Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-12-28

AUGUSTA. Me. Dec 20-The answer of
TX Minister John L. Stevens to President
Cleycland's 5 statements regarding his official
conduct Mt Honolulu, is made public to-
might. Ho says that human government in
its best form sometimes fails to secure all
the just objects for which it has been ere
ated. In creating the office of president, it
was impossible to provide against all con
tingencios of usurpation by that officer.
The provision for impeachment was the
host safeguard that the trainers of the con
stitutiou could institute. Only once in our
political history has a majority of the Con
yrcss of the United States solcnlnlv resolved
n favor of inpeaching the occupant of the
executive chair. Probably it was well that
he effort 10 rCmove Andrew johnson from
his office was arrested ON the brink of sue
ess
The great reluctance of the conservative
men of the country to remove the chief eN-
IcutlNe for abuse of power seems to
ave encouraged President Cleveland
% resort TO the extraordinary meas
ne Of oycrturnug the provisional
government of Hawaii while as much
$ possible concealuc his arbitrary design
rom the American Congress and the Ameri-
an people.
Lool, at tie historical facts dispassionatc-
Y. and no one will deny that the lines of
lsurpation and injustice on which President
levoland and the secretary of State have
eel since the It'll of March last. coupled
With
The EN-Partc star Chamber Course
f Commissioner Blount relative to the ac-
epted testimony of Liiuokalani's fallen
orrupt ministers. are more sweeping and
loro hostile to Anglo-Saxon liberty than
be acts of George Ill. and the Lord North
llniSt'y, which drove the American colo
les to successful revolt
There is nothing in American history
lore shameful in its scope of injustice and
tyranny than the attempt of President
eveland and Secretary Gresham to crush
ut civil liberty and American interests in
laval by the threat to restore the extinct
Hawaiian monarchy by force of arms. or
Y diplomatic chcanery and pressure. more
lfamouS If possible than the use of ball and
ayonet.
President Cleveland's recent special mes
hge in which he SO severely criticiees the
purse Of the American minister Mt Honolu-
Is but feeble repetition of the superb
al report Of Commissioner Blount and the
atement of Secretary Gresham previously
lbished. President Cleveand's GROSSLY
ltrue and shamefully unjust allegation
gainst myself and the naval commander
,st entirely on the statements of the four
ptoriouslY corrupt ministers of the fallen
ieen. of Wilson. the Tahitian. half-whtc.
moral tayorite and other thoroughly dis
edited testimony.
will not, in this paper. 20 over the con
usively overwhelming testimony of all re
,ectahle men of the American colony, per
rs of the highest character for intelligence
PIT integrity. who knew and witnessed the
entN when the Hawaiian monarchy fell
no contrdict expressly the secretly
|lecjcd testimony OF Commissioner Blount
only repeat here what has been amply
rificl again and again. that neither hy
rec on threat of force or by any advice
action of mine, was the fall OF the mon
hy prcciptated
From tAe hour on which | entered on NV
tie> at the head of the United States Iega-
N 10 the termination of my official 1cspon-
lhtN. ! maintained the determination to
II on the naval commander for aid only in
event that American life and property
re in danger. Cautiously. but firmly.
Fhaps sometimes tao silently, ] made this
fixed rule Of action. not only TO the rop-
'entatlveS of the queen, but to the leaders
the parties who saw no safe alternative
a
abolislmrnt of the monarchy.
President Cleveland sees fit to make
int against my official conduct that
nths before the events of last January |
d advocated annexation. He deliberately
d purpoSely conceals that | said in NV de-
atch in November, 1892 was a conGlen.
statement to the department of state of
then condition Of affairs in Hawaii. n
port OF which by the established rules and
actlces of diplomacy | was III duty bound
make known to my government. At
at date my opinions We're so privately
d that both in Honolulu and in California
was believed that the American minister
S aVcrsc to annexation.
Mr. stevens, referring to the Conflict
ween the queen and the legislature. saws
when the queen yielded by the appoiut
lit Of the Jones-Wilcox cabinet. he con
ntly concluded that, as the close Of the
SIa'nro was near, this ministry would be
a 10 safely carry on for the following Is
nths or until the election of a new Iopjs Ia
e. and SO left Honolulu in the United
'teS snip Boston, January !, on a trip to
W heh ne and Capt. Wiltse returned on
"arY ~ they were completely taken bv |
'li7c dI "hat the queen, the palace asso |
res ana the lottery gang, had accom- |
lea in 10 days. The remonstrances Of |
chamber of commerce. of the numerous |
ltlons Of some of the best people of the
nd, both whites and natives. and tbe |
nest pleadings Of those who had pre,.i- |
iy adhered to the monarchy. had boen
fantly dlsregarded. He found the CITY in |
at excitement and learned that for many
hrs there had been an anxious desire for
return of the Boston.
A. soon as possible he sought to co-oper- |
with the English minister to get access |
he queen and to try by friendly advise |
arrest the revolution. 1t was too late.
mob Of royal retainers were already |
herring to the palace TO aid the queen to |
y out her plan Of overturning the con |
uion. What took place at the palace
afternoon of January IA
led the Hawaiian Monarchy for Ever.
lr. Stevens repeats his denial that Queen
uokalan was driven from her throne by |
|erlcan force or by the threat of Amer