The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1893-12-22


the bona fde purpose of protecting the imper.
lied lives and property OF citizens Of the United
States But there Is no pretense OF any such
consent on the part OF the government Of the
queen, which was at that time undisputed and
both the de facto and de jure gov rnment In
point of fact the existing government instead
Of requesting the presence Of armed force
pr tested against it
There is as little basis for the pretense that
such forces were landed for thu security of
American life and property If SO. they should
have been stationed in the vicinity Of such
property and SO as to protect it instead Of at a
distance, and so as to command the Hawaiian
government building and palace Adm Sker-
rett the officer in command of our naval force
on the Pacific station has frankly stated that
in his opinion the location OF troops was inadvis
able il they were landed for the protection Of
American citizens whose residences and places
Of business well as the legation and consu ulate
were in a distant part of the city. but the loca-
tion selected was a wise one il landed for the
purpose of supporting the provisional govern
ment Thus 1t appears that Hawaii
was taken possession OF By the Uni ed States
forces without the consent or wish Of the gov
ernment Of the islands or anybody else so far
as shown except the United States minister.
The anomalous state of affairs that
followed is then discussed and the
course of Minister Stevens is declared
to be without diplomatic warrant. The
president says:
believe that a candid and thorough examl-
nation Of the facts will force the conviction
that the provisional government owes its exist
ance to an armed invasion by the United
States Fair minded people with the evidence
before them will hardly cl i'm that the Hawaii
an government was overthrown by the people
OF the islands that the provisional govern
ment has ever existed with their consent lido
not understand that any member Of this gov
ernment claims that the people would uphold it
by their suffrageS IL they were allowed to vote
on the question
AS l apprehend he situation. we are brought
face to face with the following conditions:
The lawful government of Hawaii was over
thrown without the drawing Of a sword or the
firing of shot, by q process every step of
which, 1t may safely be asserted, is directly
traceable 10 and dependent for its success upon
the agency Of the United States government
through its diplomatic and naval representa-
tives.
But for the notorious predictions Of the
United States minister for annexation the COM
mittee of safety, which should be called the
committee OF annexation, would never have
existed
But for the landing Of the United States
forces upon false pretexts respecting the dan
ger to life and property the committee would
never have exposed themselves 10 the pains
and penalties Of treason by under taking the
subversion OF the queens government
But for the presence Of the United States
tion to afford all need protection and sup
port the committee would not have proclaimed
the provisional government from the steps OF
the government building
And, finally. but for the lawless occupation
of Honolulu under false preteXtS By the United
States forces and but for Minister Stevens
recognition Of the provisional government
when the United States forces were its sole
support and constituted its only military
strength the queen and her government would
M hay wi IN ~ nroyiSiOnll
ment even for a time aud for the sole purpose
OF submitting her case to the enlightened JUS
tice of the United States
Believing theref re, that the United States
could not under the circumstances disclosed,
| annex these islands wi hcut justly incurring
the imputaton OF acQu ring them by uajusti-
fable methods. I shall not ag in submit the
| treaty Of annexation to the senate r its con-
slider ,tion, and in the Instructions to Minister
Willis, q copy Of which accompanies this docu-
ment. 1 have directed him to so inform the pro-
visional government
The law OF nations is founded upon reason
and justice, and the rules OF conduct governing
| individual citizens or subjects q civilizei
| state are equally applicable as between eniight-
| ened nations The considerations that inter
| national wv is withou: court for it's enforce
ment and that obedience to the commands
practically depends upon good faith. instead Of
| upon the mandate OF q superior tribunal, onlv
give audltlOu1i SANCTION 10 tnS law lSel
| and brand any deliberate infraction of
| it not merely as wrong but a disgrace.
\ A man Of true honor protects the
| unwritten word which binds his conscience
| more scrupulously, if possible, than he does
the bond, breach of which subjects him to legal
| abilities and III, United S ates, in aiming to
maintain itself as one of the most enlightened
| nations would do its citizens gross injustice if
| it applied to its international relations any
| other than a high sian ard of honor and moral
On fhlfy nd ho m cd
properly be put in the position Of countenancing
| q wrong after its commission any moro than in
| that OF consendng to it in advance On that
| ground 1t cannot allow itself 10 refuse to re-
| dress an injury inflicted through an abuse Of
power by officers clothed with its authority and
| wearing its uniform, and on the same ground If
| feeble but friendly state is in danger Of being
robbed Of its independence and its sovereignty
| by misuse Of power it cannot fail to vindicate
it's honor and its sense of justice by an earnest
| effort to make all possible reparation- These
| principles apply TO the present case with IRE
| siSIible force, when the special conditions Of
the queens surrender OF her sovereignty are
| recalled She surrendered not to the provision
| al government but to the United States She
surrendered not absolutely and permanent
| ly but temporarily and condltionally until such
| a time the facts could be considered by the
United States Furthermore the provisional
government acQuiesced in her surrender in that
| manner and on those terms not only by tacit
| consent. but through the positive acts of some
member of the government who urgei her
| peaceable submit sion, not merely to avoid
| b,oodshed. but because she could place implicit
reliance UPON thu justice Of the United States
and that Of the whole subject would be finally
considered at Washington
| have not however, overlooked an incident
OF this unfortunate affair which remains to be
mentioned The members of the provisional
government and their supporters, though n
entitled to extreme sympathy, have been led
| to their present predicament OF revolt
against the government OF the queen
b; the indefensible encouragement and
assistance of our diplomatic representative.
This fact may entitle them to claim that in
every effort to rectify the wrong OF the com
mittee some regard should be had for their
safety. This sentiment is strongly seconded
| by my anxiety to do nothing which would in
vite either harsh retaliation on the part Of the
ter.
In the belief that the queen, as well as her
| enemies would be willing to adopt such a
course as would meet these conditions and In
view of the fact that both the queen and the
provisional government had At time ap
parently acQuiesced in q reference Of the entire
case to the United States government and
considering the further fact that in any event
the present government b7 its own declared
limitation was only 'io exist until terms oil
union with the United States Of America have
been negotil ted and agreed upon" I hoped
that after tbs assurance to 9 members o:
that government that such union could not be
consummated. might compass . peaceful sd-
justment OF the dinsculty.
Actuated BY these desires ana purposes Ind
not uumind;ul Of the inherent perplexities ID
4 the situation nor OF the limitations upon my
DO er, instructed Minister Willis 70 advise
l eh~ md Nar ~ ms r.