The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-01
AGITATED HAWAII.
Blount Manages to Stir
Things Up.
HE TALKS OUT AT LAST.
Neither Side Pleased With His
UtteranceS.
A CORRESPONDENTS TROUBLES.
The Provisional Government Appears
to Be Able to Take Care
of Itself.
Special Correspondence of THE MORNING CALL.

HONOLULU, Fl. T.. May 24-Events here
since the sailing OF the last steamer have
materially changed. Several days preced-
ing May Is rumors were current to the
effect that Mr.. Blount was resting uneasily
under public comments being made on his
course as special commissioner. On the
afternoon of the 10Th the public was gen.
timely surprised by the official publication
orders in the leading royalist paper of the
from Washington, under which Rlount
is acting, setting cut that he was sent
here by the President in order that the
American Government might more fully
understand the true situation in the
islands.
This document takes from the hands of
Minister Stevens the power to invoke the
aid of force and placed it in the joint keep
Ing OF Blount and the commander of the
naval forces at the Islands, cautions tie
commissioner to use great discretion in
the employment of force. declares that the
United States will protect its citizens and
their property and will not tolerate foreign
Interference in the little gdom. At the
end OF his commission. duly signed by Sec
retary Gresham, the commissioner adds:
while shall refrain from interference
between conflicting forces of whatever
nationality for supremacy. l will protect
American citizens not participating In
such conflict"
The publication caused smile to ripple
over the faces Of those best posted as to
the extreme senstiveness previously eX-
hibited by Commissioner Blount, and the
reading of the warning tackled on the end
Of the instructions was deemed equivalent
to public notice that MIR. Bount had
stopped over and had taken this method
of getting back at some criticisms pub
lished on his dealings with the ex-Queen
in one OF the annexation newspapers.
In the light of late developments it is
not altogether certain that the comments
which angered Mr.. Blount were unjust.
In any event Mr.. Blount acted somewhat
precipitately and without the knowledge
Of the Provisional Government, whom he
saw ut TO snub, by first publishing his in-
Structi0Ds "to the people of the Hawaiian
Islands" The Government. however, took
no notice Of Mr.. Blount's erratic action.
for very good reasons. which will appear
further on. 1t is generally understood
here that hereafter the negotiations and
management of the Provisional Govern
ments' annexation policy will be carried
out quite independent of the commits
sioners' action, and, if necessary, of Mr..
Cleveland himself
The day after the arrival of the Austria
liza, May II. and after the news of Mr..
Biounts appointment as American Minis
ter to Hawaii had been published, he sent
the following dispatch, received from
Washington, to the same royalist news
paper for publication, although he had,
but few hours before. refused to be in
terviewed by the leading American paper
here on the same question::
.. S. DISPATCH AGENCY,
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, May 10, 1898.
Hon. James II. BLo'tnt. american Commits.
siO'ler Honolulu, II. L.-SIR: l am In receipt
of a telegram from the Hon. W. O. Gresham,
Secretary of Stale, under date of the 9th inst,
in which L am Instructed 10 send by mall the
following message TO you:
"TO James H. BiOllt, american Commits
Sioter. Honolulu Your report of ApriI 26 re-
ceived. The views therein expressed and the
steps taken by you have the Presidents ap.
proval. The President, having determined TO