The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-11-30
THuRsToN TALKS.
The Hawaiian, Minister Contributes to the
 Controversy.

NthD NOheefcoNDo w 'ss~ Controversy.
 WASHINGTON Nov 22-Eorin' A. | Thurston, the Hawaiian minister, gave
 out the following statement: | As have received no official information that Mir: Blount has made report have not seen copy of it and do not kEew what it contains except from reading the newspaper abstracts therefruu, and am unaware Of | the present contention of the United States | government concerning Hawaii am unable | at present in the absence o such knowledge, % irtell gently state what the position and | lainas of the Hawaiian government are. It would, moreover. be contrary to diplomatic courtesy for me to publish statement on ST i. a subject priorto iGforrsing the United Stu IS government of the same. A large part of the published extracts from Mir Blounts report consisted, however of personal attacks upon me and those associated with me in the pro- visional government, impugning our varacity, good faith and courage and charging us with fraud and duplcity
 ndeem it proper, therefore, 10 make per- sonal reply 10. such charges, confining mgself to statements Of fact o1 which, principal actor am prepared to testify to before any impartial tribunal
 First. before stating sneh facts. desire to call attention to Mir. Blounrs method of con slructlng his report Although he in several places states was the leader of the revolution he has never asked me a question concerning the same nor given me o2 opportunity to make any statement, although have at all times been ready to do Sd. The same is true of a large number of other men who took a leading part in the movement of last Jannary.
 In the second place, his evidence consists ex- nlustNely of prepared anadavits or of answers to leading questions put by himself at private interviews, no one else being present but the stenographer. In no instance has Shere been any cross -ex animation of witnesses, oppOrtu- ui0y to give contradiction explain evidence given or presented asegidence. A brief exami- nation of the published portions of the report shows numerous incorrect statements Ishan try for the present however, to answer th0 more salient points only
 F1rst-Mr. Biount charges that the Amer iVan troops were landed undera Pre-arranged agreement with the committee of safety; that they should so land to afford assistance in the overthrow of the queen. In reply there I hereby stat that at no time did Mir Stevens Capt Wiitze assure us these
 troops would assist In overthrowing the queen. or establishing a provisional govern ment, and as a matter of fact they did not so assist can produce witnesses in support of the statement, of the highest re- | sponsibility, in overwhelming numbers, but | MT Blount has rendered it unnecessary to do | so. The troops were landed to protect Amer | ican citizens and property in the event of tho
 
 | queen and citizens and to cooperate with the | committee and the committee had no more | knowledge than did the queens government
 where the troops were going or what they were | going to do
 Second-Mr Rount charges that the queen | had ample military force with which to have | met the ommittee, and but for the support of | the United States representatives and the | troops the establishment Of the provisional | government would have been impossible In | reply thereto. hereby state that although | the presence of the American troops had quieting effect on the rough element in the city | and may rave prevented some bloodshed they | were not essential to and did not assist in the | overthrow of the queen
 First-The troops did not land till Monday
 night, January i6, after the revolution had | been in full progress since the afternoon of
 Saturday, January IA, during which the com
 mittee of safety was openly organized for the
 avowed purpose of overthrowing the queen.
 Second-There was absolutely no attempt at
 concealment from the government of the obs iects and intentions of the committee
 Third-The queen, her cabinet and their l supporters were utterly demoralized, suspicious | of one another and devoid of leadership
 Fourth-The committee and their supporters
 were united, had ample force to execute their
 purpose knew precisely what they wanted,
 and proceeded with intelligent deliberations
 thoroughness and confidence to do it.