New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-17
SECRETARY FOSTERS LETTER.
HIS PRESENTATION OF THE CASE TO THE
PRESIDENT

REVIEW OF THE REVOLUTION AND OF THE
DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS INVOLVED no
REASONS FOUND AGAINST ANNEXATION.
Washington, Feb l6.-Secretary Fosters letter
addressed to the President, which was sent IN
with the message, is as follows:
To the President.
The undersigned. Secretary Of State, has the honor
10 lay before the President, with view 10 obtaining
the advice and consent Of the senate thereto. should
such course he in the judgment of the President
for the public interest, treaty, signed at Washing
ton on the 18th day Of February instant, by the
undersigned and the accredited commissioners OF the
existing Provisional Government Of IN" Hawaiian,
Islands, I'm representation of their respective Govern
ments for the full and absolute ccssOn OF The said
| lands and all their dependencies 10 the United
States forever with provision for the temporary gov
eminent OF these Islands, under the sovereign au-
thorty OF the United States, until Congress shall
otherwise enact
With this treaty. the undersigned submits TO The
President copies OF the correspondence recently eN-
changed showing the Of events In the Hawaiian
ISLANDS, respects the overthrow Of the late monarch
cal form OF government, tho creation OF Provisional
Government thereof in The nan" OF the HAWAIIAN
people the recognition Of the same by the repre-
sentatives Their, OF the United States and OF oil
other Powers. the dispatch of 4 commission TO TINS
Capital TO negotiate for q union Of the Government
OF tie Hawaiian Islands with the Government OF the
United States and the outcome OF those negotiations
In the treaty herewith submitted.
The change OF government In the Hawaiian Islands,
thus chronicled, entirely unexpected so FAR rs
this Government concerned. IL is true that for
some past the Hawaiian press and the ndviccs
received from the diplomatic and consulr Representa-
tivce at Honolulu indicated political uncertainty,
party intigncs and legislative opposition but no,
more so than at many time, In the past history o!
the Islands, ana certainly not suggestive OF any
overthrow Of the monarchy through popular resist
ance 10 the unconstitutional acts Of the late SOVEREIGN
At no time had Mr.. stevens been instructed with
regard to his In the event OF revolutionary
uprising The well established policy Of th, Gov
eminent, maintained many occasions from lis
earliest establishment TO hold relations with any
de facto Government in possession OF the ell ctiVe
power Of the state and having the acQu essence OF
the governed, being ample TO meet un orseen con
ungendes, no Instructions I'm this specific sense wsr'.
indeed necessary, and the Minister, without eXpi II
instructions, expected and constrained 10 use his
best judgment In accordance with funiame ltal y g
ccdcnt the emergency should arise.
The change was. In fact, abrupt and unlocked Tor
81 the United States Minister or the Naval com
msnder. At moment OF apparent tranquility. when
the political excitement and controversy OF the i'm
mediately preceding three months had been, 10 all
Appearances. definitely allaycd and when, appears
from dispatches from the Minister and from the
commanding officer OF the Boston, a settlement OF
Stevens quilted the capital for brief excursion of
ten days 10 a nelghboring island on the Boston. the
only naval vessel OF the United states al the islands