Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-20

doubts before this body to obtain its assent
to the appointment of this foreign minister,
with his extraordinary powers. Andrew
Jackson declared on one Of the most i'm
portant occasions in our history, whatever
might be the strictness of constitutional
right that 1t was most becoming and prop
er, where 1t was a question Of recognizing
foreign government, the consent of Con-
gress should be obtained IL 1t were practical
BILE. But can any Senator give a reason, an
excuse decent pretext for concealing
these transactions till the knowledge of
them was wrung from hesitating and re-
luctant executive by public indignation and
the demands Of both houses of Congress
was there any reason that the American
people should not know from March to De-
cember what was the errand Of Mr.. Blount,
what was his instruction, and the limitation
of his authority?
Could Hawaii Help Herselfs
eff Mr.. Willis went out instructed to re-
instate the old government, absolutely or
upon conditions, could little Hawaii help
herself. If the American people had been
behind the act? No. Mr.. President, this
administration has been hurried into this
transaction, not by any sense of justice
to Hawaii. not by any desire to vindicate
the national honor, but for the sake Of
making what has turned out to be weak,
tmpotent attack on its predecessor. The
great name and fame of Benjamin Harr-
in some bosomS.
"Will it be claimed by the defenders Of
the President that when he sent Mr.. Willis to
Honolulu with orders to tell his great and
good friend, President Dole, that the ex-
listing government should abandon its func-
tons and restore the queen, and that he
should go to the extent of his authority to
compel compliance with that request, that
he only meant to convey to President Dole
an expression of his opinion in the matter.
and expected Dole to understand that he
sd .lntr I'd
in the premises. President Cleveland either
intended to use the forces of our navy for
that purpose, and has abandoned the
scheme because of the indignant remon-
STRANGE of the American people, or having
no such power, he meant to intimidate
President Dole by leaving him to think
that he had. Any other suggestion implies
that the President of the United States,
representing the dignity and authority Of
60, 100000 Americans, by design and of pur-
pose made a demand supposing that the
authorities Of whom he made 1t knew he
neither had nor claimed any authority to
enforce it. There is but one precedent for
the instruction to Mr.. Willis, II this be its
explanation. 1 do not know whether the
President had read Shakespeare but shake
speare-if that be true-had read the Presi-
dent. The instructions to Mr.. Willis, and
the more recent attempt to keep it secret
find their only parallel and example in Dog
berry's instructions to the watch
A Shakespearean Parallel.
the most senseless and fit man for the con-
stable of the watch; therefore bear you the
lantern. This is your charge: You shall
comprehend all vagrom men; you are to bid
any man stand in the princes name
Second Watch-How If a. will not
standT
'Dogberry-why then, take no note of
him, but let him go; and presently call the
rest of the watch together and thank God
you are rid of knave.'
"'Verg.-If he will not stand when he is
hidden he is none of the princes subjects
'Dogberry-True and they are to NEEDLE
with none but the princes subjects
Dogberry-Well. masters, good night.
An there be any matter of weight chances
call up me; keep your fellows counsels and
your own, and goodnight
Il do not see how any man can claim that
the conduct of the queen was not an act OF
written constitution. When, on her own
unsupported authority, she undertook to
overthrow that Constitution and to deprive
the people of Hawaii of the share in the
government which it conferred, 1t was an
act of abdication. How the President tries
to slur that over in his message! Was he
dealing ingenuously with the people of the
United States? Was he dealing ingeniously
with the Senate or the House of Represen-
tatives when he said in his message: on
Saturday, January ii. 1893. the Queen of
Hawaii who had been contemplating the
proclamation of a new constitution, had, in
Difference to the wishes and remonstrances
of her cabinet, renowned the project for the
present. at least and left the narrative
there? He knew that the queen had pro-
claimed the constitution, depriving the peo-
pie of Hawaii of their rights, and had given
up her attempt to enforce 1t only through
fear of their resistance.
The Queens Morality.
"The President has not a word Of disap-
probation for the private or for the public
protiigacy. on the part of the queen. The
passage of the shameless lottery bill, the
corrupt setting on sale of her constitutional
functions, the attempt to disenfranchise a
large class Of the voters of Hawaii, and to
proclaim a new government, in spite OF
the remonstrances in her cabinet, the fact
that the queen yielded not to remonstrances
of the cabinet but the rising Indignation of
the people, are all suppressed, as well as the
implied but clear inclination of her deter
mination to renew the attempt If a better
opportunity were to come. That act of the
abdication as much as the abandonment of
the throne by Louis Philippe or by James
III. 1t was impossible, after such an act of
abdication not provided for in the constitu-
ton, to establish a new government, eX-
cept as was done by the concerted action
of the men of influence and character and
property and intelligence. who were near
the scat of government. There never was a
revolution on earth which was brought
about by the action of the ruling power
itself followed by the establishment of a
government any other way.
THE action of the provisional government
in Hawaii-whatever may be the fate Of the
republic-will have an honorable place in
the history of human liberty. The United
States forces have been withdrawn, certain
ly since Mr.. Blount pulled down the flag.
and there is no report of a life lost, human
being injured or single scene of disorder.
The government has been recognized by all
foreign powers, and its functions have pro-
ceeded peaceaby and in order. 1t mas le-
ceived with dignity the representatives Of
the great nations of the earth, and has sent
it's own to other countries. l have heard
that Mr. Thurston, the minister of the
Hawaiian republic here. is just now absent
from his post. L do not know the cause Of
his absence, and have no official informa-
ton where he has gone / can only CEN
lecture what may have been his confidential
converse ton with Secretary Gresham. I:ut
l remember to have read of memorable
interview between John, Duke of Argyll,
and Queen Caroline shortly after the lam
Gus PortuouS mob of Edinburgh. The
angry queen told the old Scotch nobleman
that she would make hunting ground OF
Scotland. In that case, your majesty said
the duke, L must go back to Inyerany and
get my hounds ready / suspect Minister
Thurston-from what l hear of him, and