Omaha daily bee., 1893-12-19

III bo NAshdN hlNo oha pc
cedents. might 3 improved to successful
accomplish the great object In view, and we
are quite prepared for the e~xultant enthust
asm with which in a letter to the DEPART
e dated February 1, 1898, he declares:
The Hawaiian pear is fully ripe aud this Is
the golden hour Of tho United States TO
pluck IL"
AS a further illustration of the activity OF
this diplomatic report, attention is called to
the fact that on the day the above letter
was written, apparently unable longer to re-
strain his ardor, he issued a proclamation
whereby, Tin the name of the United
States he assumed the protection of the
Hawaiian islands and declared that said
action was taken pending and, subject TO
negotiations at Washington"
OF course this assumption Of a protectoratc
was promptly overruled by our government,
and the American flag remained over the
building at Honolulu and the forces remained
on guard only until April and after Mr..
Blount's arrival on the scene when both
were removed.
Committee of safety Formed.
A brief statement Of the occurrences that
led TO the subeersion of the constitutional
government in the interests of annexation
TO the United States will exhibit the true
complexion OF that transaction. On Satur-
day, January 4, 1893, the queen of Hawaii,
who had been contemplating the prociuma-
ton of n new constitution, had, in Difference
to the wishes and remonstrances of
her cabinet, renounced the project for
the present at least. Taxing this relin-
pushed purpose as a basis OF action, citizens
of Honolulu numbering from fifty to 100,
mostly resident aliens, met in a private
Office and selected a so-called committee OF
safety, composed of thirteen persons, seven
of whom were foreign subjects and consisted
of five Americans, one Englishman and one
German. This committee, though it's signs
were not revealed, had in view nothing less
than annexation to the United States, and
between Saturday, the 18th, and the follow
ing Monday, the 10th of January, though ex-
actly what action they took may not be
clearly disclosed, they were certainly in
! communications with the United States.
On Monday morning the queen ana her
cabinet made public. n proclamation with a
notice which was specially served upon the
representatives, of all governments that any
changes in the constitution would be sought
only in the methods provided by that instru-
ment.
Nevertheless, at the call and under the
auspices of the committee of safety, a mass
meeting OF citizens was held on that day to
protest against the queens alleged illegal
and unlawful proceedings and purposes.
Even at this meeting the committee of safety
continued to disguise their real purpose and
contented themselves with procuring the
|. passage Of q resolution denouncing the
queen and empowering the committee to de-
wise means Ito secure the permanent main
tenance of law and order and the protection
of life, liberty and property IN Hawaii"
Asked tor the Landing of the Forces.
This meeting adjourned between 3 and 4
o'clock in the afternoon. On the same day
and Immediately after such adjournment
the committee, unwilling to take further
steps without the cooperation of the United
States minister, addressed a note represent
ing that the public safety was menaced and
that lives and property were in danger. The
note concluded MS follows: 1--WE are unable
to protect ourselves without aid and there
fore pray for the protection of the United
States forces" Whatever may be thought
of the other contents of this note, the abso-
lutte truth of this latter statement is incon-
tcstible. When the nOte was written and
delivered the committee, so far as it appears,
had neither n man nor a gun at its COM
mand. and after it's delivery they became 50
panic stricken at their position that
they sent some of their number to interview
the minister and request him not to land the
United States forces until the next morning,
but he replied that the troops had been or
dered to land, and whether the committed
was ready or not the landing should take
place. And so it happened that on the 10th
day of January, 1893, between 4 and ) O'Clock
In the afternoon, q detachment of marines
from the United States steamer Boston,
with two pieces of artillery, landed at Homo
lulu. NTh men, upwards Of 100 IN all, were
supplied with double cartridge belts filled
with ammunition and with haversackS and
pital corps with stretchers and medical sup
plies. !,f .-seHN ~ 81.
\ Two Alternatives.
This demonstration upon the soil Of Homo
lulu was of itself an act of warsunless made
either with the consent of the government
of Hawaii or for the bona fide purpose o
protecting the imperiled lives and property
of citizens of the United States. But there
is 70 p%retense of any such consent on the
part of the government. for the queen al
that time was indisputed both as de facto
and de jure government. In point of fact the
existing government, instead of requesting
the presence of an armed force, protested
against it. There is as little basis for thu
pretense that such forces were landed fol
the security of American life and property
If so, they should have been stationed
in the vicinity of such propert,
and so as to protect it, instead
of ut a distance and so as to thu
Hawaiian government building and palace
Admiral Skerrett. the officer in command o
our naval forces on the Pacific station, ha'
frankly stated that in his opinion the loca
} zion of troops was inadvisable if they wer
/, landed for the protection OF Americans
whose residences and places of business a
r well as the legation and the consulate wert
in u distant part of the city; but that tn,
location selected was a wise one if the force
were landed Tor the purpose of supporting
the provincial government. If any peril Z
life and property, calling for any such ma
terial array had existed, Great Britain an
other foreign powers interested would no
have been behind the United States in thei
. activity to protect their citizens,
5 Gave Their Hand Away.
But they made no sign in that direction
When these armed men were landed tn
city Of Honolulu WASH its customary orderl
o ana peaceful condition. There was n
symptom of riot or disturbance in an
quarter. Men, women and children wer
about the streets as usual and nothing VI
ried the ordinary routine or disturbed tn
ordinary tranquility excepting the landin
of the Boston's marines and their marc
through the town to the quarters assigne
to them. Indeed the fact that after hayin
Q called for tho landing Of the United State
d forces on the plea of danger to life and pro-
erty, the committee of safety themselves n
o quested the minister to postpone a.
d tion exposed the untruthfulness {
@ the representations of present peril
q life and property. The peril they saw wa
d an anticipation growing out of guilty inter
lions or their part. and something whic.
| though not then existing, they knew woul
n certainly follow their attempt tn overthro
the government of the queen without I'll
IS aid of the United States forces. Thus 1T a
If pears that Hawaii was taken possession of l
the United States forces without the cOnser
or wish of the government of the islands
anybody else SO far as shown, except u
Al United States minister.
III Wholly without Justification.
p. Therefore the military occupation of Hon
lulu BY the United States on the day me-
- iAnAa a.aa hAll .