The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-07-18

The following letter from the cit
liens of Augusta, Maine, irrespec-
tive of party, to Hon. John L. Stew
ems, ex-United States minister to
Hawaii islands, and that gentle
mans reply, will be of interest to
every reader:
AUGUSTA, Me, June 20, 1898.
Hon. John L. Stevens:
DEAR SIR:-The undersigned would
be pleased for you to name date
when it would be convenient for you
to meet your fellow ciUizens of Angus
Ia, in an informal reception at the
Augusta opera house aud address them
upon Hawaiian affairs.
The people of your city, irrespective
of party, feel just pride in your dis
tinguished public services, and desire
an opportunity to give a general eX-
preston of the warm welcome home
that is in their hearts-an opportunity
that would have been sought earlier
but for the sad bereavement in whose
shadow you returned to US.
Awaiting your pleasure, we remain,
with assurances of our high personal
regard.
tSigned by several hundred citizens.)
To whom Mr.. Stevens sent the
following reply;
AUGUSTA, Me-, June 26, 1898.
GENTLEMEN - Your communica-
ton proposing to give me public re-
ception on my return from several
years official residence in Honolulu,
and requesting me to make an address
on Hawaiian affairs, has been re-
ceived. Thanking you sincerely for
this kind recognition, L will respond
affirmatively to your request at such
time and place as,you may determine.
The future destiny of the noble Amer
lean colony on the Hawaiian islands
is of profound interest to all friends of
humanity and especially to the citi-
Zens of the United States.
Most truly yours,
JOHN l.. STEVENS.
The reception and address took
place at the Opera house in Angus
ia, Maine, on June 18th, and the fol-
lowing, published in the Kennebec
Journal, is
Ex-MINIsTER STEVENS SPEECH.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentle
men:
Circumstances outside of my con-
troll, and no wish of mine, make it
proper for me to have something to
say about Hawaiian affairs. Return
ing to my old home after nearly four
years absence in distant country,
whose conditions and events deeply
interest you, / feel assured that my
ola acquaintances and friends, whom
/ have known many years, will be-
lieve that l will speak only the plain
truth, and that no personal vanity,
but duty to my country and to the
people whom / have just left, induce
me to try to throw some additional |
light on the Hawaiian question. /
trust you will receive my assurances !
that cannot and will not speak from |
the standpoint of party. The kind of |
public service which have just left, |
and in which / have spent thirteen !
years of my life, does not admit of |
partisan prejudice and partisan aims. |
When the diplomatic servant leaves
his own country for service abroad, he |
goes under the flag of the nation and |
not with the badge of 3 party. As he |
sails thousands of miles away, dis |
tance and patriotism very soon unite
TO canse him to think only of the |
great American family whose inter-
ests the minister is bound to watch |
and defend against foreign rivalries
and intrigues.
l am, then, claiming no special |
merit when say, that as an Ameri-
can representative abroad | have
maintained it as a cardinal principle
of my service to recognize no home or
domestic politics in my official action.
Looking through the telescope of dis
lance l have been able to see only |
common flag floating proudly over the
united American nation.
Touching Hawaiian affairs at this
time l deem it especially fitting to
stand in this attitude Of an American
only. fully recognize, and am glad
to recognize, that in the seventy years
of American relations TO the Hawai-. |