The herald., 1893-11-21
Mr.. Blount's Sympathy for
the Kanaka Queen.
His Report to the President
Published in Full.
1t Is Very UncOmplimentary to
ex-Minister Stevens.
He Holds That the Queen Was De.
throned by Regular Yankee Trick,
Stevens Will Shortly Publish
Defense
By the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20. - Secretary
Gresham decided this afternoon to make
public all the correspondence and the
report OF James II. Blount, the special
commissioners sent to Hawaii by Cleve-
land to investigate the revolution which
dethroned Queen Liliuokalani and the
established provisional government.
In his report Blount calls attention to
his reception by Minister Stevens,
who, accompanied by q committee
from the Annexation club, came on
board the vessel which brought me.
He informed me this club had rented
an elegant house, we'll furnished and
provided with servants, carriage and
horses for my use; that could pay for
this accommodation just what chose,
from nothing up. He urged me very
earnestly to accept the offer. l de-
clined it and informed him should 90
to some hotel"
Blount says he also refused to accept
profered favors from the ex-queen.
Concerning the position of the United
States in the islands, he says:
Troops from the Boston were doing
military duty for the provisional gov
ernment. The American flag was float
ing over the government building.
Within it the provisional government
conducted business under an American
protectorate, to be continued, according
to the avowed purpose of the American
minister. during negotiations with the
United States for annexation. My In
structions directed me to make inquiries
which in the interest of candor and
truth could not be done when the minds
OF thousands of Hawaiian citizens were
full of uncertainty as to what the pres
ence OF the American troops, the Amer
ican flag and an American protectorate
implied. It seemed necessary that all
these Influences must be Withdrawn be-
forettHe inquiries could be pr0secuted In
a maEner befitting the dignity and
poweref the United States. Inspired
with such feelings, and confident that
no disorder would ensue, directed the
removal of the flag of the United States
from the government building and the
/ return of the American troops to the
vessels. This was accomplished with
out any demonstration of joy or grief on
the part of the populace. The after
noon before, in an interview with Presi-
dent Dole, in response, to my inquiry,
he said the provisional governments was
now able to preserve order. although IL
could not have done 30 several weeks
after the proclamation establishing it."
Blount then tells how Minister
Stevens called upon him with sW. F.
Smith, who represented that the with
drawal of the United States marines
meant that the Japanese would land
troops from man-of-war in the harbor.
The American minister expressed be-
lief in this statement. The Japanese
commissioner put stop to these rumors
by having the vessel ordered away. Tho
provisional government being thus left
to its own preservation, left him
(Blount) free to pursue the negotiations.
Commissioner Blount says: "The
causes of the dethronement of the
queen and the establishment of the
provisional government were both re-
mote and proximate."
He then reviews the history Of the
islands beginning with the constitution
of 1862 and the changes made in the
system of government down to the
revolution of 1887. which resulted in
the constitution that year and which,
to great extent, is given by Blount "a
the cause of the revolution of 1898.
Among those mentioned in forcing King
Kalakaua is Thurston, now minister
from Hawaii. Blount describes at some
length the restrictions placed upon the
king by the 1887 constitution.
After the revolution was accom-
plished, the history of Hawaiian politics
is followed by the commissioner. OF
the queens acts just previous to the
last legislature, Blount says: Let 1t be
borne in mind that the time was now
near at hand when the legislature
would probably be prorogued; Whatever
cabinet was in power at the time of
propagation, had control of public affairs
until the new legislature should ahsen1-
BILE two years afterwards, and longer un-
less expelled by vote of want OF con-
fdence. An anti-reform cabinet was
appointed by the queen. Some faint
struggle was made towards organizing
to vote out the cabinet, but it was
abandoned. The legislature was pro-
rogued. The reform members absented
themselves from the session that day in
manifestation of their disappointment
and loss of power, through the cabinet,
| OF the American minister and naval
officers stationed in Honolulu in 1892
indicate that any failure to appoint q
ministry from the reform party would
produce political crisis. The voting
out of the Wilcox cabinet produced dis
content among the reformers verging
very closely towards one, and had mors
to do with the revolution than tha
queens PROCLAMATION. The first was
the foundation, the latter the oppor-
| tunity.
I'm the legislature many petitions
were filed asking for new constitution.
Discomfort with tho constitution of 1887
and eagerness to escape from it con-
trolled the election against the party
which established it. Divisions on the
mode of changing the constitution pre-
vented relief. Such WAS the situation
at the propagation of the legislature oi
1892. This was followed by the usual
ceremonies at the palace when the
queen informed the cabinet Of her pur