The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-11-30
STEVENS HAS HIS SAY
He Scores Commissioner Blount
Most Numerically.
THE REAL FACTS IN THE CASE
Showing How BlOunt Became the
Dupe of a Willy British
Diplomat.
HE REAL FACTS IN THE CASE
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Augusta, Me-, Nov. 29.-Ex-Minister
Stevens answer to Commissioner
Blount is as follows: "A deep sense of
obligation 20 my country and minis
ter's duty to defend an insult threat
ened against struggling American
colony. planted as righteously and
firmly on the North Pacific isles as our
pilgrim fathers established themselves
on Plymouth Rock, demand that shall
representations and untruths Of Com
missioner Blount's report on Hawaiian
affairs. Not wishing to be severe on
this neophyte in diplomacy. w'.h no
knowledge of the worlds affairs tside
his own country. sent on Il We, pc.
culiar errand amid currents and iucilS-
sands entirely unknown 20 himsif say
he has been partly the victim of cir
cumstances having been caught in the
meshes and snares adroitly prepared
for him by the cunning advisors of the
fallen Liliuokalani, and by shrewd,
sharp, long-eXperienoed, British diplo-
matte gent, whose aims and hopes
Blount has served so well, and with
out the least suspicion that he was
aiding ultra-British interests, even more
than he was helping the Hawaiian mon
archists and the just dethronement of
the queen. 1t is clear enough from
Blount's manner from the day Of his
arrival az Honolulu, as well as by his
letter to the department of state writ
ten shortly after, that he designed at
whatever cost, to repudlate the views
and actions of the recently terminated
administration, and in order to do so
must impugn the action of Minister
Stevens and the commander Of the
United States steamer Boston. A to-
tai stranger it was impossible for Mr..
Blount to know bow uniting il was
for him to pick up his quarters where
he was certain he would be surrounded
by royalists, and where the supporter
of the provisional government would
be reluctant to go. AS precautionary
safeguard against shutting out Amer
leans from ready access to Commits
sioner Blount a wealthy and highly
respectable widow lady of the American
colony was ready to grant the use of
her house to Mr., and Mrs. Blount, the
commissioner to pay the same amount
it would cost him to live at the Royal
lists hotel. This polite offer of an
American resident to an American COM
missioner did not originate with the
provisional government, nor did the
provisional government have anything
whatever to do with the proposed ar
rangement. Brusquely he refused the
courteously and honestly intended Of
fer of his countrymen, and at once
placed himself among the royailsts
ard ultra-British surroundings. The
insinuations ana implications in
Blounts repors that 7 was adverse to
his access to the legation records Is a
shameless perversion Of facts. Under
date of April 2lst. he saws he disap-
proved Of the request of the provisional
government that the American forces
be landed for drill. 1 here affirm the
provisional government never made
such request. In Rlount's report as
given to the press | find the following:
Two leading members of the commit
tee. Messrs. Thurston and Smith, grow
ing uneasy as to the safety Of their
PERSONS, went to Minister Stevens to
know If he would protect them In the
event of their arrest by the authorities.
to which he gave his assent 1t is
enough to say there is not sem
blance of truth In this assertion of
Blount. He says in responce to the
call of the committee OF safety to land
men from the Boston, IT does not ap-
pear in the files of the legation The
meaning If this insinuaticn is obvious.
1t is enough t1 say there never was
anv such document I received the in
vitation of the committee of safety for
what 1t was worth. as received other
information on the same subject. II
should have requested Capt. Wiltze to
have landed his forces even had not
the committee requested it. Blount
asserts / promised to aid the |
COMMITTEES of safety by force. This is |
and categorically untrue. |
'In reply to the rival parties at diff
ferent times, whether representatives
OF the queen or her opponents, my an
swer was always the same, that force
should not land until danger should
be plainly imminent, and then only to
protect American life and property,
though the queen through he minis
ters strongly requested it hours before
the provisional government was rec
ognized by me and all other diplomatic
representatives in Honolulu"
Stevens states he had no knowledge