The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-12-21
government had the sanction of either

government had the sanction of eithe
popular revolution or suffrage.
Two other remarkable features O
the transaction naturally attracted at
tention. One was the
EXTRAORDINARY HASTE
not to say precipitancy, characterizine
all the transactions connected with thu
treaty. 1t appeared that a so callec
committee of safety, /ostensibly the
source of revolt against the constitu
I tional government of Hawai-, was Or
ganized Saturday the 14th day of Jan
uary. On Monday, the 10th. the
United States forces were landed al
Honolulu from q naval vessel lying in
its harbor. On the 18th the scheme OF
a provisional government was perfect
ed and proclamation naming its off.
GERS was on the same day prepared and
rean at the government buildings. I'm,
mediately thereon the United States
minister recognized the provisional
government thus created. Two days
afterwards (the 9th of january COM
missioners representing such govern
ment sailed for this country in a
steamer especially chartered for the
occasion, arriving in San Francisco on
the 2Sth of January and in Washing
ton on the 3rd of February. Next day
they had their first interview with the
secretary of state and on the 18th,
when the treaty anneXing the islands
was practically agreed upon and on
the 14th was formally concluded aud
on the 10Th transmitted to the senate.
Thus between the initiation of the
scheme for the provisional govern
ment in Hawaii on the 14th of Janu-
ary and the submission to the senate
of the treaty of annexation with such
government, the entire interval was
30 days, Is of which were spent by the
Hawaiian commissioners in their Jour-
ney to Washington.
In the next place, upon the face of
the paper submitted with the treaty, it
clearly appeared that there was an
open and undetermined issue OF the
most vital Importance. The message
of the president accompanying the
treaty declared that 'the
OVERTHROW OF MONARCHY
was not in any way promoted by this
government" and in letter to the
president from the secretary of state,
treaty, the following passage occurred:
"At the time the provisional govern
ment took possession of the govern
ment buildings no troops or officers of
the United States were present or took
any part whatever in the proceedings
No public recognition was accorded to
the provisional government by the
United States minister until after the
queens abdication and when they
were in effective possession of the gov
ernment buildings, archives, treasury,
barracks, police station and all poten.
tial machinery of the government"
But protest also accompanied said
treaty, signed by the queen and her
ministers at the time she made way
for the provisional government, which
stated that she
YIELDED TO SUPERIOR FORCE
Of the United States, whose minister
had caused the United States troops
to be landed at Honolulu and declared
be would support the provisional gov.
ernment. The truth or falsity of this
protest was surely of first Importance.
If true, nothing but concealment of it's
truth could induce our government to
negotiate with the semblance of gov
thus created nor could a
treaty resulting from acts stated in the
protest have been knowingly deemed
worthy of consideration by the senate.
Yet the truth or falsity of the protest
1ad not been investigated. / con-
,eived it my duty therefore to with
lraw the treaty from the senate for
and meanwhile to cause
IN accurate, full and impartial investi-
satioL to be made of the facts attend
ng the subversion of the constitution
II government of Hawaii and in
,tallment in it's place of the provis-
onal government. | selected for the
work of investigation
HON. JAMES H. BLoUNT
of Georgia. whose service of l8 years |
rs member of the house OF represen
jatives and whose experience as chair
nan of the committee on foreign af.
airs in that body, and his consequent |
with international topics,
oined with his high character and
honorable reputation, seemed to render |
lin peculiarly fitted for the duties en-
rusted to him. His report detailing
lis action under instructions given to |
Tim and conclusions derived from his |
accompany this mes
age. These conclusions DO not rest |
or their acceptance entirely upon Mr..
3lount's honesty and ability as a man.
,or upon his partiality as an investi-
,ator. They are accompanied by evil
lence upon which they are based,
which evidence is also herewith trans
nitted, aud from which it seems to
he no other deductions could pos
IDLY be reached than those arrived at
~ the commissioner.
The report and its accompanying
proofs and such other evidence as is
low before congress or is herewith sub
nitted, justifies, in my opinion, the
statement that when the president
vas led to submit the treaty to the
enate with the declaration that "the
overthrow OF monarchy was not in any
yay promoted by this government"
10Th the president and the senate
we're misled An attempt will not be
uade in thi: communication to touch
lpon all the facts which throw light
lpon the progress and contamination
# this
SCHEME OF ANNEXATION.
Very brief and imperfect reference