Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-18
MESSAGE ON HAWAII.
The President Informs Congress of
the Situation.
WHY THE QUEEN WAS NOT RESTORED.
She Has Declined So Far to Assent
to the Conditions.


Following Is the full text o; the message
sent to Congress today by the President:
To the Senate and House Of Represents
tives:
In my recent annual message to the Con-
gress briefly referred to our relations with
Hawaii and expressed the intention of
transmitting further information on the
subject when additional advices permitted.
Though I am not able now to report a
definite change In the actual situation. am
convinced that the difficulties lately created
both here and in Hawaii are now standing
In the way Of a solution through executive
action Of the problem presented. render 1t
proper, and expedient, that the matter
should be referred to the broader authority
and discretion Of Congress, with a full ex-
PLANTATION Of the endeavor thus far made to
deal with the emergency and a statement
OF the considerations which have governed
my action.
i suppose that right and justice should
determine the path to be followed in treat
ing this subject. If national honesty Is to
be disresarded and a desire for territorial
extension. or dissatisfaction with a form Of
government not our own, ought to regulate
our conduct. have entirely misapprehend-
ed the mission and character of our govern
ment and the behavior which the con-
public servants.
The Annexation Treaty.
When the present administration entered
upon its duties the Senate had under con-
sideration treaty providing for the an
nexation Of the Hawaiian Islands to the
territory Of the United States. Surely
under our Constitution and laws the en-
iargement OF our limits is q manifesto
ton OF the highest attribute Of sovereignty,
ana II entered upon as an Executive act,
al things relating to the transaction should
De clear and free from suspicion. Addi-
tional importance attached to this particu-
lar treaty Of annexation. because it con-
femplated a departure from unbroken
American tradition in providing for the
addition to our territory Of islands of the
sea more than two thousand miles removed
from our nearest coast.
These considerations might not of them
selves call for interference with The COM
pletion of a treaty entered upon by a pre-
vious Administration. But 1t appeared from
the documents accompanying the treaty
when submitted to the Senate, that the
ownership Of Hawaii was rendered to us
by a provisional government set up to sue
ceed the constitutional ruler Of the islands
who had been dethroned. and 1t did not
appear that such provisional government
had the sanction of either popular revo-
luton or suffrage. Two other remarkable
features Of the transaction naturally at
tracted attention.
One was the Extraordinary haste-not to
say precipitancy-characte all the
transactions connected with the treaty, 1t
appeared that a so-called committee of safe
ty, ostensibly the source Of the revolt
against the constitutional government of
Hawaii. was organized on Saturday. the
14tn day of January; that on Monday, the
10th, the United States forces were landed
1t Honolulu from a naval vessel lying in
Its harbor: that on the 18th the scheme Of
q provisional government was perfected,
and proclamation naming its officers was
on the same day prepared and read at the
government building; that Immediately
thereupon the United States minister recog-
nized the provisional government thus
created; that two days afterwards, on the
18th day of January. commissioners repre-
senttng such government sailed for this
country In a steamer especially chartered
for the occasion, arriving in San Francisco
on the 18th of January, and in Washington
on the Sd day of February; that on the next
day they had their first interview with the
Secretary of State, and another on the 11th.
when the treaty of annexation was practi-
cally agreed upon. and that on the 14th 1t
was formally concluded and on the 18th
transmitted to the Senate. Thus between
the initiation Of the scheme for a provi-
sional government in Hawaii on the 14th
day Of January and the submission to the
Senate Of the treaty Of annexation conclud-
ed with such government, the entire inter-
val was thirty-two days, fifteen of which
were spent by the Hawaiian commissioners
In their journey to Washington.
An Issue of Fact.
In the next place. upon the face of the
papers submitted with the treaty. it clearly
appeared that there was open and undeter-
mined an issue of fact Of the most vital i'm
portance. The message Of the President ac-
companytng the treaty declared that "the
overthrow of the monarchy was not in any
way promoted by this government" and in
. letter to the President from the Secretary
Of State. also submitted to the Senate with
the treaty. the following passage occurs:
'At the time the provisional government
took possession OF the Government buildings
no troops or officers Of the United States
were present or took any part whatever in
the proceedings. No public recognition was
accorded to the provisional government by
the United States Minister until after the
queens abdication and when they were in
eueCllVe POSSESSION OF tne Government
buildings. the archives. the treasury. the
barracks. the police station. and all the
potential machinery OF the Government"
But q protest also accompanied said
treaty. signed by the Queen and her minis
tiers at the time she made way for the pro-
visional government, which explicitly stated
that she yielded to the superior force of the
United States. whose Minister had caused
United States troops to be landed at Hon.
olulu and declared that he would support
such provisional government.
The truth or falsity of this protest was
surely of the first importance. If true. moth
ing but the concealment of it's truth could
induce our Government to negotiate with
the semblance of a government thus Great
Cd. nor could a treaty resulting from the
acts stated in the protest have been know
tpgiy deemed worthy of consideration by
the Senate. Yet the truth or falsity OF the
protest had not been Investigated.
Mr.. Blount's Mission
I conceived 1t to be my duty therefore to
withdraw the treaty from the Senate for ex-
animation. and meanwhile to cause an ac-
eurate. full. and impartial investigation to
be made of the facts attending the subver-
Sion OF the constitutional Government of
Hawaii. and the installmert in its nlaca NJ