Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-12-07
HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS DISCUSSED.
The President Explains the Action Taken
Regarding the Queen.

1t is hardly necessary for me to state that the
questions arising from ourre!atious with Hawaii
have caused serious embarrassment Just prior
to the installation of the present administration
the existing government Of Hawaii had been
suddenly overthrow and q treaty of annexation
had been negotiated between the provisional goV-
eminent of the islands and the United States and
submitted to the Senate for ratification. This
treaty | withdrew for examination and dis
patched Hon. James II. Biount of Georgia, to
Honolulu as special commissioner TO make an
impartial investigation of the circumstances at
tending the change of government and of all
the conditions bearing upon the subject of the
treaty. After a thorough and exhaustive exam
ination Mr.. Blount submitted to me his report,
showing beyond all question thai, the ccc,st!t4-
tional government of Hawaii had been SUbye.t
cd with the active aid of our representative to
th&t govc-luMcnt' and through the intimidation
Gused - tic presence Of ali armed naval force
purp pose at the INSTANCE Of our minister. Upon
the facts developed it seemed to me the only
honorable course of our government to pursue
was to undo the wrong that had been done
by those representing and to restore
as far as practicable the status existing
at the time of our torcblc intervention. With
view Of ACCOMPLISHING this result within the
constitutional limits of executive power and rec
ognzing all our obligations and responsible
ties growing out of any changed condition
brought about by our uniustifable interference,
our present minister 10 Honolulu has received
appropriate instruction to that end. Thus
far no information of the accomplish
neiTta Of FROM definite h Gss has oH been
soon expected, and when received they will
be promptly sent to the Congress- together
with all other information at hand, accompa-
MED by a special executive message fully de-
failing all the facts necessary to complete I'M
derstanding of the case, and presenting his
tory OF all the material events leading up to the
present situation.
BY a concurrent resolution passed by the SEN
ate February a. 1890, and by the House of Rep
resentatives on the Sd of April following, the
President was requested to enter into from time
to time as tit occasion may arise, negotiations
with any government with which the United
States has may have diplomatic relations, to
the end that amy differences or disputes arising
between the two governments which cannot be
adjusted by diplomatic agency may be referred
to arbitration and be peaceably adjusted by
such means" April Is 1890, the international
American conference of Washington, by res
olution, expressed the wish that all
controversies between the republics Of America
and the nations of Europe might be settled by
arbitration and recommended that the govern
mcnt Of each nation represented in that confer
rncc should communicate this wish to all friend
IS powers. A favorable response has been re-
rtlved from Great Britain III the shape of reso-
.,,ton adopted BY parliament July Is last, cor
,,.ally sympathizing with the purpose in view
aud expressing the hope that Her Majesty s
government will lend ready cooperation to
the government of the United States upon the
basis of the concurrent resolution above quoted
1t affords Inc signal pleasure TO lay this parlia-
mentary resolution before the Congress and to
two great and kindred nations is thus authori-
tatiyely manifested in favor of the rational and
pea ceable settlement of international quarrels
by honorable resort to arbitration.
Since the passage of the act of March g. 1893,
authorizing the President TO raise the grade of
our ENJOYS to correspond with the rank in which
foreign countries accredit their agents here,
Great Britain. France Italy and Germany have
conferred upon their representatives at this
capital the title of ambassad dor and | have re-
sponded by accrediting the agents of the United
states in those countries with the same title A
like elevation of mission is announced by Russia
and when made will be similarity met with.
This step httingly compares with the position
the United states holds in the family of nations.
During my former administration / took oc-
caslon to recommend re- cast of the laws relat-
ing TO the consular service in order hat it mig
become more efficient agency in the promotion
of the interest it was intended TO subserve. The
duties and powers of consuls have been ex-
banded with the growing requirements of our
foreign trade. Discharging important duties
ate citing our commerce and American citizens
abroad, and i'll certain countries exercising ju-
dical functions these officers should be men of
character, intelligence and ability.
pom proof that the legislation of Denmark
secures copyrights 10 American citizens on
equal footing with its own. the privileges of our
copyright laws have been extended by procla-
nation to subjects of that country.