The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-08-30

IS THERE A PRoTEcToRATEp

IS THERE A PRoTEcToRATEp
Within the past few days the
clashing organs Of the Government
and the Annexation Club have made
the discovery that the United States
protectorate proclaimed by Minister
Stevens has never been revoked.
This is curious discovery. People
will remember that the hoisting OF
the flag accompanied the proclaim
ing of the protectorate. Commits
sioner Blount, armed with para
mount authority, lowered the flag
that had foated as the symbol oj
the protectorate for two months
Besides the lowering of the flag as
the symbol of protection, the United
States troops were withdrawn as the
instruments of protection. If these
actions done by authority of the
United States Government did not
constitute revocation of Mr.. Ste
vens' protectorate, then actions are
meaningless and do not speak louder
than words as proverbially main
tanned. Further examination of the
facts will convince sensible persons
that the protectorate established by
Mr.. Stevens exists now only as mat.
ter of history. We decline to be.
lieve the allegation that Mr.. Blount
said before he left that the protect.
crate of Mr.. Stevens was still il
force. Why? Because Mr., Bloun
abrogated it himself by a different
kind of protectorateD The protect.
crate of Mr.. Stevens was made il
the terms following:
At the request of the Provisional
Government of the Hawaiian Isl
ands, ! hereby, in the name Of the
United States of America, assum,
protection of the Hawaiian Islands
for the protection Of life and pro
perty, and occupation of public
buildings and Hawaiian soil, so ia,
as may be necessary for the purpose
specified, but not interfering witt
the administration of public affair.
by the Provisional Government
This action is taken pending, anC
subject to, negotiations at Washing
ton.
The complete withdrawal of tn,
protectorate of Mr.. Stevens by Com.
missioner Blount is sufficiently indi
Gated in his instructions from tn,
Secretary of State, which he causeo
to be published in this paper on Ma,
Is, and in which the following un
equivocal recognition of the inde
pendence of the existing Hawaiia,
Government is expressed:
Should it be necessary to land al
armed force upon Hawaiian territor,
on occasions Of popular disturbance
when the local authority may be un
able to give adequate protection t.
the life and property Of citizens o
the United States, the assent of suci
authority should first be obtained
if it can be done without prejudic
20 the interests involved.
There is nothing but protection
10 American interests involved j.
the foregoing part of the instruc
lions, and even then the assent O
the Hawaiian authority is to be oh
tanned before American troops ar
landed on Hawaiian soil. Under thi
instruction there remains not eveI
the shadow of Mr. Stevens "pro
lection" assumed over Hawaiian sol
and public buildings. COMMISSIONS
Blount emphasized this fact whel
he subjoined to the text of the in
structions his own signed declara
ton, as follows:
While | shall refrain from inter
ference between conflicting forces O
whatever nationality, for supremacy
will protect American citizens nc
participating in such conflict.
Does any man Of common sens
mean to say that Mr.. Blount con
sidered the protectorate of Mr., ST,
vens, sin the name Of the Unite
States" to be still in force when h
signed that declaration on May Ii
If the protectorate was not in fore
over three months ago, what has IT
vived it since that it should be i
force to-day as alleged2 Mr.. Blour
declared prOtectorate over Amer
can citizens not participating in an
conflict for supremacy in these is
ands, and that is the only Unite
States protectorate here to-day e'
isting.
Rich, Red Blood