St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-19
to the government building to proclaim

the new government
No sign of opposition was manifest,
and thereupon an American citizen be-
gan to read the proclamation from the
steps of the government building almost
entirely without auditors. 1t is said
almost before t lie reading was finished
quite cOncourse of people, variouSlv
estimated at from so to 100, some armed
and some unarmed, gathered about the
committee to give them aid and conf
dence. This statements not important,
since the one controlling factor in the
whole affair was unquestionably the
United States marines. who, drawn up
under arms ana with artillery in readi-
ness, only SeventySiX yards distant,
dominated the situation. The prOviS-
ional government thus proclaimed was,
by the terms OF the proclamation, "TO
exist until terms of union With the
United States had been negotiated and
agreed UPON" The United States min
lister, pursuant to prior agreement,
recognized this government within an
hour after the reading of the procama-
ton. and before 5 O'Clock, In answer to
an inquiry on behalf of the queen and
her cabinet, announced that he had
done SO. When our minister rec
ognlzed the provisional government
the only basis upon which 1t rested was
safety had in the manner above stated
declared 1t to exist. 1t was neither
government de fact0 nor de jure. That
1t was not in such possession of the gov
eminent property and agencies as en-
titled 1t to recognition is cOncluSiVely
proved by a note found in the files of
the legation at Honolulu addressed by
the declared head of the provisional
government to Minister Stevens, dated
Jan. II, 1898. in which he acknowledged,
with expressions of appreciation, the
minister's recognition of the provisional
government, and states that il is not
yet in the possession of the station
honSe. the place where large number
OF the queens troops were quartered,
though the same had been demanded of
the queens officers in command. Never
tneleSs, this wrongful recognition by
our minister placed the government of
the queen in position of the most per-
ilouS perpieXity. On the one hand, she
had possession of the palace, OF the
barracks and of the police station, and
at her command at least 500 fully
armed men and several pieces
military force of her kingdom
was on her side and at her disposal.
while the committee of safety by actual
search had discovered that there were
but very few arms in Honolulu that
were not i'll the service of the govern
ment. LIN this state of things the queen
could have dealt with the insurgents
alone, and 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 position of opposition
AGAINST tbn a,ufnl nntbnyitu l.
that she coul d not withstand the power
OF the Unite d States, but she believed
that she might safely trust to itSSustice.
Accordingly, Some hours after the
recognition of the provisional govern
ment by the United States minister, the
pc lice, the barracks and the police sta
ton. with all the military resources of
the country, were delivered up by the
queen upon the representation made to
her that her cause would thereafter be
reviewed at Washington, and,- while
protesting that she surrendered to 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 pro-
ylSlonal government, and that she yield
ed her authority to prevent collision of
armed forces and loss of lite, and only
until such time as the United States,
upon the fact being presented to it,
should under the action of its repre-
sentatives reinS tate her in the authority
she claimed as the constitutional SOW
ereign of the Hawaiian islands. This
protest was delivered to the chief of the
provisional government, who Endorsed
thereon his acknowledgment of its re-
ceipt. The terms of the protest were
read without dissent by those assuming
to constitute the provisional govern
ment, who were certainly charged with
the knowledge that the queen, instead
of finally abandoning her power. had
appealed to the justice of the United
States for reinstatement in authority
and yet the provisional government,
with this unanswered protest in its
hands, fastened to negotiate with the
United States for the permanent Danish
ment of the queen from power and for
a sale of her Kingdom.