Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-16
The Hawaiian situation.

ton in Hawaii, much has been written
in the way OF criticism or condemnation
OF the policy therein outlined which APP
pears to US to have been premature or
based on insufficient information-ex-
cepting of course such utterances as are
inspired by political unfriendliness. If
there is one thing that stands out clearly,
1t is that the general public, including
the press, does not as yet fully under
stand either the details of the policy de-
cided on by President Cleveland and his
Cabinet or the reasons which have con-
tributed to bring about this decision,
OF one thing we may rest assured,
that the Hawaiian policy of the admin
istration has not been arrived at without
very thorough information and very
careful consideration. We may.accept
with confidence the conviction that
there has been no hasty jumping at con-
illusions on the part OF either President
Cleveland or Secretary Gresham, or any
other member of the Cabinet, in the con-
sideration of this business; but that
they have inquired searchingly into the
events that have happened from the
very beginning of the political troubles
in the Hawaiian Islands, and that they
understand them better than any Of
those who have attempted to find fault
with what they understand to be the
present attitude of the government can
pretend to do. And, having SO informed
themselves, we are disposed to accept
with equal confidence tho conviction
that the course they have adopted will,
when all the facts arc known to the
people as completely as they are known
to the President and his advisers. com
mend itself to the judgment of fair
minded men as right and just.
If the United States have been misled,
through error or misconduct on the part
of any person or persons acting under
their authority, into wronging the
Hawaiian nation, it is their duty to take
steps to repair that wrong. This was
conceded by Secretary Foster, under
the Harrison administration, in disavow-
ing, last February, certain of the re-
ported acts of Minister Stevens. In his
dispatch of that date to Minister
Stevens, Secretary Foster said;
So far as your action amounts to accord
ing, at the request of the de facto sovereign
government of the Hawaiian Islands, the
cooperation of the moral and material
forces of the United States, for the pro-
lection OF life and property from appre-
hended disorders, your action IS COM
mended. But SO far as it may appear to
overstep that limit by setting the authority
and power of the United States above that
of the government of the Hawaiian
Islands, in the capacity of protector, or to
impair in any way the Independent
sovereignty of the Hawaiian government
by substituting the flag and power of the
United States as the symbol and manifesto
ton of paramount authority, it is dis
avowed.
This disavowal by the Harrison ad-
ministration of the reported act OF
Minister Stevens is, as we understand
1t, in entire harmony, so far as it goes
with the position taken by Secretary
Greeham. But he goes further and
states, no doubt upon information care
fully gathered and scrutinized, that ''tht
Provisional Government was established
by the action of the American Minister
tSteyens) and the presence of the troops
landed from the Boston, and its con
tinued existence is due to the belief O
the Hawaiians that, if they made al
effort to overthrow it, they woulC
encounter the armed forces of thu
United States"
That Minister Stevens did proclaim
orotectorate over these islands and tina
body of marines, landed from tn
Boston, hoisted the American flag owe
theigovernment house at Honolulu, ar
matters of history. 1t is also matter o
history that this proclamation wa
promptly disavowed by this govern
ment and the same officers and mel
who raised that flag were ordered b,
Commissioner Blount to haul it dow
again. 1t appeared then, as now, tina
the deposition of the Queen and tn
overthrow Of the monarchy was not tn
act Of the people of Hawaii, but tn
deed of few foreign residents, backe
by the moral and physical support c
the civil and naval representatives c
the United States then present in Homo
lulu. There is no question that Ministe
Stevens was an accessory after the fac
to this conspiracy to overturn tn
government of nation too weak to r,
sist, and there were circumstance
which strongly pointed to the inferenc
that the American Minister and tn
commander of the Boston were aces
saries before the fact as well-parties /
this conspiracy.
anIn IL g.,