The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-22
IHURSTON TRIES
70 TURN A TRICK.
A Good Deal of Space Devoted
to Mere Denials.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
BIOunt's Charges Caught ThurstOn
Below the Beits
He Alleges That the Provisional Govern
ment Could Easily Have Taken
Care of Itself Had it Been
Necessary.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.

Washington, Nov. 21-Lorin A.
Thurston, Hawaiian minister, gave out
q statement tonight. He says:
L am urged to make a statement for
publication, setting forth the position
and claims of the Hawaiian govern
ment, and making a reply to the
charges contained in Blount's report.
As have received nc official informa-
ton that Blount has made report,
/ am unable to intelligently state what
the position and claims of the govern
ment are A large portion of the pub
lished extracts from Blounts report
consist of personal attacks upon me
and those associated with me in the
provisional government, impugning
our veracity, good faith and courage,
and charging US with fraud and du-
plicity.
''First. I desire to call attention to
Blount's method of constructing the
report Although he says in several
places I was the leader of the revolu-
tionary movement, he never asked me
q question concerning the same, nor
has he given me an opportunity to
make any statement. The same is true
OF a large number of other men who
took leading part in the movement
clusively of prepared affidavlts or
answers to leading questions put by
himself at private interviews no one
else being present but a StenogTapher.
In no instance was there any cross-ex-
animation, or opportunity given for
contradiction or to explain the cyl
dence. In the brief examination pub
lished, portions of the report show num-
erous incorrect statements.
''Blount charges that the American
troops landed under a prearranged
agreement with the committee Of
safety At no time did Stevens or Cap
tain WiltZe assure me or the commit
tee. or any subcommittee thereof. that
the United States troops would assist
in overthroWiag the queen or in es-
tablishing a provisional government,
and as a matter of fact, they did not
so assist.
of this statement In Wundenburg' S
statement he says whom the commit
tee of safety told Stevens they were
not ready to act, he replied: Gentle
men, the troops from the Boston will
land at 5 o'clock, whether you are
ready or not.
ssThe reasons for the reply and the
subsequent landing of troops were man.
ifest. The troops were landed to pro-
tect American citizens and property
and not to cooperate with the commit
tee in carrying out its plans. In feet,
the troops did not cooperate with the
committee and the committee had nc
more knowledge than had the queen s
government of where the troops were
going, nor what they were going to
do.
1.-THE whole gist of Damon's long
examination is likewise contained in
the statement that when there was a
call for. United States troops, it was
Al n CTVinah11rT
sending back word: Captain Whites
orders were to remain passive Bloun'
charges but for the support Of the
United States representative ano
troops, the establishment Of the pro-
Visional government would have beer
impossible. Although the presence Of
the American troops may have prevent
ed bloodshed, they were not essential
and did not assist in the overthrow Of
the queen. The result Of the move.
raent would have been eventually the
same if there had not been a marine
within a thousand miles of Honolulu
In support of this statement:
The troops did not land till Monday
night. the 10th of January, after the
revolution had been in full progress:
since the afternoon of Saturday. the
14th, during which the committee Of
safety openly organized for the avow
ed purpose of overthrOWing thu
:
no attempt at concealment from the
government of the objects and inten
tons Of the committee. Third, The
queen and cabinet and her supporter:
were utterly 6emoralized, suspicious o.
one another and devoid of leadership
Fourth, the committee and the sup
porters, united, had ample force u
execute their purpose; they knew pre-
ciselv what they wanted. and proceed
ed with intelligent elaboration, thor
oughnesS and confidence to do it i
is admitted by all that the queen be
gan the revolution at noon on Satur
day, by attempting TO promulgate the
constitution: such an attempt was i'm
1nediately followed by preparation!
for armed resistance and the Unitet
States troops landed at o'clock OF
Monday"
I'm support of the second PROPOSE
ton: On the afternoon of Saturday, Il
reply to the request of the cabinet TO
advice, the queen still insisting upol
the PRONUNCIATION of the constitution
and the supporting Of 1t by force, l ad
vised them to declare the queen il
revolution and the throne vacant, anC
at the request and approval of two O
them and the tacit consent of the othe
two then and there, drew up a form
of proclamation TO that effect TIL
same afternoon, at a meeting Of ahou
200 citizens, the queen was denounced
armed resistance and a counter revo
luton openly advocated, and thu
queens minister of the interior, Johl
Colbourn addressed the meeting. Tn
queens encouragement, Peterson, ant
her attorney, Paul Neuman. wer
both present, taking part in the meet
ing The committee of safety was thel
and there armed and proceeded t
forthwith organize.
at O'Clock on Sunday morning, tn
18th. ! told Peterson and Colbourne TIL
committee intended to depose tn
queen and establish a provisional gov
ernment If they would take ch2rg
of the movement, well and good; other
wise the committee intended to TAX
action on its own account. They aske
for twenty-f0ur hours in which to con
slider the matter l declined to wait
stating the committee intended to pro
coed forthwith. The committee me
openly at 10 o'clock and remained il
session during the greater part of tn
Gay, while several government polio
kept a watch over the building from
the street. On Monday morning a
O'Clock, the committee. without an.
attempt at conceailaent, met at M
Office within 200 feet Of the police sta
ton. near Marshal Wilson's headquar
ters where the entire police force wa
stationed. While the meeting was il
progress Wilson came 10 the Office an
asked to speak to me privately, an
we went into an adjoining room. Gu