The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-28
The Morgan Committee on tho Hs-
waiian Affair.

| waiian Analr.
| A searching and exhaustive inquiry MAJ
be expected from the committee appointed
| by the Senate to ascertain whether any
Irregularities have been committed II
our diplomatic intercourse with tn,
Hawaiian Government. or the n We Sena
tore composing the committee. at least
three, and perhaps four. may be trusted q
| put to a proper use the large powers con
ferred upon them TO elicit the truth with
out fear or favor; to fix responsibility where
| It belongs. and to visit misconduct with ap
| propriate censure.
II Ia not the business OF this committed
TO offer any suggestion regarding our
future treatment OF the Hawaiian Islands
The attempt to upset their Government
has failed. and all that they now require OF
the present Administration Is to be lei
alone. The sole aim OF the committee is to
ascertain whether. in our relations with the
Honolulu Government during the last year,
the President OF the United States, or any
Of his agents. has been guilty Of a breach OF
international or Of constitutional law. Is
It true or false. according to the law OF
nations. that the alleged commission OF one
wrong by one President in January, 1898.
1ustiiies the preparation OF another wrong
by q succeeding President In November OF
the same year, Is 1t true or false. accord
ing to the law Of nations. that. whatever
may have been the circumstances Of its
origin. q de fucto Government. once for
mally recognized. has all the rights Of de
Jure Government, ris-d-ris OF foreign coun-
trles2 Did international law authorize. or
did 1t forbid. Mr.. CLEVELAND to plot the
overthrow OF the Hawaiian Provisional
Government. while addressing its executive
head as his great and good friend" and
after accrediting to 1t Minister and re-
celving from 1t an envoy In returnp Such
are some OF the international questions to
be considered and answered by the COM
mittee Of the Senate charged to investigate
Irregularities.
These are inquiries OF manifest impor-
lance. and the reply OF Senator MoRaAN's
committee will be awaited with deep inter-
est. Behind them. however. looms ques-
ton OF even more grave Significance. 1t
would be bad enough to have a President
adiudged either ignorant or regardless Of
the rudments Of international law. 1t
would be worse to have a President pro-
nounced guilty OF ignoring or defying the
plain dictates OF the Constitution. which he
has sworn to observe. 1t Is this branch OF
the investigation which imposes peculiarly
solemn duty on the Senate in it's capacity
as coordinate branch OF the Federal Gov
eminent. an expounder and defender Of the
Federal organic law. Had Mr.. CLEVELAND
any constitutional warrant to send Mr..
BLoUNT as Commissioner to Honolulu with
out the sanction OF the Senate, while an
American Minister. duly appointed. con-
firmed and unrecalled, was at the time
discharging his functions in that place
Had MIR. CLEVELAND any constitutional
right to order the Admiral commanding
our naval force at Honolubu to obey any
orders emanating from the said Commits
sloner? What latitude was Mr.. BLoUNT
authorized to give to such orders? This
last question is one which the committee
OF the Senate should be able to answer,
after 1t has forced the executive depart
ments to produce every scrap OF written
testimony in existence and has put Mr..
BLoUNr himself upon the witness stand.
We come. lastly. to the scope and tenor OF
the instructions. whether written or oral.
given to Mr.. WILLIS. We know already
from the documents tardily and reluctantly
delivered by the President to Congress,
that not until Dec. 8. the very day before
Congress met. was the first announcement
made to WILLIS that he could not use
force to upset the Hawaiian Government,
without the authority OF the Federal Legis-
lature. Are the previous instructions to
WILLIS reconcilable with this Involuntary
OF Dec. 81 Or are they ex-
plicable only on the theory that both the
Provisional Government and the
teposed Queen were. throughout the inter-
val between the two sessions OF Congress-,
Induced or allowed to believe that recourse
would be made to force, IL necessary, in
order to restore the discarded monarchy at
Honolulu? 1t Is plain that WILLIS would
nave made himself a laughing stock IL, on !
his arrival In Honolulu. he had announced, |
what We are now asked to believe was |
he fact. that he came merely as the bearer |
II an academic and perfunctory suggestion |
hat the Hawaiians should spontaneously |
lemolish the Government OF their choice,
md restore Queen whom they despsed,
n Difference to the within Of their great and
rood friend. GROVER CLEVELAND. Our Min
ster would have been drowned In ridicule
lad he submitted such an invitation. pro-
'ided he had said at the same time. what it
vas his duty to say. that he. as an agent
Il the President. had not the slightest
'oWer or Intention to use force against a
riendly Government without the express
Of Congress.
When one contrasts the admonitlon sent
o WILLIS on Dec. 8. that he could not use
orce without the sanction OF Congress,
nth the unmistakable tenor and purpose
I Mr.. GREsHAM's recommendations pub
shed three weeks before. one cannot easily
esist the conclusion that. to quote the
hrase used by Mr.. BLAINE on a memora-
lie occasion. there is large lie out some
here. What and where the lie is, the
OF the Senate will be expected
} discover.