The morning call., 1893-05-10
BLOUNT is FIXED.
He Will Be Minister to
Hawaii.
JUDGMENT IN ADVANCE.
The Presidents Commissioner Went
to the Islands Instructed to Re-
port Against Annexation.
JUDGMENT IN ADVANCE.
Special 70 THE MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON. May 9.-Oficials of the
State Department tonight confirm the
predictions heretofore made that ex-
representative Blount would be appointed
Minister resident to Hawaii.
To a person who has watched the course
OF events in relation to the Hawaii matter
since Cleveland came into power there
can be little surprise in this announce
ment. 1t has been growing clearer, day
by day, since the 4th of March. that the
Democratic administration was not in
clined to look with favor upon the anneXa-
tiOn of the island kingdom. 1t has also
been growing clearer that only preteXt
was wanted to undo what had been done
by President Harrison and Secretary of
State Foster before the change Of parties
in power at Washington was made Now
il seems that the President is prepared TO
repudlate annexation and 10 repel the ad-
vauces Of the Provisional Government at
Hawaii, without even a pTeteXt. 1t was n
thing almost unheard Of when the Presi-
dent withdrew the treaty Of annexation
negotiated by Foster and the Hawaiian
Annexation Commissioners after that
document had been sent TO the Senate and
before it had been considered by that body.
II was All ungraceful thing, smacking of
discourtesy to the Senate Itself.
Then caTe the appointment of Blount
as a special commissioner TO represent the
President at Honolulu as a sort of admin
lstratiOn spy personally, although nobody
knows TO this day precisely what he was
sent out for, and that also was a thing uu-
heard Of. Blount. III a diplomatic sense,
had no recognized standing. The Senate
was not consulted upon his selection, and
without the concurrence of the Senate he
could not act for the Government of the
United States 10 foreign country. Here,
too. was discOurtesy 70 tile Senate, ana
moreover a slap in the face oil the regularly
accredited American Minister at Honolulu.
Further than that there was created an
extralegal official. presumably to draw pay
from tie Government, and certainly hay
ing placed at his disposition Government
vessel upon which 10 reach lis destination.
Blount had no legal standing, and. o far
as the law went, no right to act in Hawaii
other than private citizen might have
acted. and yet he assumed control there,
ignoring Min 'er Stevens utterly, and
treating dire = with the officers of the
Provisional Government. He even sas-
sumed authority over the commander oil an
American warship. the Boston, ordered
the marines disembarked at Stevens order
10 embark again, and, last OF all. he caused
the American fig to be hauled down, the
first time in history that such thing had
been by command of the President, for the
President had admitted that IL was done
by his command, and declared at an end
the pTotectorate set up at President Dole's
request BY Stevens.
OF course Bount has been inspired from
here all through, and equally, of course. he
went down 10 Hawaii as judge whose
decision was written before be had heard
any testimony.
1t has been supposed that Minister
Stevens would remain in charge of the
legation until the 24th of this month, at
which time he announced bis intention O.
sailing for San Francisco, and while it is
not known that Stevens has been in
structed forthwith to turn over the legation
TO Commissioner Blount, who has been ap-
pointed his successor. there is reason to be-
lieve that he will not be allowed TO remain
in charge until the path inst. because OF his
activity in behalf of annexation.
1t is further stated at the department
that Bowen and Sewall, who went 10 Hon
olulu shortly alter Commissioner Blounts
arrival, have been active in their efforts to
stimulate a sentiment on the islands in
favor Of annexation and there is reason to
believe that they sought to create the i'm
preston that in so doing they were repre-
senting the President. Secretary Gresham
has informed BiouGt tnat the President re-
pud ates everything said and done by these
gentlemen.
1t will be remembered that Sewall was
an applicant for the position of Third As
sis!ant Secretary Of State under the present
administration, but failed TO secure the ap-
Dointment