The herald., 1893-12-19

y
collision of armed forces and loss oil
life, and only until such time as the
United States, upon the facts being pre-
sented to 1t, should undo the action ol
it's representative and reinstate her in
the authority she claimed as the consti-
tutional sovereign OF the Hawaiian is
lands.
THE PROTEST UNHEEDED.
This protest was delivered to the chiel
of the provisional government, who en-
dorsed thereon his acknowledgement OF
its receipt. The terms of protest were
received without dissent by those as
cunning to constitute the provisional
government, who were certainly charged
with the knowledge that the queen, in
stead of finally abandoning her power,
had appealed to the justice of the
United States for restorement In au-
thority, and yet the provisional govern
ment, with this unanswered protest
in its hands, hastened to negotiate with
the United States for the permanent
Punishment of the queen from power,
and for the sale OF her kingdom. Our
country wss in danger of occupying the
position of having actually set up 8
temporary government on foreign soil
for the purpose of acquiring, through
that agency, territory which we had
wrongfally put in our possession. Con-
troi of both sides OF bargain acquired
in such manner is called by familiar
and unpleasant name when found in
private transactions.
NO LACK OF PRECEDENrs.
We are not without precedents in
showing how scrupulously we avoided
such an accusation of former days.
After the people OF Texas had declared
their independence of Mexico, they re-
solved that on the acknowledgment of
their independence by the United States
they would seek admission into the Uni
ted States. Several months after battle of
San Jacinto, in which Texan independ-
ence was practically assured and estab-
lished, President Jackson declined to
recognize it. alleging as one of his rea-
sons, that under the circumstances, it
became the United States ''to beware to
recognize TOO early the movement, as it
might subject US, however uDjustly, to
the imputaton of seeking to establish
the claim OF our neighbors to territory,
with aview to its subsequent acquisition
by ourselves"
This is in marked contrast with the
hasty recognition ci government
openly, concededly set up for the pur.
pose of rendering us territorial annexa-
tion. | believe a candid, thorough ex-
animation of the facts will force the
conviction that the provisional govern
ment owes its existence to sn armed
invasion by the United Statee Fair
minded people, with the evidence before
them, will hardly claim that the Ha-
waiian government was overthrown by
the people of the islands, or that the
provisional government ever existed
with their consent. | do not
understand that any member of this
government claims that the people
would uphold it by their sutfrages, ii
allowed to vote on the question.
NO NEED OF HASTE.
While naturally sympsthizing with
every effort to establish a republican
form OF government, it 10 the settled
policy OF the United States to concede
to the people Of foreign countries the
same freedom and independence in the
management of their domestic affairs
that we have always claimed for our
selves, and it has been our practice to
recognize revolutionary governments as
soon ss it became apparent that they
were supported by the people. For an
illustration of this rule l need only re-
for to the revolution in Brazil in 1850,
when our minister wss instructed to
recognize the republic ''as soon
as the majority OF the peo-
pie OF Brazil should have sig-
nifed their assent to its establish
ment and maintenance; to the revolu-
ton in Chile, in 1891, when our min
ister was disposed to recognize the new
government ''if it was accepted by the
people," and to the revolution in Vene-
zuela, in 1892, when recognition was ac-
corded on condition that the new govern
ment was 'fully established: in posses
sion Of the power of the nation and &C.
cepted by the people,"
THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
As apprehend the situation, we are
brought face to face with the following
conditions: The lawful government of
Hawaii was overthrown without draw
ing sword or firing shot,
by process every step OF
which it may safely be
asserted was directly traceable to and
dependent for it's success upon the
agency of the United States government,
through it's diplomatic and naval repre-
eentatives. But for the notorious pre-
dilection of the United States minister
for annexation, the committee OF safety,
which should be called the committee 9
of annexation, would never have ex-
listed. But for the landing of United
States forces upon falee pretexts re-
6pecting danger to life and property, the
committee woold never have exposed
themselves to the pains and penalties
Of treason by undertaking the subver-
eion Of the queens government. But
for the presence Of United States
force in the immediate vicinity and in a
position to afford all needed protection
and support, the committee would
not have proclaimed the provisional
government from the steps of the gov
ernment building. And, finally, but
for the lawless occupation Of Honolulu,
under false pretexts by United States
forces, and but for Minister Stevens
recognition OF the provisional govern
ment, when the United States forces
were its sole support and constituted it's
only military strength, the queen and
her government would never have
yielded to the provisional government,
even for the sole purpose OF submitting
her case to the enlightened justice OF
the United States.
ANNEXATION IMPOSSIBLE.
Believing, therefore, that the United
States could not, under the circum