The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-31
HAWAIIAN RESOLUTION
MINORITY REPORT OF FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEES.
a Partisan Arrangement Of Preaidont
Cleveland and Secretary Gresh-
am on the Hawaiian Affair,
REPUBLICAN ATTEMPT TO MAKE 70
LIrIoAL CAPITAL or II.
The Appointnent cf Blouns an Commissioner i
Hawaii Regarded as Usurpatioa Of Au-
thority BY Cleveland

Washington, December so--Thc republic
can members Of the foreign AFFAIRS COM
mittee have completed the minority re-
port on the resolution presented by chair-
man Mccrcary on the day congress a5-
Jo1rncd az a substitute bill Tor tho HIT
resolution 1t Is very Noiuminous and goes
in detail into inc whole history OF Biounts
appointment as commissioner paramount
and tho course Of the administration,
when Cleveland was inaugurated on
March 1, 1858. says the report 1.-THE Ha-
waiians were under sovereign control OF
republican government, recognized not
only BY tho United states but by every
civilized nation. The government was in
the name Of provisional, but In fact was
to rctnin In existence for an indefinite
period until the time when the terms Of
a union with the United States were
\ agreed upon. The minister plcnipotentiary
or the United Suites 70 hawaii was in
person az his post and the senate OF the
| United states was IN session. The presi-
dent sent 70 the senate the name OF Gres-
Khan as secretary Of state and that body
confirmed the appointment IL was ~ shas
time publicly stated. though as yet not
from Washington on March on his mis-
sion to the Hawaiian Islands,
Then follow copies OF INSTRUCTIONS 10
13lount. with Cleveiand's greeting to Dole.
The narrative proceeds to relate Blounts
action tn hauling down the American flag
and the Investigation he made Then Il
| discusses at length the presdents power
TO appoint n diplomatic officer armed
with the power given Blount without the
consent OF the senate
This the report save, covers all
that Is needed to show how the president
ignored the plain language Of the renstl-
tuition He has assumed TO appoint, OF his
own voiltion, without tho advice OF the
senate, Il diplomatic officer with parar
mount powers, 10 try 70 argue chat
Rlount was not diplomatic officer of the
United States but only n special commits
sioner would be TO sacrifice substance to
form The powers assumed 10 be granted
constitute the real test Of the character
of an agent.
The minister OF the United States AZ
thar time at Hawai- had been appointed
under The constitution by the president
and confirmed by the senate. lie mad
never been removed LeaNing our min
lister non,inaIly In charge of routine fune'
tons, the president sends q high dipio.
matte officer sselected by himself alone,
Should the advocates OF the presidents
policy try 10 defend his acticn by olniia-
sonal agent aud not public officer they
must ignore the fact thai Minister Blpnnt
was given supreme command Of poih
the navy and flag. Can anyone cay that
either OF these were the presidents own
property. or that he coula delegate any
personal power over them? No precedent
for such an appointment has been pointed
out and prolonged research on our part
fails to find one that ctln justify the presi-
dents action.
Then follows n discussion OF the prece-
dents cited in justification Of Clevelonda
course covering practically the same
ground trsiNersed by Senator Hoar in his
speech IN the SENATE on the same subject,
mo precedent exists for president
alone 10 appoint IA commissioner para
mount with powers assumed 10 be given
TO Minister Blount," continues the re-
port.
The real purpose of his mission was
not expressed ia written words but 4
can not be concealed that I've was 10 make
a case against the American minister
and dlscredit a friendly government he
was accredited to. He was apparently,
To use the wordp OF President Cleveland
10 MIR, Dole. to advance the interests and
property Of both governments. In rcal-
ity he was 10 try and discover such
state OF facts as might appear 70 be o
stain, both OF that friendly government
and ON the views and recommendations
of tie former administration Of his own
government
mot content With Withdrawing the Eos
ter treaty from the senate, which may
hnve been his constitutional right. the
president was led to employ uueonFtitu-
tlonei means and IN unconstitutional
agent 10 reverae and discredn the policy
OF the preceding administration This 10
more thnn an innovation IN our foreign
Motley. hitherto cynsisiert and Bteady
since the first days Of our republic II
IS an unwriten but universally accepted
law that no administration or any repre-
tentative government ever condemns the
international policy Of the preceding adj
ministration. for IN 40 doing Il would
attack It's own government"
Coming down 10 the question or the
Willis Instructions the report says:
Willis ia informed that The provisional
government. 10 which he WAS % deliver
his credentials WIZ not established by Ha
waiian people or with their consent. nor
Wills was 10 notify tho queen thnt the
president would not send back to the SEN
ate The treaty withdrawn March 2. he
was 60 inform the queen when reinstatod
that the president expected her 70 grant
an entire amnesty % all of those con-
80 they should be deprived Of no right o.
privilege
Having secured the queens agreement
10 pursue this wise ana humane policy
Willis was 10 atvire the executive OF tho
provisional government Of the presidents
determination Of the question. which their
artipn and that 81 the queen had de-
volved upon him, ann tlat they were ex-
pected 20 promptly relinquisn 10 her her
constitutional authority. sshouid either
party decline Willis was to report au1
await further directions. Those secret and