Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-18


the de jure government. In point of fact
the existing government instead of request
ing the presence of an armed force pro-
tested against 1t. There is as little basis
Tor the pretense that such forces were land
ed for the security of American life and
property. If so, they would have been sta
toned in the vicinity of such property and
so as to protect it, instead of at a distance
and so as to command the Hawaiian gov
eminent building and palace. Admiral
Skerrett, the officer in command Of our
naval force on the Pacific station, has
frankly stated that in his opinion the loca-
ton of the troops was inadvisable If they
were landed for the protection of American
citizens whose residences and places of
business, well as the legation and con-
sulate, were in distant part of the city,
but the location selected was a wise one
If the forces were landed for the purpose
Of supporting the provisional government
If any peril to life and property calling
for any such martial array had existed,
Great Britain and other foreign powers in
terested would not have been behind the
United States in activity to protect their
citizens. But they made no sign in that di-
rection. When these armed men were land
ed. the city of Honolulu was in it's custom
airy orderly and peaceful condition. There
was no symptom of riot or disturbance in
any quarter. Men, women and children were
about the streets usual, and nothing
varied the ordinary routine or disturbed the
ordinary tranquility. except the landing Of
the Boston's marines and their march
through the town to the quarters assigned
them. Indeed, the fact that after having
called for the landing of the United States
forces on the plea of danger to life and
property the Committee of Safety them
selves requested the Minister to postpone
action, exposed the untruthfulness of their
representations of present peril to life and
property. The peril they saw was an an
ticiration growing out of guilty intentions
on their part and something which, though
not then existing, they knew would GER
tainly follow their attempt to overthrow
the Government Of the Queen without the
aid of the United States forces.
FOrcfble Possession.
Thus it appears that Hawaii was taken
possession of by the United States forces
without the consent wish of the govern
ment of the islands, or of anybody else so
far as shown, except the United States
Minister.
Therefore the military occupation of Homo
lulu by the United States on the day men,
toned was wholly without justification,
either as an occupation by consent or as an
occupation necessitated by dangers
threatening American life and prop
erty. 1t must be accounted for
in some other way and on some other
ground, and its real motive and purpose
are neither obscure nor far to seek.
The United States forces being now on
the scene and favorably stationed the COM
mittee proceeded to carry out their original
scheme. They met the next morning, Tues
day. the 18th, perfected the plan of tempo
rary government, and fixed upon it's princi-
| pal officers ten of whom were drawn from
the thirteen members of the Committee of
Safety. Between one and two o'clock, by
squads and by different routes to avoid no.
tice and having first taken the precaution
Of ascertainng s'hethsr there was any one
4 there to ePfsose- them, thsy -proeeedea-to-<he
Government building to proclaim the new
| government.
No sign of opposition was manifest, and
thereupon an American citizen began to
read the proclamation from the steps Of
the Government building almost entirely
without auditors. 1t is said that before the
| reading was finished quite a concourse Of
persons. variously estimated at from so to
100, some armed and some unarmed, gather
ed about the committee to give them aid
| and confidence. This statement is not i'm
portant, since the one controlling factor in
the whole affair was unquestionably the
| United States marines who, drawn up under
arms and with artillery in readiness only
| seventy-six yards distant, dominated the
situation.
The provisional government thus proclaim
ed was by the terms Of the proclamation
ito exist until terms of union with the
United States had been negotiated and
agreed upon The United States Minister.
/ tn rlrior
government within an hour after the read
ing Of the proclamation and before five
o'clock, in answer to an inquiry on behalf
| of the Queen and her cabinet, announced
that he had done so.
| The Provisional Government.
When our Minister recognized the pro-
| visional government the only basis upon
which 1t rested was the fact that the Com
| mittee of Safety had in the manner above
| stated declared 1t to exist 1t was neither
government de facto nor de jure. That it
was not in such possession of the Govern
ment property and agencies as entitled it
| 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 January II, 1893, in which
he acknowledges with expressions of appre-
| clatlon the minister's recognition of the
provisional government, and states that 1t
Is not yet in the possession of the station
house (the place where a large number of
the Queens troops were quartered), though
the same had been demanded of the Queens
officers in charge. Nevertheless, this wrong
| full recognition by our Minister placed the
| Government of the Queen in a position of
most perilous perplexity. On the one hand
she had possession of the palace of the
barracks, and of the police station, and had
at her command at least five hundred fully
armed men and several pieces. of artillery
Indeed, the whole military force of her
kingdom was on her side and at her dis
posal, while the Committee of Safety, by
actual search, had discovered that there
were but very few arms in Honolulu that
were not in the service of the Government
In this state of things If the queen could
have dealt with the insurgents alone her
| course would have been plain and the re-
suit unmistakable. But the United States
| had allied Itself with her enemies, had
| recognized them as the true government of
| Hawaii, and had put her and her adherents
| in the position of opposition against lawful
| authority. She knew that she could not
| Withstand the power of the United States
| but she believed that she might safely