The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-12-18
A Credit to Him.

Democratic papers have of recent dat'
been ia the habit of quoting garbled sen
tences from a dispatch written by Hon
john l.. stevens while Minister AT Homo
lulu. 10 Hon. James e. Blaine. thcI
Secretary of State, aud expressing holy
now the dispatchis out in full aud it does
ample credit 10 the heart and brain %
Hon. 1ohn l.. stevens. showing him tC
he man of great caution. thorough
eonversant wilhthe affairs of the coun
try to which he was accredited, familiar
with the customs and duties of minister.
Of foreign countries, and AT the sam,
time far-scrng and practical man who
desired to be- thoroughly prepared fol
any emergency that might come upor
him.
The reply Of Mr.. Blaine to his dis
patch, if he made one, or any record of
it. il is said. caunot be found in the Sta te
department. OF course it will be readi-
ly seen if Il reply was made by Mr..
Blaine it would be a matter of absorb
Ing interest.
Following is Nj. stevens di-pltch
UNITED STATES LEGATION.
Honolulu. March :. 1892.
Sir--ln view of Possible contingencies
in these islands, ask for the instruc-
tiOns of the Department of State on the
following. viz:
H.. 4 ut horn should Iva strp-
pri-od and overturned by an orderly and
peaceful revolutionary movement, large
Ia of native Ilawaiians and Provision
Il or Republican Government organized
and proclaimed. ould the United States
Minister aud naval commander here be
Justified in responding aflirmatiyely to
the call of the members of the removed
Government to restore them to power.
OF replace them in possession of the
Government Building:
or should the United States Minister
aud naval commander contine them
selves exclusively to the preservation of
American property. the protection of
American citizens and the prevention of
anarchy: Should "A revolutionary at
tempt of the character indicated be
made. there are strong reasons to pre-
sumo that it would begin with the seiz-
urc of the police station, with its arms
and ammunition, and this accomplished :.
The royal palace and the Government
building, containing the Cabinet offices
and archives, would very soon be cap
tnrcd. the latter building being situated
about one-third of Il mile from the po-
lice station. In such contingencies
would it be iustifiable to use the United
States forces here to restore the Coy
eminent buildings to the possession of
the displaced officials? Ordinarily in
like circumstances. the rule seems to- be
to limit the landing and movement of
the United States forces in foreign wa
tiers and dominion exclusively to the
protection of the 'ntcd States Legation
aud of the lives and property of Ameri.
can citizens. But AS the relations of he
United States to Hawaii are exceptional
and in former years the United States
officials here took somewhat exceptional
action in circumstances OF disorder, de-
sire to know how far the present Minis
Ter and naval commander may deViate
from established international rules and
precedents in the contingencies indicated
in the first part of this dispatch.
i have information which | deem re-
liable that there is an organized revolu-
tionary party on the islands. composed
largely of native llawaiians and IL con
siderable number of whites and half
whites, led chiefly by individuals of the
latter two Glasses. This party is hostile
to the tlnecn and to her chief confilant~ ::
i, especially opposed to The coming to
the thinae of HE half English heir-ap
parent now being educated in England
and means to gain its object either by
forcing The Queen to select her Cabinet
from lis own members, or else to over
throw tn monarchy and establish IA re-
public will the ultimate view of annex
alton to HE 'nifel States OF the whole
Islands y portion of this party mean
only the former, and the other portion
intend the latter
Failing to accomplish the former, the
most OF the p lrty would seek the latter
alternative. have little doubt the rev
olutionary attempt would have been
made ere this, but for the presence OF
the United States ship of war. still
incline to the opinion that the revou
lionary attempt will not be made so
long as there is a United States force in
the harbor of Honolulu, hut it would be
rash to assert this positively There
fore | deem it my official duty to ask
for instructions in view of the possible
contingencies. | may add that the an
nexation sentiment is increasing, quite
AS much among the White residents an
native lIawaiians and other work ing-
men who own no sugar stock, as with
the sugar lauters. am. Sir, etc.
.IOHN l.. STEVENS.
Mr.. Stevens states that Mr.. Blaine
made no reply to this dispatch, saving /:
.'Doubless Mr.. Blaine thought that
the standing Instructions and usages oi
the Legation of which then had charge.
especially Secretary Bayard's dispatch
to Minister Merrill. OF July II, 1887.
were sufficient for my guidance, thus
throwing on the American representa-
tives ut lIonolL III. he responsibility of
dealing with facts and emergencies. as to
which they coull judge more accurate
" than the Washington oil 'ial@. All
official dispatches receiy ii by mr. during
nv residence in Honolulu, are duly
numbered and on lie in the Legation at
Honolulu