The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-19


aud this is the golden hour for tho
United States to pluck it."
Mr.. Stevens protecrorate incident is
also referred to. The President re-
hearses tho incidents attending the
overthrow of the gu cen and from them
gives this dc duct
Thus it appears that Hawaii was
taken possession of by the United
States forcos without the consent or
wish OF tho government of the Islands.
or OF anybody else so far as shown, ex-
cept tho United States minister.
The Military Occupation -Upjustiflable.
Therefore The m lisary occupatian OF
Honolulu by the United States on the
DAY mentioned was wholly without
justification, either as al occupation bv
consent or as an occupation necessitated
by dangers threatening American life
ana property It must be accounted for
In some other way, and on some other
ground, and it's real motive and purpose
are neither obscure nor far to seek y
In further discussing these events,
the President says: "Where our minis.
ter recognized the provisional govern
ment the only basis upon, which it
rested was the fact that the committee
OF safety bad in the manner above
stated and declared it to exist. 1t was
de jure."
OF the state Of perplexity in which
this state Of things placed the queen,
Mr. Cleveland says:
"lf tho queen could have dealt with
the insurgents alone her course would
have been plain and the result unmis
taxable. But the United States had
allied itself with her enemies, had
recognized them as tho true govern
ment OF Hawaii and had put her and
her adherents in the position OF opposi-
ton against lawful authority"
Number of Precedents.
Mr.. Cleveland cites number of pre-.
cedents as telling against the action of
the United States in the present case,
among them the admission of Texas as
part OF our union, the revolutions in
Brazil, Chilli and Venezuela, and sums
up as follows:
"As l apprehend the situation, we
are brought face to face with the fol-
lowing conditions: The lawful govern
ment OF Hawaii was overthrown with
out the drawing Of q sword or the firing
OF shot, by process every step Of
which, it may safely be asserted, is
directly traceablo to, and dependent for
It's success, upon the agency of the
United States. acting through it's diplo.
matte and naval representatives
but for the notorious predilections
OF the United States minister for an
noxation, the committee of safety,
which sh ould be called tho committee
OF annexation, would never have existed
but for the landing OF the United
States forces upon false pretexts res.
pecting danger to life and property, the
committee would never have exposed
themselves to the pains and penalties
of treason by undertaking tho supver.
sion OF the queens government
but for the presence Of the United
States forces in the immediate vicinity
and in position to afford all needed
protection and support tho committee
would not have proclaimed the provi5-
lonal government from tho stops of the
government building, and finally,
but for the lawless occupation of
Honolulu under false pretexts by the
United States forces, and but for Min
lister Stevens recognition OF the provis-
lonal government when the United
States forces were in itself upper aud
constituted its only military strength,
the queen and her government would
never have yielded to the provisional
government even for time, and for
the sole purpose Of submitting her case
to the enlightened Justice of the United
States.
Gould not Justinably Acquire the Islands .
believing, therefore, that tho United
States could not, under tho circum-
stances, disclose and annex tho islands
without justly mourning tho imputation
of acquiring Thorn by unjustihable
methods, shall not again submit tho
treaty OF annexation to the Senate for
its consideration. and in tho instructions
to M mister Willis, a copy of which ac-
companies this message, have directed
him to so inform tho provisional govern.
ment.
"In'oommending this subject to the
extended powers and wide discression
OF Congress | desire to add the assur-
ance that ! shall be much gratiiied to
cooperate in any legislative plan
which may be devised for tho solution
OF the problem before us which is con-
sistent with American honor integrity
and morality
Signed. "GRovER CLEVELAND
WILLIS INSTRUCTIONS.