The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1893-12-22
BRADFORD VERMONT, DECEMBER 22, 1888
HAWAII'S MUDDLE.
A Special Message to Congress
on the Subject.

President Cleveland Definitely Recon-
mends the Restoration of the Island
Monarchy and Refuses to Recede From
the Position He Has Maintained.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-The following is
a synoptical condensation of what the
president says in his special message to
congress on the Hawaiian question:
The president is not able to report def
mate change in the actual situation, but
is convinced that the Hawaiian matter
should be referred to congress with full
statement of facts.
If national honesty is to be disregarded
and desire for territorial extension or
dissatisfaction with form of government
not our own ought to regulate our con-
duct, he says he has entirely misunder-
stood the mission and character of our
government and the duties of its servants.
1t had happened that the constitutional
ruler of Hawaii had been dethroned with
out the sanction of revolution or suffrage.
Extraordinary haste and precipitancy
characterized all the transactions con-
nected with the submission of the Harri-
son treaty of annexation.
He recapitulates the circumstances of
the formation of the provisional govern
ment and the dispatch of the treaty to
Washington.
The statement of President Harrison
that this government did not aid in the
queens overthrow is controverted by the
ex-queen's statement that she
Yielded to the Superior Force
of the United States under orders of the
United States minister, who had declared
that he would support the provisional
government.
So he withdrew the treaty and sent Mr..
Blount to make an impartial investiga-
tion. His report accompanies the mes
sage.
This and the evidence upon which it is
based, in President Cleveland's opinion,
shows that both President Harrison and
the senate were misled in saying that the
United States government did not par
sicipate IL thpoverthrow of the monarchy.
He So Kffnistel. Stevens las always
been an ardent annexationist.
The assumption of a protectorate was
disavowed and the American flag hauled
down.
He charges that "mostly resident
Aliens" acting on the basis of the queens
temporary REIMBURSEMENT of a plan for
promulgating new constitution, formed
the COMMITTEE of safety" Seven of its
IS members were foreign subjects. This
committee aimed to bring about
Nothing Less Than Annexation,
and between Jan. ID and Jan. 16 they were
in communication with the United States
minister.
The landing of the armed forces from
the Boston was an act of war, against the
protest of the constitutional government,
there being no basis for the pretense that
it was for the security of American life
and property.
Admiral Skerrett said that the location
of troops was inadvisable for that pur-
pose. Besides Great Britain and other
powers took no such action.
The military occupation being complete.
the committee took possession of the gov
ernment buildings, and an American citi-
zen read the proclamation from the steps
almost wholly without auditors at first.
Minister Stevens is said to have rec
ogniZed the new government
Pursuant to a Prior Agreement
within an hour. The queen could have
dealt with 1.-The insurgents" " but could
not Withstand the power of the United
States allied with her enemies.
The country was in danger of occupv-
ing the position of having set up a tenn
porary government on foreign soil for the
purpose of ultimately acquiring it. This
procedure is given an unpleasant name in
private transactions. The Hawaiian gov
was not overthrown by the peo-
pie of that country.
While sympathizing with all efforts to
establish republican form of govern
ment, it is the policy of the United States
to concede the same freedom and indie
pendence to people of foreign countries in
their own affairs as it de-
for itself.