The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-12-30
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Special Communication to Con-
gress on Hawaiian Affairs,
Outlining the Presidents Action in the
Matter, Together with an Abstract of
the Instructions Given Min
lister Willis.

ANNe obINhNA win SA
the Instructions Given Min
lister Willis.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-In response
to a resolution of the senate, asking
for documents in possession of the
executive department in relation to
the Hawaiian question, and in accord
ance with the presidents intention. as
expressed in his message at the open
ing of the regular session of the Fifty
third congress, Mr.. Cleveland trans
United the following special colnmuni-
cation to both houses;
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE, OF REPRrsEyrA-
TIVES-In my recent annual message to con
Rres5 briefly referred to our relations Win
Hawaii and expressed the intention q, trans
hitting further information on the subject
when additional adviccs permitted. Though
ram not ab'e Ia nSR report a definite oh arg-
IN tho actual situation, / am convinc.s That
tne ditlcOlties lately created bo'r sere and in
hawaii. and now standing in the way OF a
soIutlon through Executive action OF the
proDlen rreseated. render it proper and ex.
peV'ent that the matter should be referred 10
Tee broader authority and direction OF con
sfess, with n full explanation of the eniaavor
thus far made 10 deal with the emergency. and
q statement OF the considerations Shirh have
governed my action. suppose that right and
Justice Should determine the path TO be fol.
lowed In treating this subject. II national hon
rsty Is to ne dlsreGarded and q desire fO- terri
torlal extension or dissatisfaction with d form
OF government not pur own is 10 regulate our
conduct, l have ~easirely misapprChcnd-d the
tli-sinn AMI character OF our government and
the behavior which the conscience Of our peo-
pie demands Of their public servants
When the present adm rist'atiGn entered
upon its duties the senate had under consId-
erati"n q treaty providing for the annexation
81 the Hawaiian islands to the territory OF tho
United States.
surely under our constitution and laws the
enlargement Of or limits Is 4 manifestation OF
the highest attribute Of sovereignty. and if Gu
tered upon as an executive act. all things re.
lat!ng to the transaction should 10 clear and
Tree from suspicion.
WHY THE TREATY WAS RECALLED.
Additional importance Is attached 10 this Pc
culiar treaty OF annexation. uecause i. col-
templatei a departure from uunrcker Ar.cri-
can tradition in providing for the addition 10
our territory OF islands Of The sea more than
zoo miles removed from our nearest coast
These considerations might not of them
selves call for Interference with the cor'pl,.
tinn OF 4 treaty entered upon by p pre-. iuuS ad-
miEistration. But II appeared from the docu-
mentS accompanying thc treaty when submit
ted TO The senStd, that tho ownership OF Ha-
wall was tcnlercd 10 Us BY the provisional
government. set up TO succeed the c~onstitu-
t.oaal ruler OF the islands, who had been de-
thruned, and II did not appear that such pro.
visiOnal gCrcrnmeut had the sanction Of either
popular revolution or suffrage. Two other re
markable features OF the transaction naturally
attracted attention. One vas tbs cxiraur Il
nary haste-not 10 say precipitancy-Charac-
terlzing all 1.-THE Transactions connects with the |
treaty. IL appeared that i so-Calisi committee ,
OF safety. ostensihly the source Of re revolt
against the constitutional gc-r' nmcut of ua-
wall, was organized or saturday. the IIthlayof
january: that on Monday. the 10th. the United
States force were landed at Honolulu from a
iarsi vessel then lying in its har or. that on
the lIta the scheme OF a provisional govern
IaeHt was perfected. and a proclamation naming |
IT'S ohtrrS WAS on the same day prcparpl an! |
read at the government buildings: that immc-
ulaiely thereon the Emitted states minister rec !
ognlzed ~" provisional government ,hus ere I
ated' that two days aftcrward. on the IHtE day
OF january. commissioners representing such |
government sa'iet f"r This country in 4 steamer
especially chartered for the occasion. arrivlg. |
IN san FT.nclscO on the 18th Gay OF January |
ana Ia Washington on the III dry OF FrbrHa-v. '
that next day they had Their iirst interview |
with the secretary OF state and another on |
the ilth, when thr treaty a1nexinr tho island, |
was practically dGreci upon. and that on the
18th II wa1 formally concluded and on the I5th
transmitted 10 the Serate.
thus between the initiation of the scheme
for 4 provisional government in Hawaii on the |
nth OF January and the submission to tho son. !
ate OF the treaty of annexation crrcirGC. With /
such government. the rntirC interval was thir- |
ty-two days. fifteen az %hiCh were spent w tho
iItwiiIa. COMMISSIONERS IN their journey 10
In the next place. upon the face Of the paper
submitted with the treaty, il clearly a-pClt,.i /
that there was open AMI Tn''~'S rIuined An H.
