Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-12-21

WASHtNG1ON, Dec 1S-Thc president S
special message to congress in response to
resolutions passed by both Senate and House
requesting further information concerning
Hawaiian affairs. was read in both branches
of Congress day. 1t was as follows;
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
In my recent annual message to Congress
| briefly referred to our relations with Ela-
waii, and expressed my intention of trans
uniting further information on the subject
when additional adviccs permitted. Though
/ am not able now to report q definite
change in the actual situation | am con-
WINGED that difficulties lately created both
here and in Hawaii and now standing in the
way of solution through the executive ac-
ton of the problem presented render it
proper and cXpedient that the matter should
he referred TO the proper authority and dis
erection Of Congress, with full explanation
of the cndcavor thus far made to deal with
the emergency, and q statement of the CON
siderations which have governed my action
| suppose that right and justice should de
tcrmne the path to he followed in treating
this subject, If national honesty is to he
discarded. and desire for territorial cy-
tension or dissatisfaction with form of
government not our own ought 10 regulate
our conduct, | have entirely mi>apprehend-
ed the mission and character of our govern
uent, and the behavior which the conscience
of our people demands of their public ser
wants.
When the present administration entered
upon its duties, the Senate had under con-
sderation treaty providing for the annex
alton of the Hawaiian Islands to the terri
tory of the United States. Surely under our
constitution and laws the enlargement of
our limits i, Il manfestion OF the high
est attribute of sovereignty. and is entered
upon as an executive act. All thing, rclat-
ing to the transaction should be
Clear and Free From suspicion.
Additional Importance attaches to this par
ticIlar treaty of annexation because it con
templated "A departure from the mbroken
American tradition in providing for the ad-
dition to our territory of islands of the sea
more than 1000 miles removed from our
nearest coast.
These considerations might not of them
selves call for Interference with the com
pleton of the treaty entered upon by pre-
vious administration. but it appeared from
the documents accompanying the treaty
when substituted to the Senate that the
us by a provisional government set up
to succeed the constitutional ruler of
the Island who had been dethroncd and it
did not appear that such provisional govern
mcnt had the sanction of either popular
revolution or suffrage.
Two other remarkable features of the
transaction naturally attracted attention:
one as to the extraordinary haste. not to say
Ireclptancy, CharaCteri2ing all the trans
actions connected with the treaty. 1t an
peare1 that a So-callcd committee of safety
ostensibly the source of the revolt AGAINST
the constitutional government Of Hawaii,
was organized on Saturday, the 18th day of
January; that ON Monday the 10th the
United forces States were landed AT Honolulu
from vessel lying in its harbor:
that ON the It'll the scheme of
provisional government was perfected
and proclamation naming it, officers was
on the same day prepared and
Read at the Government Building:
that Immediately thcreupon the United
States minister recognized the provisional
government thus created that two DAYS
afterwards ON the 18Th day of January
commissioners representing such government
sailed for this country in steamer cspcci-
ally chartered for the OCCASION arriving in
San Francisco on the 2Stli day of January
and i'll Washington on the Bird dav of Feb
rualy: that ON the next day they had their
first interview with the secretary of state
and another ON the It'll when IA treaty of
annexation was practically agreed upon:
and that on the nth it was formally con
cluded, and on the 10TH transmitted to the
senate.
Thus, between the initiation of the scheme
for provisional government in Hawaii on
the llth day Of January, and the submis-
sion to the Senate of "A treaty of annexation
concluded with such government, the entire
interval was ~ days. II of which were spent
by the Hawaiian commissioners in their
journey to Washington
IN the next place, upon the face OF papers
submitted with the treaty, it appeared that
there was open and undetermined an issue OF
fact of vital Importance. Tho message of
the president accompanying the treaty de
clared that "Thc overthrow of the mon
arch was not in any way promoted by this
government and in letter to the pre,i
dent from the secretary of state, also sub
mitted TO the Senate with the treaty,
The Following Passage Occurs:
AT tine time the provisional government
took possession Of the government buildings.
no troops or officers of the United States
were present or took any part whatever in
the proceedings. No public recognition
was accorded to the provisional government
10y the United States minister until after the
queens abdicaton, and when they were in
effective possession Of the government build
ingS, the archives, the treasury. the bar
racks, the police station, and all potential
machinery of the government
But protest also accompanied said
treaty, signed by the queen and her minis
tiers, at the time she made way for the pro-
Vi,ional government which explicitly stated
that she yielded to the superior force of the
United States, whose minister had caused the
United States troops TO be landed at Homo
lulu, and declared that be would support
such provisional government.
The truth or falsty of this protest was
surely OF first Importance. If true, nothing
but concaalment of its truth could induce
the government 10 negotiate with the sem
blance of government thus created nor
could treaty resulting from the acts stated
In tlp DTttesI In, a.