New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-21
PRICE THREE CENTS.
MR.. CLEVELAND ARRAIGNED.
HIS AUTHORITY DISPUTED.
SENATOR HOAR DENIES HIS RIGHT TO AP.
POINT BLOUNT.
1T WAS IN UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACT


FUNCTIONS OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
MORGAN INTRODUCES RESOLUTION OF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SLOW TO DE-
FEND THE ADMINISTRATION.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE,
Washington, Dec. 2O--Notwithstanding Mr.
Cevelands present strenuous efforts to retreat
from his untenable restoration policy and to
devolve the settlement of the whole Hawaiian
question upon Congress- he is not likely to sue
ceed In evading responsibility for the arrogant
and illegal methods by which he sought, IN
secret to bring about Liliuokalanis restoration
to power, or to escape richly deserved public
censure from his egregious diplomatic bunder.
ing Whatever the House Of Representatives
may do, the Senate, whose prerogatives ana
functions have been so directly infringed py
President Cleveland. is pretty certain to hold
him to account for the conduct OF AFFAIRS IN
Honolulu since March last.
Mr. Morgan the chairman OF the Senate Com.
mittee on Foreign Relations, has, in all the
recent discussions over the illegalty and uncon-
stitutionality of the Administrations action
maintained an attitude of neutrality and nom
partsanshp which has seemed to guarantee
that the committee intrusted with the direction
of the Governments foreign policy in that body
VIII see tNdt Il SODer anu ueilDefdtc JuuShchs ~
passed by competent official critics upon the 70.
markable course pursued by the. Administration
since March in the way Of Intervention in the
affairs of Hawaii. Mr. Morgan introduced to-
day, and had referred to his own committee. .
resolution authorizing an inquiry by that com.
mittee whether any irregularities had occurred.
and If so of what nature, in the conduct Of the
diplomatic relations between this country and
Hawaii during and since the recent revolution;
the committee being clothed with full power to
summon witnesses and papers. to administer
oaths and to take any other steps necessary
to insure a thorough and impartial investiga-
ton.
TO INVESTIGATE THE WHOLE SUBJECT.
The resolution covers. Of course. the actions
taken by Minister Stevens during his incun.
bency as well as the whole course of the efforts
at restoration subsequently made by the present
Administration through Paramount" Blount
and Minister Willis. No serious objection Is
likely to be urged from any quarter against
undertaking this proposed reinvestigation OK
Mr.. Blounts discoveries and the attendant
project Of covertly putting Liliuokalani back
her throne. Such an examination or all
the details Of Mr. Clevelands now discredited
policy seems absolutely necessary, in view OF
the hopeless diplomatic entanglements into
which the President has been plunged. follow
ing the lead Of Mr.. Blount and Mr.. Gresham.
The more the disclosures made In the partial
records published on Monday are examined,
the greater seems the need Of a further delv.
ing into the intricacies OF the astounding as
sumptons and impotent conclusions OF the ex.
pring opera bouffe programme. The resolu-
tion may not be reported back this week be-
fore the holiday recess is taken, but II 10
almost certain TO reappear early in January
when its immediate passage seems assured
Mr.. Hoar's speech TO-DAY was one OF the most
effective and finished pieces Of political criti-
cism heard In the Senate for many years. The
Massachusetts Senator confined his discussion
10 the illegality and extra-constituttonality OF
Mr.. Blounts appointment as Commissioners
with paramount authority" finding in Mr..
Clevelands letter OF instructions 10 his agent
a gross and palpable transgression of the just
limits of Executive power. Mr.. Hoar's query
whether any single apologist of the President
could defend his action If for Honolulu in
the Blount instructions Mr.. Cleveland had sub
stituted London, thus giving 10 his supposedly
personal and private agent authority In all
things diplomatic paramount 10 that OF the
resident Ambassador. with added power to
land troops and inquire into the legality OF the
existing Government, went TO the root or the
whole dispute to the lawful character Of Mr..
Blount's mission.
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY PASSED.
Whether wantonly or carelessly. the President
clearly passed all limits OF sole Executive
authority when he commissioned private agent
with such extraordinary qualities. and as Mr..
Hoar mercilessly pointed out. If the Blount cre-
dentialS were legal the conduct OF the dipio-
matte affairs Of this country is reduced to an
expression OF the personal wishes Of the Execu-
tive.
Mr. Hoars speech abounded with happy turns
Of phrase and witty hits at the feebleness ana
folly of the Presidents programme his felici-
tous comparison between the perplexed instruc.
tOns given 10 Willis and the sage orders OK
Dogberry 10 his companions of the watch, prov
ing, perhaps, the most telling shaft aimed at the
luckless dpomatists at the other end OF the
avenue.
The Administration Democrats generally have
in the last two days adopted a policy OF avoid
ance' In the Hawaiian matter. There are very
few who feel that they could make a successful
defence Of the acton OF Mr.. Cleveland in ignor-
ing Congress and arrogating to himself the
right to interfere IN the affairs OF a friendly
foreign government The excuse for his fnstruc-
tions To Mr. Willis which appears to be adopted
by those who would protect him from attack
is that he took this action under the impres.
sion that both the Queen and the Provisional
Government had referred the question which
should possess the Government for decision by
the President OF the United States as an arbi-
traitor, and II was only after he had received re-
bufs from both the contending parties In Ha-
wall that he discovered his mistake. The only
thing produced as warrant for his assuming
that he had been selected to arbitrate Is that
President Dole indorsed on the back Of the
Queens protest the date Of its receipt by him
and his name. They argue from this. and from
the fact that the Provisional Government was
formed pending negotiations for treaty OF
annexation. and that the Queens protest was
forwarded here by the Provisional Government,
that Mr. Cleveland might have assumed that the
purpose was to have the President Of the United
States give decision AS absurd as this propo-
sition appears II seems to be the only one which
is now advanced by cuckoo" Democrats.
MR. HOAR,S GREAT SPEECH