The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1893-12-29


~, uhose service of eighteen years as Il
,,,an,hcr of tbe house of representatives
| ,nl u,hosn exrorieuce rs chairman OF 'n'
| no,,u,i+,nn on foreign affairs IN thrt pou'
| onI his consequent familiarity WIN lr'et-
n,t;nn,l topics, ioine,i with his high rflar,
o,,t.r and honorable reputation. seeinsd
to rnnder him peculiarly fitted Tor the
art;as entrusted to him. His report d"-
t,;1;ng his action under the inStructlohS
,;yen to him and the conclusions de-
r;vcd from his investigation accoiPap!
this message.
Snn,kinc of cx-Miuister Stevens con.
rection with the matter Ii" PreSioe'''
SAYS: tort .bo
1t is unnecessary to set 1ofth INC
reason which in January, ls95' ie"
considerable portion OF Amer'ah "h'
other foreign merchants ana lfaoei9
siding at Honolulu to favor lne ahi'.NI
tion of Hawaii TO the lnlteu sla'ee'
is sufficient to note the TACT ana !" 81
serve that the project was one "iii'n
was zealously promoted by the minister
representing the United States III ,hat
country. He evidently had an arae'i'
desire that ii should become iact ~
complisheu by his agency ana uuln ~
his ministry. and was not INCONVENIENCE.
scr,lpuous as to the means eniploseu
that end. OF course the aSSullP'i"n -
nrotectorate was promptly disavowed ny
rur government. but the American l's
remained over the government builuii,s AZ
Honolulu. and the forces rclhalieu W
guard until April. and after Mr.. hioalla
arrival on the scene, "hen po'h "''s
moved. e..h
Here follows a brief statement OF the
occurrences following Mr.. Rlounts AZ
rival on tn, scene. Il Ct ther with extracts
from his report which has @irtady been
Published. -;
The president then sums up til" condl-
tons of the situation as follows: lhe
lawful government of Hawal was over,
thrown without the drawing OF sNofu
or the firing OF shot by process raeii
stcp of which, ii may safely be- asserted.
is directly traceable to and dependent for
its success upon the agency OF the lnlt-
ed States government through Its d.
pomatic and naval representatives. nu'
for the notorious predictions or the
United States minister for anneXatlon
the committee of safety. which should pe
called the committee OF annexation would
never have existed. But for the landing
Of the United States forces upon false
! pretexts respecting the danger to life
and property the committee would never
have exposed themselves 70 the pains
and penalties of treason by undertaking
the subyersiCn Of tie queen government,
But for the p1 essence of the United States
force in the immediate vicinity anl IN
position to afford all needed protection
and support the committee would not
have proclaimed the provisional govern
ment from the steps Of the government
building and finally. but for the lawlcss
occupation Of Honolulu under false pre-
texts by the United States forces. and
but for Minister Stevens recognition OF
the provisional government when the
United States forces were its sole support
and constituted its only military strength.
the queen and her government would ney
er have yielded to the provisional govern
ment. even for a time. and for the sole
purpose of submitting her case to the
enlightened justice of the United States.
Relieving. therefore. that the CnlteN
States could not. under the circumstances
disclosed. annex these islands without
justly incurring the imputation of ac-
quiring them by unjustitiable methods,
shall not again submit the treaty of an
neXatlon to the senate for its conSidera
ton. and in the instructions to Minister
Willis. copy of which accompanied
this message. / have directed him to SO
inform the provisional government. but
IN IN the present instance our duty does
not. in my opinion. end with refusing
to consumate this questionable transac-
ton. 1t is the boast of our government
that it seeks TO do Justice in all things
without regard to the strength or weak
ness of those with whom it deals / mis-
take the American people if they favor
the odious doctrine that there is no such
thing as international morality. that
there is one law for a strong nation and
another for 4 weak. and that even by
indirect means strong power may
with impnnity despol weak one of it's
town If.. -
With the participation of diplomatic
representative Of the United States and
without authority Of congress. a govern
ment of a feeble but friendly and con-
hdlng people has been oyerthrown
A substantial wrong has thus been
done. which due regard for our national
character as we'll as the right of the in
Jnred people required that we should en-
deavor to repair. The provisional gov
ernment has not assumed republican or
other constitutional FORM but has re-
mained a mere executive council or
oligarchy. set up without the assent of
the people. It has not seen tit to find a
permanent basis for popular support and
has given no evidence of an intention to
Go So Indeed. the representatives Of
that government assert that the people Of
Hawaii are unfit for popular government
and frankly avoW that they can best be
Iuled Dy arbitrary or deSpotie power
The law Of nations is founded upon rea
son and justice and the rules of conduct
governing individual citizens or subjects
Of IA civilized state as equally applicable
as between enlightened nations. The
considerations that international law is
without court for its enforcement. and
that obedience to the commands prarti-
cally depends upon good faith instead of
upon the mandate Of superior tribunal.
only give additional sanction to the law
itself. and brand any deliberate infrac-
ton Of i not merely as wrong but as a
disgrace. a man of true honor protects
the unWrltten word which binds his con-
science more scrupulously. if possible.
than he does the bond the breach of
which subjects him to legal liabilities
and the United States in aiming to main,
tain itself as one of most enlightened
OF nations would do its citizens gross in.