The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-11
A NEW POLICY In HAWAII,
The President RepudiateS the Acts Of
Minister Stevens.


Secretary of State Gresham to the
President - The Secretary Asks
Whether This Government Should
Not Right the Wrong Done by Re-
storing the Legitimate Government
Of the Islands.
Washington, Nov. 10.-After the cabi-
net meeting to-day, which was Of unusual
duration, lasting over three hours and
a-half, Secretary Gresham, with the con-
currence of the President, gave out for
publication a long report to the President
upon the Hawaiian question, dated Oct.
IS in which the secretary reviews the
events. one bNo which had transpired
up to the time of the departure of Minis
ter Willis for Honolulu. The report is
a severe arraignment of Minister
Stevens, then representing this govern
ment at Hawaii, and Admiral Skerrett,
who commanded the United States naval
forces at Honolulu.
THE TREATY DOOMED.
The report concludes with these words:
A careful consideration of the facts will
think. convince you that the treaty which
was withdrawn from the Senate for further
consideration should not be re-submitted for
its action thereon. Should not the great
wrong done to a feeble, but indeDendent state
by an abuse of the authority of the United
States be undone ry restoring the legitimate
government? Anything short of that will
not. I respectfully submit, satisfy the de-
mands Of justice.
Can the United States consistently insist
that other nations shall respect the indie
pendence of Hawaii while not respecting it
themselves:
our government was the first to recognlze
linda of 4-1a 3e
should be the last to acquire sovereignty over
them by force and fraud. Respectfully sub
mitted, w. O. GRESHAM.
WILLIS INSTRUCTIONS.
Though no direct statement to that eff
feet accompanies the publication of this
document, it is assumed that the instruc-
tiOns given to Minister Willis, who left
for his post Of duty at Hawaii just about
this time, after being twice delayed in his
departure, are in consonance with the
tenor of the views therein expressed.
1t is also assumed that the change of ad-
mirals in command at Honolulu, by the
substitution of Admiral Irwin for Admiral
Skerrett, which was made to take effect
COntemporaueOusly with Minister Willis
arrival there, had in view the contem-
plated change of policy on the part of the
United States.
Minister Willis and Admiral Irwin have
undoubtedly, by this time, carried out
their instructions.
STEVENS VERACITY IMPEAOHED.
In his report, Secretary Gresham quotes
coplOusly from reports made by Minister
Stevens to Secretary Foster, and says
MIR. Stevens statements are utterly at
variance with the evidence, documentary
and oral, contained in Mr. Blounts rO-
ports They are contradicted by declara-
tions and letters of President Dole and
other anneXatiOnists, and by Mr.. Stevens
own verbal admissions to MIR. BlOunt. The
provisional government was recognized
when it had little other than paper ex-
lstence, and when the legitimate govern
ment was in full possession and control
OF the palace, the barracks and the police
station. MIR. Stevens well known hos
tlIity and the threatening presence of the
force landed from the Boston were all
that could have then excited serious ap-
prehensiOn in the minds of the
queen, her officers and loyal sup
porters. 1t is fair to say that Secretary
Fosters statements were based upon
Information which he had received from
Mr.. Stevens and the special commission
ers, but am unable 10 see that they
were deceived. The troops were landed,
not to protect American life and property,
but to aid in overthroWing the existing
government Their very presence implied
coarciye measures against it.
THE POSITION OF THE TROOPS.
In statement given to Mr. BlOunt by
Admiral Sl6errett, the ranking naval Of
tcer at Honolulu, he says; If the troops
We're landed simply to protect American
citizens and interests. they were badly
stationed at Arion hall, but if the inten-
tlon was to aid the provisional
government, they were wisely sta
tione4.' This hall was so situated that
the troops in it easily commanded
the government building and the procla-
matlon was read under the protection of
American guns. AT an early stage of the
movement Mr.. Stevens promised the an
neXatloniSts that as soon as they obtained
possession of the government building,
ana there read a proclamation of the
character above referred to, he would at
once recognize them as de facto gov
efnment and support them by landing
iorce from our warship then in the har-
DOR, and he kept his promises. This as
sUfance was the inspiration of the move
mehI and without 1t the annexatiOnists
would not have exposed themselves to
IIhe consequences of failure They re
iled upon no military force of their own,
Iof Ihey had none worthy Of the name.
ESTABLISHED BY FORCE.
.. Inc provisional government was estab-
Hsaed by the action of the American
ut4N tiIO ptGSGuCG VI UIC ILOOpS
landed from the Boston. and its CON
GIAued existence existence is due to the
OeIet of the Hawaiins that if they made
an effort to overthrow it they would re-
encounter the armed forces Of the United
States.
ne earnest appeals to the American
munster nss for military protection by the
o.ncers of the provisional government
aIter 1t had been recognized, show the
alVer a3surdity of the claim that it was
e5 5-acushed by u successful revolution Of
lue people of the islands. These APP
pGatS wore confession by the men
VINO made them of their weakness
'aa llmidity. Courageous men, conscious
vi lheir strength and the Justice o their
CSg2e' do not thus act. The government
Gl hawaii surrendered its authority un-
1 uct threat Of war, until such time only
"9 Iue government of the United States
Gpon the facts being presented to it,
s"O"d reinstaUe the constitutional
S,o,erlgn, and the provisional government
Vas created Ito exist until terms of union
EItA the United States of America have
0eeH negotiated and agreed upon"