The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-12-27
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
Submits a Message to Congress on
the Hawaiian Question
Minister Stevens Is Blamed for the Queens
Overthrow a History OF tho Revo-
luton Based OH Blount's Report
The Whole Ejatter Left
TO Congress.


dents reply to the request of congress
Cor information on Hawaiian affairs
was sent to both houses yesterday fore
noon. The president said:
In nv recent annual message to the congress
briefly referred TO our relations with Hawaii
and expressed the intention OF transmitting
further information on the subject when addi'
tional advices permitted
Though am not able now to report o definite
change In tbs actual situation, am convinced
that the difficulties lately created both here and
in Hawaii render It proper and expedient that
the matter should be referred to the broader
authority and discretion Of congress- with q
statement OF tho considerations which have
governed my action
Irrational honesty is to be disrerarded and q
desire for territorial extension or di3sausfac-
tion with form OF government not our own.
ought TO regulate our conduct | have entirely
misapprohended the mission and character Of
our government and the behavior which the
confidence Of our people demands Of thek public
servants When the present administration
entered upon its duties the senate had under
consideration u treaty providing for the annex
alton Of tho Hawaiian Islands 10 the United
States
After reviewing briefly the history OF the az
fair UP to his inauguration, that is up TO the sub
mission to the senate OF the treaty OF annex.
alton, Mr. Cleveland says:
Upon the fac3 Of the papers submitted with
the treaty II clearly appeared that there was
open and undetermined an issue OF fact OF tho
most vital Importance. Tho message OF the
president accompanying the treaty declared
that "lhe overthrow Of the monarchy was not in
any way promoted By this government" and In
letter TO tho president from the secretary OF
state, also submitted to the senate with the
treaty, the following passage occurs: at the
time the provisional government took posses.
sion OF the government buildings, no troops or
officers OF the United States were present or
took any part whatever in tho proceedings No
public recognition was accorded to The provis.
ionnl government by the United States minis.
ter until after the queens abdcation and when
they were IN effective possession OF the govern.
ment buildings the archives. the treasury the
barracks, the police station and all the poten-
tlal machinery Of the government"
But protest also accompanied said treaty,
signed by the queen and her ministers at tho
time she made way for the provisional govern
ment, which explicitly stated that she yielded
to the superior force OF the United States
whose minister had caused troops to be landed
at Honolulu and declared that he would sup
port such provisional government
The truth or fasity OF this protest was surely
OF the first Importance II true, nothing but
the concealmcnt OF its truth could induce our
government to negotiate with the sembance OF
government thus created, nor could o treaty
resulting from the acts stated in the protest
have been knowingly deemed worthy OF consd.
GRAFTON by the senate Yet the truth or falsity
Of the protest had not been investigated.
conceived IL TO be my duty therefore 10
withdraw the treaty from the senate for exam
ination and meanwhile 10 cause an accurate,
full and impartial investigation To be made OF
the facts attending the subvors.on Of the con.
titrtional government OF Hawaii and the in
stai lent In IT'S place OF the provisional govern.
mem Isclected for the work OF investigation
Hon. James IL Blount, OF Georgia
These conclusions do not rest for their accep-
tantc entirely upon Mr. Blounrs honesty and
ability as mln. nor upon his oSumen and i'm.
Partially as an investigator They are accom-
panied by the evidence upon which they are
based, which evidence IL herewith transmitted,
and from which IL soems to mo no other deduc-
tions could possibly bo reached than those ar
rived OF by the commissioner.
The report with its acc mpanying proofs. ana
such other evidence rs is now before the con.
gross or 4 herewith submitted justifes in my
opinion the statement that when the president
was led to submit the treaty 10 the senate with
the declaration that "the overthrow OF the mon.
archy was not in any way promoted by this
government" and when the senate was induced
20 receive aud discuss II on this basis, both the
senate and president were misicd.
Thu attempt y III not bo made in this comnu.
nication 10 touch upon all the facts which throw
light upon the progress aud contamination Of
this scheme Of annexation. A very brief and
imperfect reference 10 the facts aud evidence at
hand will exhibit Its character and the incidents
In which 1t had its birth
II Is unnecessary to set forth the reasons
which in january, I50a, led a considerable pro
portion Of American and other foreign mer.
chants and traders residing at honolulu, 10 IA.
vor the annexation OF Hawaii TO the United
States Il IL sufficient to note the tact and TO
observe that the project was one which was
iealously promoted by the minister represent.
Ing the United States in that country. He eyi.
IDENTIFY had an ardent desire that Il should be.
come a fact accomplished by his agency and
during his ministry, and was not lncOnyenienty
scrupQlous as 10 the means employed TO that
end On November 49, 1892 nearly two months
before the first overt act tending towards the
subver8lou OF the Hawaiian government and the
attempted transfer OF Hawaiian territory to the
United States, he addressed long letter 10 the
secretary OF state In whirh the case for annex.
alton was elnboratcly argued, on moral, politi
cal and economical grounds
To minister OF this temper, full OF zeal for
annexation, there seemed 10 arise In January
1895, the precise opportunity for which he was
watchfully waiting an opportunity which by
timely deviation from established Information.
al rules and precsdents" might be improved TO
successfully accomplish the great object in
view; and we are quite prepared for the ex.
ultant enthusiasm with which in q letter 10 the
state department. dated February l, 1893, he
declares "The Hawaiian pear is now fully
ripe and this Is the golden hour for the United
States 10 pluck H."
As further illustration OF the activity OF this
diplomatic representative, attention Is called TO
the fact that on the day the above letter was
written, apparently unable longer 10 restrain his
ardor, he issued q proclamation whereby "in the
name OF the United States" he assumed the
protection OF the Hawaiian islands and declared
that said action wns taken pending and subject
30 negotiations at Washington
On the 10Th day Of January, isoI. between I
and o'clock In the afternoon, dctachment OF
marines from the United States steamer Bos.
ton. with two pieces OF artillery, landed at
Honolulu The men, upwards Of 100 in all, were
supplied with double cartridge belts nlled with
ammunition This military demonstration upon
tho soil Of Honolulu was Of itself an act OF war.
unless made with either the consent OF the gov.
ernment OF Hawaii or for the bonn fidc purpose
Of protecting the imperilled lives and property
OF citizens OF the United States But there Is
no such pretepso Of any such consent on the
part OF the government OF the queen, which at
that time was undisputed and was both the dc
facto and the de iure government There 10 lit.
tic basis FOR the pretense that such forces were
landed for the security OF AmenCan life and
property II 80 they would have been stationed
IN the vicinity Of such property and so as TO
protect Il instead OF at n distance and 10 as 10
command the Hawaiian government building
and palace
Thus it appears that Hawaii was taken pos.
session OF by the United States forces without
tho consent or wish OF the government OF the
islands or OF anybody else 40 far as shown. ex-