The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-21
STEVENS and HOAR.
Two Notable Contributions to the
Hawaiian Discussion.
THE EX.MINISTER THROWS MORE
LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT.

The Senator Wants to Know Whether
We Are Living Under Con-
stitution or Dictator-The Remark
able Nature of Paramount Blount's
Appointment-Mr. Stevens Tells Why
One Hawaiian Despatch Has Not Ap-
peared.
Augusta, December 20. Hon. John l..
Stevens, ex-United States minister to
Hawaii, has written a reply to the
charges against him in 1.-THE message of
President Cleveland. Mr.. Stevens again
relates the facts which led to the over
throw of the Queen.
Mr.. Stevens says: I will not, in this
paper, go over the conclusively over
whelmingly testimony of all respectable
men of the American colony, persons of
the highest character for intelligence
and integrity, ,sswho knew and witnessed
the events when the Hawaiian monarchy
fell, who contradict expressly the secret
IT. collected testimony of Commissioner
been amply verified again and again,
that neither by force, nor by any advice
or action of mine, was the fall of the
monarchy precipitated. From the hour
on which | entered on my duties at the
head of the United States legation to
the termination of my official RESPONSE
bility, / maintained the determination
to call on the naval commander for aid
only in the event that American life and
property were in danger. Cautiously,
but firmly, perhaps sometimes too silent
ly, made this my fixed rule of action,
not only to the representatives of the
Queen, but to the leaders of the parties
who saw no safe alternative for the well
fare of the islands but in the total
abolishElent of the monarchy. President
Cleveland sees fit to make point against
my official conduct that months before
the events of last January | had advo-
Gated annexation. He deliberately and
purposely conceals that what I said in
my dispatch in Novem ber, 1892, was a
confidential statement to the Department
Of State of the then condition of affairs
in Hawaii, a report of facts which by
the established rules and practice of
diplomacy was in duty bound to make
known to my government. At that date
my opinions were so privately held that
both in Honolulu and in California it
was believed that the American minister
was averse to annexation. For months
prior to the date of this dispatch there
had been continual struggle between
the legislature and the Queen as to their
respective rights regarding the constitu-
tion and the responsibility of the cabi-
net. Ministry after ministry had been
appointed in defiance of the votes of the
legislature. and eofa. responsible public
opinion. The Queen, her immoral favor
lite, Wilson, and the lottery ring, openly
deied the legislature and the property
holders of the islands. Only the remark
able self-possession of the respectable
and responsible men OF the islands pre-
vented an outbreak and the overturn of
the monarchy at an earlier day. The
seif-possession of the men thus defied
by the monarchy and it's parasites, were
remarkable, considering that they were
enduring abuses and scandals which no
American city or state would tolerate
thirty days.
AS to landing the Boston marines,
January 16, I only did what had been
done on a previous Hawaiian crisis by
Commander Woodward, on the request
of Minister Merrill, acting under the
Cleveland-Byard order, August 1st, 1885,
Following is the language of Minister
Merrill's report to the Department of
State:
"As many with alarm were coming to
the legation, ! at once requested Com
mander Woodward to send to the lega-
tion body of marines, which request
he promptly complied with. The ap-
pearance OF the marines on the streets
and at the legation had favorable
effect on the populace."
AT that time the United States lega-
tion wasss near the royal palace, at
a less distance than the Arion hall, of
which Cleveland and Blount speak as
SO commanding. Of this hall I had
never heard until a lodging place was
needed for the marines after they had
landed-a hall that 1 never saw. BY
on pofn wei nd
Honolulu it is obvious that this hall does
not command the palace. The Presidents
statement that the three points at which
our small naval force was placed, were
not favorably chosen for the protection
of American life and property, is radical
ly an error, as all know who are famil-
lar with the map and the buildings Of
Honolulu. American property being in
all the various sections of the city. Be-
sides, the Cleveland-Bayard dispatch,
of July ~, 1887, instructs the minister
and naval commander to mintain public
order. To protect American life and
property, and to preserve public order,
the night, it was necessary that the
naval marines should be centrally
Ioc ted.
The representations of the President
that the Queens Wilson had sufficient
force in the limited area of the police
station to sustain the monarchy, is no.
toriously absurd to all honest persons
acquainted with the facts. If the Queen
had this force why had it not been ex-
erted while the outraged people were
openly holding their great mass meeting
and making their arrangements for the
establishment of a new government?
Why did Wilson and his so-called force
wait..until the outraged citizens gathered
with their rifles and bottled them up in
the police station house2 Why did the
Queens representatives call at the
United States legation on the 18th and
ask the aid of the United States force
to support her?
ACTING AS DICTATOR,
The Presidents Remarkable Performance
in the Light of Common Sense,
rr..b;,0tor nooap,bac On T.,