The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-12-23
TREASON OF BLOUNT.
The Georefan's Mission to Homo
lulu UDjusfifabIe.

CHICAGO, Dec. 1O.-The Inter-Ocean
has the following special from Wash
ington:
Has James III. Blount been guilty of
q crime against the existence of the
Government as defined in chapter of
the Penal statutes? There are num-
Der of eminent Senators learned in
the law who think that he has. Mr..
Blount when in Hawaii held his
office unknown to the law. He was
particularly designated in the official
communication of the President as
"my personal representative" His
name was never sent to the Senate for
its consideration in connection with
any office So far as the statutes of the
United States go he was private citi-
zen when he was in Hawaii. In his
capacity as private citizen under the
law he engaged in correspondence
with foreign Government, which in
the opinion of some of the most emil
nent Senators who have been consid-
ering the subject, is, within the mean
ing of the statutes, criminal.
This subject will undoubtedly be
called to the attention Of the Senate
at an early day. 1t is claimed that
Mr.. Blount, not having been an officer
known to the law and not having been
confirmed by the Senate to any diplo-
matte position or to position of any
sort, in his communications with the
Hawaiian Government comes within
the definition and penalties of Section
$685. of the United States statutes in
the chapter on crimes against the ex-
istence of the Government. That Sec
ton is as follows:
"Every citizen of the United
States, whether actually residing or
abiding within the same or in any
foreign country, who, without per-
mission or authority of the Govern
ment, directly or indirectly, COM
mences or carries on any verbal or
written correspondence or intercourse
with any foreign Government, or any
officer or agent thereof, with intent to
to influence the measures or conduct
of any foreign Government, or any Of
ficer or agent thereof in relation to
any disputes or controversies with the
United States, or to defeat the meas
ure of the Government of the United
States, and every person being a citi-
zen of or a resident within the United
States, and not duly authorized, who
commends, advises or assists in any
such correspondence, with such in
tent, shall be punished with fine of
ment during term not less than six
months or more than three years. But
nothing in this section shall be con-
strued 60 abridge the right of citizen
to apply, himself or his agent, to any
foreign government or agents thereof
for redress of injury which he may
have sustained from such Government
or any of its agents or subjects"
1t will be claimed that President
Cleveland has no authority without
the consent and advice of the Senate
to nominate any one to act as repre-
sentative of this Government TO for
eign country, and that Mr.. Blount
was not duly authorized to conduct
the correspondence described by this
statute, and did so as private citizen
Of the United States, and is conse-
quently subject to the penalties of the
statute quoted.
Secretary Gresham" said gentle
man who comes in daily contact with
him, "goes almost in frenzy when
any suggestion is made to him about
Hawaii. 1t is fact that every mail
and dispatch from San Francisco is
dreaded. The plans of the Admins
tration have wholly miscarried. and
it is not clear either to the President
or Judge Gresham what will be DONE"