People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-12-22


government building and palace
When these armed men were landed the |
city OF Honolulu was in its customary orderly |
and peaceful condition There was no symp- |
tom OF riot or disturbance in any quarter |
Men. women and children we're about the |
streets as usual, and nothing varied the ordi- !
nary routine or disturbed the ordinary tran
guilty except the landing Of the Boston's |
marines and their march through the town 10 |
the quarters assigned to them Indeed the |
fact that after having called for the landing OF
the United States forces on the plea OF danger |
10 life and property. the committee OF safety |
themselves requested the minister TO postpone |
action exposed the untruthfulness OF their !
representations OF present peril 10 life and |
property. The peril they saw was an anticipl-
ton growing out OF guilty intentions on their |
part and something which, though not then
existing. they knew would certainly follow
their attempt TO overthrow the government OF
the queen without the aid OF tie United
States forces. Thus it appears that Hawaii
was taken possession OF by the United States
forces without the consent or wish OF the
government OF the islands OF anybody else so
far Us shown except the United States minis
ter
II in this state OF things the queen could
have dealt with the insurgents alone her
course would have been plain and the result
unmistakable But the United States had
allied itself with her enemies, had recognized
them as the true government OF Hawaii and
had put her in the possession OF opposition
against lawful authority. She knew that she
could withstand the power Of the United
States but she believed that she might safely
trust TO its Justice Accordingly some hours
after the RECOGNITION OF the provisional gov
eminent by the United States minister the
palace, the barracks and the police station.
with all the military resources OF the country
were delivered up by the queen upon the rep
resentatiOn made 10 her that her cause would
thereafter be reviewed Gt Washington. and
while protesting that she surrendered 10 the
superior force Of the United States whose
minister ordered United States troops TO be
landed at Honolulu and declared that he
would support the provisional government
and that she yielded her authority TO
prevent collision Of armed forces and the loss
of life and only until such time as the United
STATES. upon the facts being pre- ,euted TO il,
should undo the action Of its representative
and reinstate her in the authority she claimed
rs the constitutional sovereign OF the Hawaiian
islands.
This protest was delivered 10 the chief of
the provisional government who iGdcrsed
thereon his acknowl 3dgement Of its receipt
The terms OF the protest were read without
dissent by those assuming TO constitute the
provisional government who were certainly
charged with the KNOWLEDGE that the queen
instead 0f finally abandoning Ter power. had
appealed to the justice OF the United States
for reinstatement in authority and yet the pro-
test in its hand FASTENED to negotiate with the
United States for the permanent Punishment
Of the queen from power and for sale OF her
kin dom.
Oar country was in dan-er OF occupying the
position OF having actually set upa temporary
government on foreign soil Tor the purpose Of
acquiring. through that agen:y, territory
which we had wrongfully put in our posses.
sion. The control OF both sides OF a bargain
required in such manner is called 10y famil-
lar and unpleasant name when found in pTi.
yatc transactions We are not without
precedent showing how Scrupulously We
avoided such accusations in former
dlvs After the people OF Texas
had declared their in cpcndence OF
Mexico, they resolving that on the acknowl-
edgement Of their independence by the United
States they would seek admission into the
United States. Several mo tbs after the bat
lie OF sun JacintO by which Texan indepen-
dence was practically assured and established,
President jackson declined 10 recognize IT,
alleging as one Of his reasons that
in the circumstances 1t became US
to beware OF loo early smove-
ment, rs it might subject u.s. however I'M
justly. to the imputation OF seeking 10 estab-
lish the claim OF cur neighbors TO o territory
with view TO It's subsequent acquisition by
ourselves" This is in marked contrast with
the haSty recognition OF government openly
and concededly set up for the purpose Of ten
dering to US territorial annexation
MILITARY OCCUPATION WITHOUT JUsTIFI-
CATION.
Therefore the military occupation Of Hon
olulu By the United States on the day men
toned was wholly without Justification either
as an occupation by consent or as an occupa-
ton necessitated by dangers threatening
American life and property. 1t must be &C.
counted for in some other wav and on some
other ground AMI its real motive and purpose
are neither obscure nor far TO seek
The United States forces BENZ now on the
scene and favorably stationed the committee
proceeded TO carry out their oriyinal scheme
| They met next morning, Tuesday, the l7tn,
perfected the plan of temporary government,
and fixed upon its principal officers ten OF
whom were drawn from the thirty members Of
the committee OF safety Between and :
| o'clock. by squads, and by different routes 10
| avoid notite and having first taken the pre-
caution OF ascertaining whetner there was any
one to oppose them, they proceeded TO the
government buildings TO proclaim the new gov-
| ernment No sign Of oppOs tion was man
| ifest, and thereupon an American citizen
began 10 read the proclamation from
the steps Of the government building
almost entirely without auditors. 1t is said
that before the reading was finished quite a
concourse Of persons yarioCsly estimated ut
from fifty TO 100, some armed and some I'M
| armed, gathered about the committee TO give
them aid and confidence This statement Is
not important since the one controlling factor
in the whole affair was unquestion ,bly the
United States marines who, drawn up under
l.,
entysiX yards distant. dornin { d the situa.
ticn Tho provisional cove n-,elt tbs pro-
claimed %.s by tie TENS o. The .o.lc!n Il On,
ITO exist Until terms OF union with the Tn te l
States Ind been NEGOTIATED and agreed upon.
The United States minister pursuant TO
prior agreem mt. recOgniZel this government
within an hour after the reading OF T. procia-
nation and before o'clock in answer 10 an
inquiry on behalf OF the queen and her cabinet
announced that he had done so
When our minister recognized the provision
al EovSr-lolt, tie only basis upon which II
rested was the fact that the committee OF
safety had declared II TO exist II was neither
a government defact) or dejure That II was
not in such possession OF the government
property and agencic, as entitled il TO recog
milton is conclusiyely proved by note found
in the files OF the legation NJ Honolulu I'D
dressed by the declared head OF the urovisiola
government 10 Minister Stevens ted Janu
airy H. 1898 in which be Acknowledged witt
expressions Of appreciation, the ministers
recognition OF the provisional government amt
stated that 1t was not yet in the possession o
the station house tine place where lar 4
number Of the queens troops were Qurteredl
though the same mad been demanded OF hi
queens officers in char
Nevertheless this wrongful recognition By
our minister placed the government Of the
queen In u position OF most periious pernlexi
ty. On the one hand. she had possession o
the palace, OF the barra ks and OF the polio
station. and at her com n8nd at least 50 full
armed men and several pie,es Of artillery In
deed the whole military force OF her kingdon
was on her side and ut her disposal. while III
committee Of safety BY Tetual search had dis
covered that there were but very few arms IL
Honolulu that were not in the service OF TIT
government
CONCLUSIONS REACHED BY THE PRESl
DENT.
believe that a candid and thorough exam
{ iuAtion Of the facts viii force ihe convictio
3 that the provision Il government owes its e.
!. isience to an armel invasion BY the Unite