The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-11


United states troops 70 he landed at Honolulu
and declared tnat he would support the pro-
visional government
Whsn this paper was signed BY the queen
49,. ministers . number Of persons, In
ciuding one Va more representatives OF the
provisional government. who were present end
understood hs contents. by their silence at
least acquie ed In its statements, and when
forwarded to Presiden. Dole he endorsed
upon IL IRE oeived from the hands Of the late
cabinet this l7th day of January. 15e3." With
out challenging the truth of any OF its asser-
tions.
In his dispatch 10 Mr.. Foster. on Jan. Is, de-
scribing the so-calied revolution, Mr.. Stevens
says: "The committee on public safety forth
with took possession OF the government build
Ing and treasury and installed the provisional
government with the head of the respective
departments. This being an accomplished
fact, promptly recognized the provisional
government as tho de facto government Of the
Hawaiian Islands"
Secretary Fosters communication Of Feb.
10 to the president, laying before him the
treaty OF annexation, with the view 20 obtain
ing the advice and consent of the senate
thereto. says: AT the time the provisional
government took possession of the govern
ment building no troops or officers OF the
United States took any part whatever in the
corded TO the provisional government by the
United States minister until after the queens
abdication, and when they were In effective
possession OF the government building. the
archives, the treasury. the barracks, the po-
lice station and all the potential machinery
OF the government"
Similar language Is found In an official let
ter addressed 10 Secretary Foster on Feb. 3 by
the spe ;lal commissioner sent 20 Washington
by the provisional government to negotiate
treaty OF annexation.
Against Stevens.
These statements are utterly at variance
with the evidence, documentary and oral,
contained In Mr.. Blount's reports. They are
contradicted by declarations and letters OF
President Dole and other annexationists, and
BY Mr.. Stevens own verbal admissions TO Mr.
Blount. The provisional government was
recognized when it had little other than a
paper existence and when the legitimate gov
ernment was in full possession and control of
the palace the barracks and the police sta
ton.
Mr.. Stevens well-known hostility and the
threatening presence of the force landed from
the Boston were all that could have excited
serious apprehension in the minds of the
queen, her officers and loyal supporters. IL is
fair TO say that Secretary Fosters statements
were based upon information which he had
received from Mr.. Stevens aud the special
commissioners. but am unable TO see that
they were deceived. The troops were landed
not to protect American life and property, but
TO aid in overthrowing the existing govern
ment. Their very presence implied coercive
measures against II.
Mr.. Stevens promised the annexationists
that as soon as they obtained possession of the
government building and the readoption of
the proclamation he would at once recognize
them as the de facto government and support
m tha In tNssx ~ h. lw<..x
warship then In the harbor. and he kept that
promise This assurance was the inspiration
OF the movement and without it the annexa-
tionists would not have exposed themselves
othe consequences of failure. They relied
upon no military force of their own, for they
had none worthy Of the name. The provi-
sional government was established by the
action Of the American minister and the
presence OF troops landed from the Boston.
and it's continued existence is due TO the be-
lief that the Hawaiians thought If they made
an effort to overthrow IL they would en-
counter the armed forces Of the United
States.
Wrong Should BE RIghted.
Mr.. Blount states that while at Honolulu he
did not meet single annexationist who ex-
pressed willingness TO submit the question to
q vote of the people. nor did he talk with ono
on that subject who did not insist that IL the
islands were annexed suffrage should be so
restricted as to give complete control to for
eigners or whites, and representative annexa-
tionists have repeatedly made similar state
ments
The government of Hawaii surrendered IFS
authority under threat of war. until such
time only a the government of the United
States, upon the fact being presented to it,
should reinstate the constitutional sovereign,
and the provisional government was created
ITO exist until terms of union with the United
Af Ls.1h hoau lea. ~x~A
agreed upon"
A careful consideration of the facts will,
think, convince you that the treaty, which
was withdrawn from the senate for further
consideration. should not be resubmitted for
ats action thereon.
Should not the great wrong done 10 a feeble.
but Independent, state by an abuse of the
authority of the United States be undone by
restoring the legitimate government Any
thing short OF that will not, 1 respectfully
eubmit, satisfy the demands of justice. Can
the United States consistently insist that
other nations shall respect the Independence
of Hawaii while not respecting IL themselves
Our government WIS the first to recognize the
independence of the islands and should be the
last to acquire sovereignty over them by force
and fraud. Respectfully submitted,
WALTER Q. GRESHAM.
What Stevens Says.
AUGUSTA Me-, Nov. IL. "A reporter saw
Hon. John /. Stevens, late United States
minister 10 the Hawaiian Islands, and
showed him the press dispatch announc-
ing the report Of Secretary Gresham to the
president upon affairs connected with the
Hawaiian revolut on. Mr. Stevens read it
carefully, and said:
"The position to which Secretary
Gresham has seen fit to commit himself is
so extraordinary, so void of a real founda.
tion Of truth, so calumnious of the living
and the dead, that have no extended re.
ply TO make at this time. prefer to let
time, events and history decide as TO the
issue the secretary has raised against che
provisional government and the sspersions
he sees fit to cast upon the deceased cap
tain of the Boston, the officers under his
command and myself
"rhe way the United States minister
and the officers Of the Boston discharged
their responsibilities Mt Honolulu In Jan
uary last was more than covered by Secre-
tary Baysrd's instructions, approved by
President Cleveland, of July IL, 1887.
Secretary Gresham has allowed his
A.