The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-12-30
CROOKEONESS
Is the Charge that Cleve-
land Makes
In His Message to Congress on
the Hawaiian Trouble.
The Ex-Queen's Side Of the Story
Related aud Held Up.
Severe Arraignment Throughout
tho Entire Message.
Ministcr stevens Declared q Protectorate,
which President Cleveland Says He
Knocked Out Com missioner Blount
Could Not Falsify If He Desired.

ClevclanuS SpCClal message Oh 1d-
waiian affairs has been presented to
Congress. 1t is as follows:
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
In my recent annual message to the congress
briefly referred to our relations with Hawaii
and expressed the intention Of transmitting
further information on the subject when addi-
tional advices permitted. Though am not
able now to report definite change In the actu.
al situation. am convinced that the dimcul.
ties lately created, both here and In Hawaii,
and now standing in the way OF solution
through executive action Of the problem pre-
scented render 1t proper and expedicnt that the
matter should be referred to the broader au-
thority and discretion OF congress, with fnll
| explanation Of the endeavor thus far made to
deal with tho emergency o statement OF the
| considerations which have governed my actions
| suppose that right and Justice should deter
| mine the path to be followed In treat ng this
shbject Irrational honesty is to be disregard
| ed and desire for territorial extension or dis
satisfaction with q form Of government not our
| own is to regulate our conduct, have entirely
| misapprehended tho mission and character OF
| our government and the behavior which the
conscience OF our people demands OF their public
| servants
When the present administration entered
| upon Its duties the senate had under considera-
tion treaty providing for tho annexation Of
| the Hawaiian islands TO the territory Of the
| United States Surely under our constitution
and laws the enlargement Of our limits is q man.
| Hesitation OF the highest attribute OF sover'
| eighty, and II entered upon Us an executive act
| all things relating 10 the transactions should be
| clear and free from suspicion.
Additional Importance Is attached to this Pc
| cuiar treaty OF annexation, because 1t contem-
plated departure from unbroken American
| tradition in providing for the addition to our
| territory Of islands OF the more than ,O0O
7 miles removed from our nearest coast.
| These considerations might not Of themselves
| COLL for interference with The completion Of O
treaty entered upon by previous administra-
tion. But It appeared from the documents ac
| companying the treaty when submitted
to the senate that the ownership
| OF Hawaii was rendered 10 US by . pro
| visional government set up TO succeed the
| constitutional ruler OF the islands who had
| been dethroned, and 1t did not appear that such
| provisional government had the sanction oi
| either popular revolution or suffrage Two
| other remarkable features Of tho transaction
naturally attracted attention. One was the ex
traordinary haste-not to say precpitancy-
| characterizing oil the transactions connected
! with the treaty.
safety, ostensibly the source OF the revolt
| against the constitutional government o.
| Hawaii, was organized on Saturday, the l4tt
day Of January; that on Monday, the 10th, the
| United States forces were landed at Honolulu
| from n naval vessel lying in its harbor; that or
the 18th the scheme of a provisional govern
| ment was perfected, and proclamation nam
| ing its officers was on the same day prepared
| and read at tn. government buildings that i'm
| mediately thereupon the United States minister
| recognized the provisional government thu:
| created: that two days afterward, on the 1911
day OF January, commissioners represent
ing such COVE nmcnt sailed for this country
In steamer especially chartered fo
the occasion, arriving in San Francisco on the
2Sth day of January and in Washington on thu
do nf Ivnt,r f1nS dnty Ian.
their first interview with the secretary of stat,
md another on the llth, when the treaty an
nexing the islands was practically agreed
upon, and that on the l+th 1t was formally con
cluded and on the 18th transmitted TO the sen
ate. Thus between the initiation OF the schem,
for provisional government in Hawaii on tn,
l4th Of January and the submission TO the sen
ate Of the treaty OF annexation concluded witt
such government the entire interval wa!
thirty.two days. fifteen Of which were spent b,
the Hawaiian commissioners in their journey
70 Washington.
In the next place. upon the face OF the pape
submitted with the treaty, it clearly appeared
| that there was open and undetermined an issue
| Of fact OF the most vital Importance Tht
| message of the president accompanying th'
| treaty declared that 1.-The overthrow of III.
monarchy was not in any way promoted by thi.
| government" and in a letter TO the presiden
| from the secretary of state, also submitted u
the senate with the treaty, the following pass
| age occurs: "At that lime tho provisional gov
| ernment took possession Of the government
| buildings no troops or officers Of the UniteC
States were present or took any part whateve
| In the proceedings.
"No public recognition was accorded to tn,
provisional government by the United State
minister until after the queens abdication, ant
when they were in effective possession sof th
government buildings the archives, the treas
ury, the barracks, the police stat on, and al
the potential machinery OF the government"
But protest also accompanied said treat
signed by the queen and her ministers at III
time she made way for the provisional govern
nent which explicitly stated that she yielde
to the superior force of the United States
whose minister had caused United State
troops TO be landed at Honolulu and declare
that he would support such provisional govern
ment
iy OF the first Importance. II true, nothing bu
the concealment OF Its truth could induce on
government 10 negotiate with the semblance q
government thus created, nor could treat
resulting from their acts stated In the protes
, have been knowingly deemed worthy OF consid
GRAFTON by the senate. Yet the truth or falsit
OF the protest had nov been investigated
conceived 1t to he my duty therefore to with
draw the treaty from The senate for cxamina
tion, and meanwhile to caise an accurate, ful
and impartial investigation 10 be made OF tn
facts attending the supervision Of the constitu
tional government OF Hawaii and the install
ment in its place OF the provisional governmcn,
selected for the work of investigation tn
Hon. James H. Blount. OF Georgia. whose ser
vice OF eighteen years as member OF tn
house Of rcpresen tives, and whose experienc
~ chairman OF the committee OF foreign al
fairs in that body and his consequent familiar
ity with international topics. Joined with hi
high character and honorable reputa
tioD, seemed TO render him peculiarly fitted 10
the duties entrusted to him. His report dc tail
Ing his action under the instructions given Il
him and the conclusions derived from his inves
tigation accompany this message.
These conclusions do not rest for their ae
eeptapce entiroly upon Mr. BlouDts honest
ard ABILITY rs man, nor upon his acumen an
impa rtiality as an investigator They are &c
companied by the evidence upon which the
sre bssed, which evidence Il also herewit
transmitted, and from which II seems to me N
other deductions could possibly be rcas bed tina
those arrived at by the commissioner.
The reports With It's accompanying proof
aud such othsr evidence ~ IL now before tn
congress or V herewith submitted. justices
my opinion the statement that when the pres
Sent was led " subnit the treaty 70 the senat
gifh the declaration that "tle overthrow y
he monarchy vas not II any 'vay promoted b
iris sgovsrnmenk" and when The senate "
nduosd 70 vs-eive snd discuss II on lhat b ~