Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-21

houses Of Congress to-day with unusual
interest. In the Senate copies of the mes
sage were distributed among the Senators.
AZ the same time the document was opened
by the secretary, ard without waiting for
the latter to begin reading the Senators be-
gan its perusal with eager interest IL was
remarkable scene and one seldom wit
messed. There were few vacant chairs on
the floor, and among the whole number
OF Senators present there was not one who
was without q copy of the message or who
allowed any other circumstance to dis
tract his attention from il. All CONVEX
aation was suspended, and even the Gus
toinary comments which Senators fire.
quently volunteer to one another during
the reading of document were in this in
stance omitted. The monotone of the
reading clerk continued without attract
ing the least attention from the men on
the tioor. They were reading faster than the
clerk, and were not content to let him
catch up.
The Democrats studied the documents
carefully and seemed content with the
assurances IL contained. The Republicans
were evidently more critical and stopped
occasionally to mark passage or to make
q note of some expression.
Senator Hoar sat with the pamphlet in
one hand and pencil in the other care
fully marking on the margin of each page
passages. which he probably intends re-
ferring to in debate.
Senator Sherman sat with corrugated
brows, evidently crying to discover in the
message something more than the printed
sentences contained, while Ex-senator Hawley
made numerous notes on block of paper
There was no indication either of appro-
baton or of disappointment on the part
OF any of the Senators. but merely an air
OF the most absorbing interest.
APPLAUSE IN THE HOUSE FROM DEMOCRATS.
In the House the members paid close at
tention to the reading, but not until Rep.
lesentative Bouteile of Maine, asked that
the instructions to Minister Willis be read,
did they show any unusual excitement,
Then. however, they crowded about the
Speakers desk and in the aisles us closely
as possible, leaving the chairs and the
main portion of the floor vacant Both the
message and the instructions to Mr.. Willis
Gratis.
The disappointment of the Republicans
in finding that their attacks on the admin
lstration had been groundless was shown
ny Representative Boutelle, who rising to
Introduce privileged resolution, persisted
in an effort TO criticise the message until
the Speaker ruled him out of order and
accorded the floor to Representative Breck-
inridge OF Kentucky. Even then the Re
publicans showed their ill-temper by re-
course to tilibustering to prevent the con-
slderation of other business until the
House was forced to ad journ.
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.
The presentation of the Hawaiian papers
and the Presidents vigorous criticisms on
the unauthorized action of Minister
Stevens gives to the public the clear and
definite policy of action which was as.
sumed by the present administration when
1t came into power, and which has been
maintained so far as the authority vested
in the President by law will permit.
The message was u complete review of
the whole situation, covering in entirety
the connivance of Minister stevens with
those who set up the provisional govern
ment, and which the President shows CON
cluslyely resulted in the overthrow of the
Queen and the establishment temporarily
OF the present form of government.
There was nothing in Mr.. Willis in
structions which contemplated the restora-
ton OF the Queen, either by force or
against her own will. Nor was there any
thing which showed the administration
contemplated for an instant the mainten-
anoe OF the Queen on the throne after res
toration by the use OF the naval force. In
TACT. the instructions, as indicated in last
Thursdays dispatches, are of the mildest
tenor and contain no warlike intentions,
which opponents of the administration
course have maintained they consisted of,
and expressly state, that after the minister
had presented the answer of the President
Queen and If both declined the PROPOSE
tons of the government that no further
steps be taken until the President was
communicated with.
Only Two dispatches were held back from
the Senate, and these were not sent in as
the President deemed it incompatible with
the public interest to make them public.
The correspondence and instructions to
Minister Willis show the first intimation
the administration had of hitch in its
programme "as in November when dis
patch came saying that further instruc-
ions were necessary to meet contingencies
found and which were not expected when
the minister left Washington. Secretary
Gresham, In response to the request for
INSTRUCTIONS, forwarded supplemental ones
to the minister, in which he was directed
TO inform the Queen that the President
would oppose interposition in her behalf,
upon her defamation to accede TO the con-
ditions presented by Mr.. Willis. Finally
in this dispatch the President directs Mr..
Willis, il the provisional government asks
whether the United States will hold the
Queen to fultlment of stipulated condi.
tions, to inform it that the President
would do all in his power to cause obsery-
ance of the conditions.
Throughout the message and instruction
there ~ no intimation that any unusual
course was to be taken by the minister, or
that the naval forces were to be landed
upon any pretext except for the absolute
aud necessary protection of American
interests. The President asserts that so
far the Queen had declined to assent to the
conditions which are contained in MIR.
Willis instructions, and that in so doing
he has decided to refer the entire matter
Tor the discretion of Congress-
GREAT BULK OF THE CORRESPONDENCE.
For u time to-day there was some doubt
whether the correspondence would be pre-
pared in time to be sent to Congress. Yes
terday clerks OF the State Department were
at work preparing additional correspond
ence which had been overlooked Satur-
day, and it was not until the Presidents
message had left the White House in
charge Of Assistant Secretary Pruden that
1t was known for certain the documents
would go in with the message. The
preparation of this vast amount of CORE
spondence was made with great care and
when 1t is all printed it will make one of
the largest volumes that was ever sent
from the department.
Senator Hoar's request that the message
and papers be referred to the foreign rela-
tionS committee and his motion TO Law
over until tomorrow indicates purpose
to make speech upon them BEFORE the
committee takes the subject up for con-
sideration. The speech will no doubt be
like all of the New England senators
partisan to u degree and bitter attack
upon the administration.
Senator Gray, the second member of the
committee, will be prepared to answer any
charges Senator Hoar may make. Other
Senators will no doubt be ready TO come to
the defence of the President and Secretary
Gresham il it is necessary.
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