The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-14

OOoo0o Sno d u8io S1Gua1 That Of0p0
the Stars and stripss-BlountL Liksnea
- . sphinx.
HoHoLuLu, 81. l.. April a-The stars
and stripes, which for two months have
6oated from the government buildine
here, have been hauled down and the re-
naming forces from the United States
cruiser Boston have been sent aboard.
Nothing indicative of American authority
remains in Honolulu save Minister
Stevens and Commissioner James H.
Blount, of Georgia, the latter Of whom
sits in an easy chair at his cottage at the
Hawaiian hotel, cogitating-no one knows
what. Probably no more distasteful task
ever fell to the lot of q gallant American
seaman than was imposed upon Lieut..
Draper, of the United States marine corps
of the Boston, who has been stationed at
tho government house since the pro-
visional governmentassumed power, when
on April !, in the presence of q crowd
numbering probably 1900 persons, he
blew the notes of retreat from
his bugle and ''old glory sank
from sight of the throng and
was replaced by the hybrid colors of the
Hawaiian monarchy. which still remains
the flag of this land: The report that
Commissioner Blount would order the
American flag down and the protectorate
abolished got abroad on the night of March
81, preceding the day of the occurrence,
but it did not become general. It created
at first among the American party q feel
ing Of CONSERVATION not altogether un-
mixed with indignation. This was due to
the fact, perhaps, that Blount has main
tanned Chinese wall about the purposes
of his mission here and has satisfied
neither side as to whether he came as en-
voy to investigate o: as minister to nego-
tiate in matter Of vital importance to
them.
On the afternoon of March 81 the COM
missioners held . lengthy and secret con-
ference with President Dole and the
ministry. at which he notified them Of
his intention to declare off the protecto-
rate established by Minister Stevens on
February 1. It is understood that he gave
a. reason therefor that the Washington
City administration did not regard the
protectorate as necessary, and further
that it vas incompatible with any diplo-
matte negotiation that might be arranged
between the two countries. The United
States, however, would brook no hostile
interference in the Hawaiian affairs by
any foreign power. Conscious Of their
strength. in view of the latter assurance,
the provisional government, though
some what reluctantly, acQuiesced in the
commissioners decision. and prepared to
order out their forces to maintain peace
nd NpdA tAh hnA IL
unbroken during the protectorate.
AT O'Clock on the morning of April 1,
President Dole and his cabinet visited the
barracks and inspected the men under
arms. At 10 O'Clock companies A, B, G
and D of the volunteers assembled at the
drill shed. making with the regulars about
400 men in all. The hour for tho hauling
down of the American flag had been fixed
for II o'clock. As early as O'Clock in the
morning, however, the streets had begun
to fill, the street corners being thronged
with knots of white residents who dis
cussed the outlook for the action of the
American commissioner.
1t was at first regarded in light Of SOD
to allay the prejudice of the natives and
which, it was feared. would have the effect
of making them openly arrogant and
hostile. This suspicion subsequently
proved to be unfounded. Those residents
who were inclined to support the
commissioner through their opinion
of his good intentions quoted consti-
tutional and intern ational law to sustain
their contention that the flag had ulti-
mately to come down, and the upshot of
the argument was the mutual assumption
and assertion Of the idea that the provis-
ional government could sustain itself any,
how. At the palace square . tumble Of
natives, Chinese, Japanese, half,castes.
Portuguese and whites ON foot, ON horse
back and in carriages waited to see tho
flag "that never came down" come down.
On the faces of the American residents
were looks Of chagrin. while broad grin
overspread the faces of many natives. A
majority Of the onlookers, however. pre-
served stolid silence. Just before the
minute hand Of the clock in the tower
reached the hour of IL, the regular troops
of the provisional government, under COM
mand of Capt. John Good, marched back
smartiy into the Enclosure before
the government building and were
ordered into line on the left of the en-
trance. Following them came COMPANY
A, OF the volunteers. Capt. ZiegIer, who
stationed themselves on the right of the
entrance. Immediately in the rear came
battery of Company d, Capt. W. c.
Wilder. jr., with one Gatiing gun and two
Hotchkiss field pieces. which were placed
in position 10 silence hostile demonstra-
tions should any occur. Company Il.
Capt. Gum, of the volunteers, was left in
charge of the barracks. and Company C
was stationed about the palace. The pro-
visional government forces were all under
the command of Col. J. H. Soper and his
field officers, Lieut. Col. Fisher and Mai.
Mcleod. Inside the government ward
we're President Dole and the members of
his cabinet, Chief Justice Judd and other
officials, officers from naval vessels in the
harbor, prominent residents and represen.
tatives of the press.
AS the hand of the clock reached a
minute past the hour Lieut.. DrSper. u.
S. VI. c.. stepped forth. There was a sud.
den hush of the throng as he, facing the
government building, raised his bugle and
sounded the call in clear and distinct notes
that were heard at some distance. Drawn
by unseen agencies the flag sank from
sight and q minute later the Haxai,an
emblem was hoisted to its place. The
ceremony was complete. Not a cheer and
scarce a sound accompanied the transfor-
nation. Some Of the Mohician's officers
a. they turned slowly away. said that
while the Withdrawal of the flag nigh. be
the proper thing in international law, they
personally fel, as if I'VE had no right TO be
here and witness the act"