The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-11-18
RED-HOT TALK.
Hon. j. L. Stevens Reply to Sec
retary Of State Gresham.
Che Ex- Minister Tells the Story of the
Hawaiian Queens Overthrow.
We Charges the Secretary of State with
Cruelty, Not Only to the Living, But
to the Dcad-Quccn Lii Herself
Inauguratcd the Revolution.

AUGUSTA. Me-, Nov. 13.--Hon. j. L.
Stevens, late minister to Hawaii, will
make the following reply to Gresham's
announcement:
According to The announcement, n
public crime of startling Importance is
about to be committed, under the au-
thority of the American government
A public crime of less proportions, but
in it's moral type similar to the
sitting of nation with life and
the reform aspirations of Poland
and Hungary, few years ago,
by the imperial despots, and to the
crushing out of the new-formed repub-
lie of Rome by the usurped powers of
Louis Napoleon. All that American
piety, American benevolence, American
schools and American patriotism have
accomplished in Naval in the past
seventy years are now centralized in
the provisional government, and stand
in its support. 1t is government hon
estly and ably administered, and the
best government that Hawaii ever had.
/ knew not the influences which in
duced Secretary Gresham to become an
active agent in attempting such an
offense against civilization, justice and
law.
His hostility to ex-President Harri-
son and to the illustrious eX-secretary
of state, who passed to his grave in
January last, is we'll known. 1t was
that which caused him to betray and
desert the great political party whose
to his present attitude and their
1 Sy L. =
festo on Hawaiian affairs casts reflec-
ton upon my official action / care
little, except to the degree that his
cruel and untruthful words strike at
the noble band of men and women who
have for ten months stood so devotedly
and unitedly in defence of American
civilization. The remarks made by me
before the chamber of commerce in San
| Francisco on June 1 and before the citi-
zens of Augusta, published in the Ken
nebec Journal, are answers to most of
the unjust imputations of my unofficial
action.
Perhaps nothing better shows the
character of the secretary's assault
than what he says about the hall
which the men occupied a few days and
until better quarters could be secured.
After / had made my request to Capt.
Wiltz to land his'men as a precaution-
ary safeguard to American life and
property, he and his officers informed
me that their men must have shelter
for the night. Without special informa-
ton in that regard had supposed that
the ships marines had tents of their
own for their temporary use in case OF
emergency on shore. l wrote a note and
sent it by a messenger to secure large
hall which was supposed to be avail
able. The man in charge of tbs
hall was several miles away and / had
not known of the existence of the Arion
hall until that evening, when mes
senger with my note was sent to the
supposed agent of the Arion nall, who
was a royalist, He returned me a
courteous answer, saying he would be
pleased to let the hall for the specified
purpose, but he had ceased to be the
agent informing me who then had
charge of the hall This required a
third note and third effort of a mes
senger, which proved successful. Sc
much time had thus been consumed
that the Boston's marines and sailor:
were obliged to stand weary hours il
the street before they We're able to &c
to their night quarters. All of then
ould have been held at the legation
nd consulate but for want of room
whereas as many as possible were re
ceived, these localities being severa
streets and squares from the palace
and government building.
For the occupation of Arion hall by
the men of the Boston the committee o
public safety and the supporters of thu
: provisional government had no mor'
responsibility than Secretary Gresham
himself.
5 Queen Liliuokalani inaugurated thu
! revolution by attempting to destro.
= The legislature by revolutionar.
! means. From Saturday afternoon
no government in Honolulu except il
the self-possessed attitude of citizen
who assembled in agreat mass-meetins
January 1G and consummated thei
efforts for law and order by the es
tablishment Of the provisional govern
l ment on the 17th, which was prompt.
acknowledged by all the foreign repre-
, senta tives
: Liliuokalani and her favorites ha'
destroyed her thro:io 10y revolution
= ary outbreak when the men of tn
p Boston landed. In the exciting hour
preceding and following her fall, he
representatives, as we'll as those VIII
formed the provisional government,
had equal access to the legation. II
y all proper inquiries my answer wa
| that the limited States marines coul
I not take side, but whatever de fact
4 government might exist would have t
/ be recognized.
When did recognize it, late in tn
afternoon of the nth, the provisions
government was complete master c
k the situation, had full control of tn
a city and of the government archives
$ the police station being surrendere
& and at the mercy Of the provisional gov
d ernment
e 1t was small building in which tn
Il powerless followers OF. the queen, Ma
shall took refuge, and they must hav
surrendered IN few hours by the mel
s force of hunger.
8 The provisional government kne
" its power to poss ess the station ;
! once, but wished nt t to take life {
its occupants. 1t deemed it wiser
await their surrender Had the queen
supporters dare to resist the organize
tion of the new government, then til
" only possible time to do so WAS durin