The record-union., 1893-12-21
sneeial to the REcoap-Ux1ox.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
AUGUSTA (NIe.), Dec. 20.-Ex-Minister
Stevens is out in a reply to President
Cleveland's severe structures upon him
in his Hawaiian message. Stevens says
the Presidents criticism is but feeble
repetition Of Gresham's statement, previ-
ously published. president Cleveland's
grossly untrue and shamefully unjust al
legation against myself and the naval
commander rests entirely on the state
ments Of four notoriously corrupt Min
isters of the fallen Queen, of Wilson, the
Queens favorite, and other thoroughly
discredited testimony. / repeat here
what has been amply verified again and
again-that neither by force or by threat
of force, or by any action OF mine, was
the fall of the monarchy precipitated.
For months prior to November, 1882,
there had been continual struggle be-
tween the Legislature and Queen as to
their respective rights, and only the re-
markable self-possessIon of respectable
and responsible men of the islands pre-
vented an outbreak 1t an earlier day."
Believing there was no prospect OF diff
1ieulty, Stevens left Honolulu January
9TH on a trip to Hilo, returning January
18th, in company with Captain Wiltze, and
found the city in great excitement and the
tide of revolution already surging. Ste
yens tried to gain access to the Queen to
try by friendly advice to arrest the revo-
luton, but it was too late to prevent the
carrying out of her plan of Overturning
the Constitution. " hat took place on the
afternoon OF January 18th ended mon
arcby forever.
Stevens quotes Chief Justice Judd, a
supporter Of the monarchy, in denOunc-
ing the falSity of the charge that the
queen was driven from the throne by
American force, or threats of force, in any
form or manner. AS to the landing of the
BOStOn'S marines, Stevens says he only
did what Minister Merrill did. acting un-
der the order of the Cleveland Bayard
administration, on August l, lSS9-that
IS, he had the marines landed in anticipa-
ton Of turbulence on shore and for the
preservation Of order.
Stevens characterizes as absurd the
Presidents statement that the Queen and
Wilson had at the police station q suf1ici-
ent force to sustain the monarchy.
There never was more preposterous
assumption" says he, than this asSer-
lion of the President that the Queen. on
January 18th, had an ample force to sus-
tain her, and TO enable her TO carry on
the Government. This studiously main
lalneu assumption OF LDe 1TSSlu6nI Is
based on the testimony of notoriOusly
corrupt representatives of rings that sur
rounded the Queen. That the Hawaiian
monarchy was OVerthrown by the United
States force, was and Is put forth for the
sole purpose Of bringing discredit on the
preceding Administration at Washing
ton, and on the action of the Foreign Re-
lations Committee of the United States
Senate in favor of annexation.
at remains to be seen if the American
Congress and American people will APP
prove the conspiracy to make war on the
Provisional Government at Hawaii and
use the military forces of the United
States, or diplomatic pressure ofs the
United States, for the restoration of a
semi-barbarous Queen in wanton def
ance Of the best American opinion and
antecedents, and by an oppressive use of
the executive power against the Ameri-
can colony. more positive and more in
excusable than that which George III.
and his Ministers sought to impose on
the American colonies that formed the
Government Of the United States"