New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-07
THE DEBATE IN DETAIL.

THE DEBATE IN DETAIL.
MIR. HoAR's RESOLUTION DRAWS OUT A FEEBLE
DEFENCE OF THE PRESIDENT
Washington. Dec 6.-The vice-President laid
before the Senate to-day the resolutions offered
yesterday by Mr.. Hoar GRep, Mass) requesting
the President to communicate copies of all in
structons given to any representative naval
officer OF the United States since March 4, 1881,
in regard to the preservation Of public order in
Hawaii or the protection of the lives and prop
erty Of American citizens the recognition or
support of any government thereof.
Mr.. Hoar said that the resolution was one
merely asking for information. and was such
as the Senate generally adopted without ques-
ton or delay There could be no question that
the present government Of Hawaii (the gov
ernment in power there at the last advices)
was friendly government 1t had established
itself without violence after an attempt on the
part Of the Queen TO commit an act OF revolu'
ton and usurpation. 1t covered two Adminis-
trations, and he hoped and believed that the in
structions would show settled and consistent
policy down to a very recent time. But II the
Presidents message meant anything, II meant
that the Executive of the United States was
meditating and considering the question whether
he should, by his own executive authority. com.
nit an act of war against a friendly power.
To undertake. any pretence whatever. or for
any reason whatever, to enter that kingdom or
republic. or however it might be defined anc
described, and to overthrow its existing gov
crnment was an act of war, and none the less
so because it was an act against feeble and
small government The suggestion that the
United States might have acted with undue
haste in the recognition of the government, or
that II might have violated international law
by taking part in the revolution which estab.
lshed il. would not bear examination for mo-
meat. The matter of the establishment OF the
existing government in Hawaii was a fact and
not a question of right or wrong. There was
scarcely Il government on the American conti-
nent that did not owe its existence TO revo-
luton. International law recognized only de
facto governments, and could. in the nature OF
things. recognize only dc facto governments.
If what the President said in his message were
true. and if there had been some wrongful ac-
ton the part of the American Minister un-
der the last Administration, that would not
justify the President in overthrowing the es.
tabshed government
He thought ii manifest that the transaction
was one which the Senate and the people were
entitled to understand, and were entitled to un-
derstand without delay. If the thing had not
been done yet, he wanted the swift and indig-
nant remonstrance OF the American people TO
make itself felt and be heard by executive ears.
however duh they might seem to be.
Referring to the mission Of Mr. Blount, Mr..
Hoar expressed curiosity To hear from any
defender of the Administration on what prece-
dent the President relied for that most extraor-
dinary and most secret proceeding He (Mr.
Hoar) did not want to be understood as express
ing an opinion to the policy of annexing the
Hawaiian Islands. or as entering at all into
that discussion. All such questions were foreign
to the present occasion. 1t seemed TO him that
the President adopting and getting into the
habit of adopting rather extraordinary IAN
guage in dealing with other branches or the
Government In his last message he had said
dn regard To Civil Service) that Congress had
passed the Civil Service law. not because it ia:
vorcd il. but because Congress was AFRAID oS
popular opinion.
MR. MILLS DEFENDS TIE PRESIDENT.
Mr.. Mills Dem. Texas opposed the resolution
and spoke Of Mr.. Hoars speech as case OF
Smelling the woods before he obtained the In
formation which his resolution called for and az
charging the President with meditating an act
OF war He (Alr Mills denied the statement,
and asserted that the Executive had respect
fully submitted the question to Congress ana
had given Congress the information at his dis
posaL such as he thought it appropriate to
submit. The Presidents action in the matter
had been strictly confined within the limits or
Executive authority. 1t made no difference that
the government which had been overthrown in
Hawaii was a monarchy: Caesar was mon
arch when Christ said that tribute should be
paid to him. II was not a question OF the
morality of the Queen and of whether her
character was such Caesar would have had
his wife possess. The only question was: DID
the Government Of the United States interfere
TO overthrow the Government OF Hawaig II
IL did then it was the duty of the President or
the United Statcs-the representative OF this
Government-to make prompt restitution and 10
reinstate the government which 1t had over
thrown.
Mr.. Mills was still speaking when the morn.
ing hour expired g p. m), but on motion or Mr.
Hoar he was permitted TO proceed with his
speech. He spoke Of the picture pre-.
sented in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Gov.
ernment-the American Republic "a Power able
to cope with all the nations of the earth)-
standing with its guns shotted to the lips ana
turned upon the palace of a poor half-sayage.
half-civilized Queen Why he asked. had all
this been done? Why had the American Min
lister been constantly informing the Government
about the desirabty Of the Hawaiian Islands
and about the value OF their sugar production!
1t reminded him of that incident in Roman his
tory when Cato. who had been TO Carthage. drew
from the folds OF his toga Carthagenian figs ana
laid them on the table before the Roman Sen.
ate saying: This splendid fruit grows within
three DAYS sail of Rome. Carthage deenda est
Carthage must fall because she produced nne
figs which the Romans wanted So the Ha-
waiian Islands should change their governmene
because the sugar-planters Of Hawaii wanted
to obtain the bounty on sugar. to be paid to
them out of the pockets of American citizens.
Mr. Frye Rep, Maine reminded Mr.. Millo
that the representatives Of Hawaii were entirely
willing to have inserted In the treaty pr0vise