The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-12-21
THE MESSAGE ON HAWAII
THE HAWIIAN MATTER NOW IN
THE HANDS OF CONGRESS,

The HANIIAN NATTER NOW IN
THE HANDS OF. CONGRESS-
The President Gives an Exhaustive
Review of the Situation in Hawaii
"A Recital of the Facts in the Case
BASED on Blount's ReDort-A Brief
Synopsis of the Messag.
Washington Dec 1S-When congress
met at noon to-day the presidents mes
sage IN regard to the Hawaiian difficulty
was received and read 1t was as fol-
lows:
10 the Senate and House Of Represent
atlves: In my recent annual message to
the congress l briefly referred to our re-
lahons with Hawaii and expressed the in
tention OF transmitting further informa-
ton on the subject when additional ad-
vices permitted. Although am not able
to now report a definite change in the
actual situation, l am convinced that the
difficulties lately created, both here and in
Hawaii, and now standing i'll the way Of
a solution through executive action of
and expedient that the matter should be
referred to the broader authority and
Direction or Congress-.
with a full explanation of the endeavor
cy and a statement of the considerations
which have governed my action.
l suppose that right and justice should
determine the path to be followed i'll
treating this subject If national homes
ty is to be disregarded and desire Tor
with a form OF government not our own is
to regulate our conduct, have entirely
misapprehended the mission and charac-
ter Of our government and the behavior
which the conscience Of our people de-
mands of their public servants.
no mt adj mi M
tered upon its duties the senate had I'M
der consideration Il treaty providing tor
the annexation of the Hawaiian islands
to the territory of the United States.
Surely, under the constitution and laws,
the enlargement Of our limits is mani"
festation of the highest attribute of SOW
creignty, aud if entered upon as an exec
utiye act, all things relating to the trans
action should be clear and free from sus-
'picion.
Additional Importance is attached to
this peculiar treaty of annexation be-
cause it contemplated departure from
unbrol<en American tradition i'll pro
viding for the addition of territory of
islands of the sea more than 1000 miles
removed from our nearest coast.
These considerations might not OF
themselves call for interference with
by 4 previous administration. But it
appeared from the documents accom-
panying the treaty when submitted to
the senate that the ownership OF
Hawaii Was rendered to Us
by a provisional government set up to
succeed the constitutional ruler of the
islands. who had been dethroned, and
did not appear that such provisional gov
| ernment had the sanction of either pop
ular revolution Of suffrage Two other
remarkable features Of the transaction
naturally attracted attention. One was
the extraordinary haste-not to say precl-
! Notwithstanding all the transac-
! lions connected with the treaty. 1t ap-
peared that a so-called committee of
! safety, ostensibly the source OF the re-
volt against the constitutional govern
ment of Hawaii. was organized on Sat
urday. the l4th day of January; that on
Monday, the 10th, the United States
naval vessel lying in it's harbor: that
on the 18th the scheme of a provisional
government was perfected, and Il procla-
nation naming its officers was on the
same day prepared and read at the gov
ernuent buildings; that Immediately
thereupon the United States minister
recognized the provisional government
thus created: that two days aftcrward,
on the 18th day of January, commission
! ers representing such government sailed
for this country iii steamer especially
chartered for the occasion, arriving i'll
San Francisco on the 18th day Of .)anu-
airy, and in Washington on the Sd day Of
February; that next day they had their
first interview with the secretary of
state, and another on the 18th, when
the treaty anneNing the islands was
practically agreed upon, and that on the
l4th it was formally concluded, and Oh
the 18th
Transmitted to the senate
Thus between the initiation Of the
! scheme for the provisional government
in Hawaii on the 18th Of January and
the submission to the senate Of the
entire treaty of annexation, concluded
with such government, the entire inter
which were spent by the Hawaiian com
nissioners in the journey to Washington
In the next place, upon the face of the
papers submitted with the treaty. it clear
ly appeared that there was open and de-
te1mined an issue of the most vital i'm
accompanying the treaty declared tina
"the overthrow IF the monarchy was no
in any way promoted by this govern
ment,' and in a letter from the president
from the secretary of state, also sub
nitted to the senate with the treaty, thu
| following passage occurred:
AT the time the provisional govern
ment took possession of the government
buildings no troops or officers Of til
part whatever III tho proceedings.
! No Public Recognition.
was accorded. to the: provisional govern
'Fmcnt by tho American minister unit
after the queens abdication. and whe1
they were in effective possession Of tn.
government buildings. the archives, tn,
treasury, the barracks the police sta
ton and all the potential machinery O.
the govt1l.me MT
But protest also accompanied sale
treaty, signed by the queen and he,
ministers at the time she made wa,
for the provisional government. which
explicitly stated that she Yielded to tn
superior force of the United States
whose minister had caused United
Sta ties troops to b. landed at Honolulu
end declared that he would supper
such PROVISIONAL government
The truth or falsity of this protes
was surely Of the first Importance. I
:, true. nothing but the conccalment of it.
> truth could induce our government t,
negotiate with the semblance of a gov
eminent thus created, nor could treat,
resulting from the acts stated in the pro
test have been knowingly deemed worth,
Of consideration by the senate. Yet th
truth or falsity Of <thc protest had no
been investigated. I conceived it IN.
! 1..A..