The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-12-19

Blounts report was given out by the
State Department today, consisting
of all the disclosures made by Blount
in his dispatches and with his report
from Honolulu. 1t is the testimony
on which he bases his report. Numer-
Gus communications bearing on the
day the Provisional Government was
proclaimed 90 to show that Minister
Stevens recognized the Provisional
Government, and that troops were
landed from the Boston before the
queens forces surrendered to the Pro-
visional Government.
The statement OF Liliuokalani adj
dressed to Blount is of special interest
fand Importance. On December Il,
: 1892, she claims she received letter
from a source she does not divulge,
warning her that the American repre-
sentative was at that time preparing
for the annexation of the islands.
She appealed to the British Commits
sioner, and he advised her against her
suggestion to lay the matter before all
the members of the diplomatic corps.
Continuing, she says 1.-The morn
ing of January IA, 1898, arrived, with
ali the PREPARATIONS for the closing of
the Legislature. At the Cabinet
meeting / told the Cabinet it was my
intention to promulgate a new Con-
stitution. At noon | prorogued the
Legislature, noticing that several
members of the Reform party were
not present. On entering the Palace
/ saw Mr. Wilson, and asked if all
was ready. He replied Yes and
then said You'll have to be brave to-
day. ] went to the Blue Room and
awaited the ministers After some
DELAY they arrived, and I judged from
their countenanee shat something was
wrong.
"a few days before planned that /
would sign the constitution in the
throne room in the presence Of the
members Of the Legislature, many of
whom had been elected for the purpose
of working for the new constitution
At the commencement Of my reign
petitions were sent from all parts of
the kingdom asking for "A new cOnsti-
tuition. A month later, with two mem
bers of the Legislature, ] started in to
make a new constitution from that of
Kamehameha Y. and that Of 1857.
After completing it placed it in the
hands of Peterson, asking him to cor
rect and revise it. He consulted many
LAWYERS and others regarding it, and
when IL was returned ] found no
changes had been made, SO concluded
a was all right.
J. Early in January ! mentioned to
Captain Nowlein Of the Household
Guard and Marshal Wilson my inten-
ton to promulgate a new constitution,
and told them to prepare themselves
to duell any riot or outbreak from the
opposition. They assured me they
would be ready, and gave strict in
junction of secrecy, and showed Will
son the plan of the thrOne-room.
Parker and Cornwell gave me assur-
ances of their support before their APP
pointment as Ministers, while Peter
son understood my intention, and
Colburn heard of it from Peterson.
at appears that Colburn, on the
morning of the 14th of January, acted
the part of traitor by going to Hart
we'll. a lawyer, and received instruc-
tiops from him to strongly advise me
to abandon the idea. This was the
cause of the delay in the blue-room.
When the Ministers arrived / told
them everything in the throne-room
was ready. was surprised when the
Cabinet informed me they did not
think it advisable for me to take such
a step; that there was danger of an
uprising, etc.
-mI told them / should not have |
undertaken it if they had not encour-
aged me. They led me to the edge OF
the precipice and now were leaving |
me to take the leap alone. 1T is
humiliating,' said 1. why not give |
the people the Constitution and | will |
bear the brunt of the blame"
"Peterson said he had not read the |
Constitution. i told him he had it in |
his possession a whole month. The |
Ministers left Parker to try and dis |
suade me from my purpose, and in |
the meantime they went to the Gov
eminent Building to inform Thurston |
and his party of the stand | took. Of
co9Ese, they were instructed not to
yield. i
.The Ministers returned and | asked !
them to read the Constitution over.
I then asked them what was injurious
in the document. Peterson said that
some points, he thought, were not eX-
actlv suited. / told him the Legisla-
ture could make amendments. He
begged that [ should wait for two
weeks and in the meantime they
would be ready to present it to me.
"With these assurances l yielded,
and we adjourned to the throne room.
/ stated to the guests present that my
reason for inviting them was to pro-
mitigate a new Constitution, at the
request of my people; that the Consti-
tuition of 1887 was imperfect and full
of defects. Turning to the Chief JUS
tice, 1 asked, rs it not so, Mr.. JuddY |
and he answered in the affirmative.
D 81 then informed the people that,
acting under the advice of my Minis |
tiers, / yielded, as they had promised |
that on some future day l could give
them a new Constitution. | then
asked them to return to their homes
and keep the peace. heard q COM |
motion below in the yard and hurried
to the front veranda, and from there |
addressed the people, saying their
wishes for a new Constitution could |
not be granted just then, butwould be !
some future day. They must go home
ard keep the peace and pray for me,
which they have done ever since.
"Airerything was quiet in the Palace |
all that night. Sunday, Parker adj