The Forrest City times., 1893-12-22
WILLIS INSTRUCTIONS
Full Text of the Written Instruction. Given Minister Willis in Regard ,o Dealing with Affairs in Hawaii.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE. ! WASHINGTON, D. C.. Oct. $. lgg3 !
No. 1 IConfidential %

to you in confidence special instructions fo. your guidance in so so far as concerns the rela. tions of the government of the United State. towards the de facto government of the pa waiian islands. The president deemed fl hs duty to withdraw from the senate the treat, of annexation which had been signed hv the secretary of state and the agents of the provisional government, and to dis patch trusted representative to Hawaii to impartially investigate the causes of the so called revolution and ascertain and report tha true situation in these islands. This informa tion was needed the better to enable the presi dent to discharge q delicate and importan, public duty. The instructions given to Mir Blount of which you are furnished with A copy, point out a line of conduct to be observed by him in his official and personal relation on the islands, by which you will be guided so far as these applicable, and no, inconsistent with what is herein contained It remains to acquaint you with the present conclusions upon the facts embodied in Mir Blount's report and to direct your course in accordance herewith.
 The provisional government was not estab. lished by the Hawaiian people with their consent or acquiescence. nor has it since ex. isted with their consent The queen refused to surrender her powers to the provisional gov. ernment until convinced that the minister of the United States had recognized it as the de facto.authority and would support and defend it with the military force of the United States and that resistance would precipitate bloody conflict with the United States forces She was advised and assured by her ministers and by the leaders Of the movement for the overthrow of her government. that if she sur. rendered under protest her case would after. ward be fairly considered by the president of the United States.
 The queen finally wisely yielded to the armed forces of the United States then quartered in Honolulu, relying upon the good fait h and honor of the president, when informed of what had occurred, to undo the action of the minister and reinstate her in the authority which she claimed the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian islands.
 After patient examination of MT. Blounts reports. the president is satisfied that the movement against the queen. if not instigated. was encouraged and supported by the repre-. sentative of this government at Honolulu that he promised in advance to aid her enemies in an eGort to overthrow the government of the Hawaiian islands and set up by force the new government in its place, and that he kept this promise by causing a detachment of troops to be landed from the United States ship Bos. ton, on the 18th of January. and by reeogniz. ing the provisional government the next day when 1t was too feeble to defend itself and the constitutional government was able success fully to maintain it's authority against any threatening force other than that of the United States already landed.
 The president has therefore determined that he will not send back to the senate for its &C., tion thereon the treaty which he withdrew from that body for further consideration on the 9th day of March last. On your arrival at Honolulu you will take advantage Of early opportunity to inform the queen of this deter. imitation. making known to her the presi- dents sincere regret that the reprehensi- blc conduct of the American minister and the unauthorized presence on land of military force of the United States obliged her to sur. render her sovereignty for the time being, and rely on the justice Of this government to undo the fragrant wrong. You will. how ever, at the same time inform the queen. that when renstated, the president expects that she will pursue magnanimous course by granting full amnesty to all who partiei. pated in the movement against her, including persons who are or who have been. officially or otherwise, connected with the provisional gov ernment, depriving them of no right or privi- lege which they enjoyed before the so-calledrev' olution All obligations created by the proyis- ional government in due course of admnistra- tion should be assumed. Having received the queens agreement to pursue this wise and humane policy which it is believed you will speedily obtain you will then advise the executive of the pro visional government and his ministers of the presidents determination of the question which their actions and those ot the queen de- volved upon him, and that they are expected 10 promptly relinquish to her constitutional authority should the queen decline to pur sue the liberal course suggested or shouldth provisional government refuse to abide by the presidents decision. you will report the facts and await further directions In carrying out these general instructions you will be guided large.y ty your own good judgment ia dealing with the delicate situation.
 am, sir, your obedient servant,
 n AM
 IncloSed are Secretary Gresham's confidential instructions to MT. Blount, dated March II, ls93
 On November 24 Secretary Gresham telegraphcd Minister Willis as follows:
 The hrevity and uncertainty of your tele' grams are embarrassing. You will insist upon amnesty and recognition of obligations of the provisional government as essential conditions of restoration All interests will be promoteu by prompt action.
 The next telegram to Minister Nllls from Secretary Gresham is dated De- cember 3. It read as follows:
 Your dispatch, which was answered by steamer on the Sth November, seems to call TOT additional instructions. Should the queen re- fuse assent to the written conditions, you Will at once inform her that the president Will cease interpretation in her behalf, and that while he deems it his duty to en- deayor to restore to the sovereign the constitutional government of the islands, his further efforts Tn that direction will depend upon the queens unquallneu agreement that all obligations created by the provisional government in proper course oi administration shall be assumed and upon such pledges by her as will prevent the adop- ton of any measures of prosecution or punlsh- ment for what has been done in the past Dy those setting up or supporting the provisional government The president feels that by oW original interference. and what followed we have incurred responsibilities to the whole ha wailan community, and 1t would not be just to put one party at the mercy of the olher'