5uc OF the most vital iE. 1urtluCe. The MESSAGE
of the president. accompanying the treaty ,lr.
clarcd ;tat the overthrow OF the mnnarhy
~t@ not In any way promoted ly this govern
lncut, and in a letter to the president from
the secretary OF state, also submitted 10 the
senate it'll the treaty. the following passage
occurred:
AT the time the provisional Government
look possession OF the government buildings
no troops or officers "t The United States were
present or took any part whatever in the pro
c~ee'liHrs- No public recognition vas accorded
TO tha provisional government Nv the I-uir.i
states minister until after the queens ardtra-
ton. and when thew were in cfrri'"a t4zS.s
sion OF the government hu'i,,ruLN. III, ar.hiy.s
the treasury. the 1rtEiacks. the unIIrc .I1f=,,n
and al the potential machinery OF the govern.
But a protest also accompanied said treaty
signed 10y the queen and her ministers nj Mo
time she mate way for tho Provisional gov
yielded TO the superior force OF the United
States. who's" minister had caused UuifrI
States troops 10 he landed at Honolulu and d..
ciarcd th1t he would support such provisional
government
The truth or falsity of this re5tGst was
surely OF the first importance. il true. nothin-
but the concealment OF its truth could inJuc,
our gnvrrT:slent to negotiate with the sem
hiarcS OF a government thus created. nor could
"a treaty resulting from the acts stated in the
protest have been knowingly deemed wSrthv
Of consideration in the senate. Yet tho iruth
or falsi.. OF the protest had not heen invcsti-
gated.
CUNT MISSION AMI TTs nrsrLrS
L ANhAFH'Fu - - AI AlN ulIE. therefore, IN I
withdraw tho treaty from the senate for cyan
ination. and melIwhile to cause an accurate
full ard impartial investigation to be made
OF the facts attending the vrbrr~iOn az
the constitutional g~s".rnte.lt of Hawaii anJ
the instalimer' n ;he place of the provisional
E"'t'rracnt selected for the work Of
Investigation the Hon. James H.. Blornt. OF
Georgia. whose service of eighteen years as a
member Of the house OF representatives and
who's" experience as chairman Of the cur'mit-
tee on foreign affairs in that lpdv and hts CON
scquent familiarity with international tones
Joined with his nigh character and honorable
reputation. Hc"med 10 render him peculiarly
lifted for the duties intrusted to him. His re-
port detailing his action under the instructions
given to him. and tho conclusions derived
from his investigation company this mes
sage.
These conclusion. do mol rest for their accent
ance entirely upon Mr. BIount's honesty ard
ability az a man, nor upon his rculnen and i'm
pdrtiality as an investigator. They are accom-
panied by tho evidence upon which they are
based, which evidence is also herewith trans
United, and from which IL seems to me no
other deductions could possibly be reached !
than those arrived at by the commissioner.
The report with its accompanying proofs
and such other evidence as IS now before the
congress or Is herewith submitted. Justify in
my opinion the statement that vhen the preSi-
dent WAS led TO submit the treaty to the senate.
with the declaration that the overthrow OF
the moh"rchy was not IN any way promoted 10y
this government. and when the senate was
induced to receive and discuss 1t on that basis, !
both president and senate were mislei.
The attempt will not he made In this com .
lnunlcation to touch upon all the facts which ,
throw light upon tho progress and consumma- !
ton OF this scheme Of annexation. 4 very
brief and imperfect reference to the facts and ;
at hand will exhibit its character :
and the incidents in which it had its birth.
STEVENS PREPARED THE WAY !
1t is unnecessary to set forth the reason l
which. in January. 1891. led 4 considerable por- I
ton Of American and other foreign merchants I
and traders residing at Honolulu to favor the I
annexation OF Hawaii TO the United States. 1t '
is sufficient TO note the fact ana To observe I
that the project was one whiyh was Z~ealously I
by the minister then representing |
the United States in that country. lie cvi- q
IDENTIFY had an ardent desire that it should be- '
come a fact accomplished by his agency and Il
during his ministry. and was not announcement (
~ Inscriptions as 10 the means employed 8
10 that end. on November ~, iSg2. (
nearly two months before tho first 4
overt act tending toward the sub /
version of the Hawaiian government