Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-18
THE HAWAII MATTER.
MINISTER STEvENS's PRoTeCTO'
RATE FORMALLY DlSAPPROVED.
Queen LiIiuokaiaaPs Envoys Appear In
Washington and VIII Oppose Ratihca'
tion OF the Annexation Treaty.
[By telegraph 70 tho dispatch J

WASHINGTON, feDruary II-lho O"iiV-
spondence sent in TO the Senate by the
President TO accompany the Hawaiian
treaty contains the text of Secretary Fos-
ter's dispatch of February llth, an Alb
straet of which went out by the last mails
to Honolulu. disavowing Minister Ste
vens's protectorate.
Mr.. Foster says " Your cipher telegram
dated the 1st instant and transmitted
through the Navy Departments good
offices was received here at l:5o O'CLOCK Z:
NJ. on the 9Th instant. You therein make
the following important statement: To-
dav at o A. NJ, in accordance with re.
quest of the provisional government OF
Hawaii. have placed the government OF
HAWAII under United States protec-
ton during negotiations. not inter-
fering with the execution OF public
affairs. The precise character and scope
of the act thus announced by you do not
annear from this bret recital The press,
however. prints full details of the occur
rences of the 1st instant. as telegraphed
from San Francisco on the arrival OF the
msil-steamer Australia at that port on the
morning of the 9th, and therein ind what
purports, with an appearance OF generai
correctness. to be the text OF proclama-
tion issued by you on the lst instant. Inc
manner and degree OF the execution Oh
vour proclamation bv the naval force are
not related with particularly IN a bnet
telegraphic report Just received from Cap
tain Wiltse.
HE WENT TOO FAR.
THE phraseology of your proclamation
| in announcing yOur action In the assump-
| ton of protection Of the Hawall Islands IN
| the name of the United States would ap-
pear TO be tantamouIt to the assumption
| of protectorato over those islands in be-
| half of the United States. with all the
rights and obligations which the term I'M
plies. 70 this extent 1T goes beyond the
| necessities of the situation and the IN
! structiOns heretofore given you. Your
existing instructions and those under
which the commanders OF naval
vessels of the United States act
were and are ample 20 provide
| all legitimate material protection III case
| Of need. either In your discretion or at the
request Of the uly-constltuted authOri-
ties of the Hawaiian Islands, tor the lives
and property of American citizens en-
! dangered or menaced, or for the preven-
ton of lawless and tumultuous nets Of dis
turbance of the public peace and safety.
| SO far, therefore. as your action amounts
TO according. at the request of the IL Jdci0
sovereign government of the Hawallan
| Islands, the cooperation OF the
moral and material forces OF the
| United States for the protection OF
life and property from apprehended
disorders, your action ls commend
ed: but so far as il may appear 10
overstep that limit by placing the autho-
rlty aud power Of the United States above
that of the government of the Hawaiian
Islands in the capacity of protector or TO
impair. in any way, the independent
sovereignty of the Hawaiian governing ent
by substituting the flag and power OF the
| United States as the symbol and mani
festatiOn of paramount authority, itls dlsa-
vowed.
INSTRUCTIONS MADE PLAIN.
"Instructions will be sent to the COM
manding officers of the United States
naval forces IN the Hawaiian Islands con-
frming and renewing the instructions
heretofore given them. under which they
! are authorized and directed TO cooperate
| with YOU for the preservation OF Ameri-
/ can life and property and the main
tenance of good order IN case 0l
need. Your own instructions IN the same
sense are continued. You are accord
| iuglv authorized upon the receipt
Of these instructions TO arrange with the
commanding naval officer for the con
tinued presence on shore of such marine
| force as may lie practicable and requisite
| for the security of the lives and property
! interests of citizens of the United States
! and the repression OF lawlessness and pub
Inc disturbance threatening them when
ever, IN your Judgment, 1t shall be necessary
so 10 do. or when such cooperative mea-
sures NAV be sought for good cause by the
| government of the Hawaiian Islands,
beng, however, always careful 10. make
| discrimination between those functions OF
voluntary or accorded protection and the
assumption of protectorate over the
! Hawaiian Islands by the United States.
! No step should be taken by you. or will be
sanctioned by this government. which
might tend TO derogate in any way from
| the independence of the government OF
the Hawaiian Islands. which the United
| States have recognized as sovereign and
with which they treat on terms of soye'
reign equality"