF the palace,
the barracks and the police station. NJ.
Stevenss well-known hostility and the
threatening presence of the force landed
from the Boston was all that could have
then excited serious apprehension in the
minds of the Queen, her officers and loyal
supporters. 1t is fair to say that Secretary
Fosters statement was based upon infor-
nation which he had received from Mr..
Stevens, and the special commissioners but
L am unable to see that they were deceived.
The troops were landed not TO protect
American life and property, but to aid in
OVerthrowing the existing government.
Their very presence implied coercive meas
I'm a statement given to Mr. BIount by
Admiral Skerrett, the ranking naval officer
at Honolulu, he says: If the troops were
interests, they were badly stationed in the
hall, but if the intention was to aid the pro-
viSiOnal government, they were wisely sta
toned This hall was SO situated that the
troops in it easily commanded the govern
ment building, and the proclamation was
read under the protection of American guns.
At an early stage of the government, if not
at the beginning, Mr.. Stevens promised the
arneXatiOniStS that as soon as they obtained
there read a proclamation of the character
above referred to, he would at once recog-
niZe them as a de facto government and
support them by the landing of the force
from ships, then in the harbor, and
he kept that promise. This assurance was
the inspiration of the movement, and with
out it the annexationists would not have
exposed themselves to the consequences OF
failure They relied upon 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 troops landed
from the Boston and its continued existence
Is due to the belief that the Hawaiians, If
they made an effort to overthrow il, would
encounter the armed forces OF the United
States. The earnest appeals to the Amer
lean minister for military protection by the
officers of the provisional government after
ii had been organized, show the utter alb
by a successful revolution of the people
These appeals were a confession by the men
who made them of their weakness and til
midity. Courageous men, conscious Of the
strength and justice of their cause, do not
thus act.
1T is not now claimed that a majority of
the people who have not the right to vote
under the Constitution of 1887 ever favored
the existing authority or annexation to this
or any other country They earnestly de-
sire that the government of their choice
shall be restored and it's independence re-
spected. Mr.. Blount states that while at
Honolulu he did not meet a single annexa-
ZIONIST who expressed willingness to submit
the question to vote Of the people: nor did
he talk with that subject who did
not insist that if the islands were annexed
suffrage should be so restricted as to give
complete control TO foreigners or whites
and representatives. Of annexationiSts have
repeatedly made similar statements to the
undersigned.
THE government of Hawaii surrendered
its authority under a threat OF war until
such time only the government of the
United States, upon the facts being pre-
sented 70 il, should reinstate the constitu-