Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-16
A DANGEROUS THING
For Mr.. Gresham to Dig Into Mr..
Blaines Grave
70 SUSTAIN THE ADMINISTRATION.
Statement as to the Receipt of the
Stevens Letter
BY ONE WHO WAS PRESENT.

Much establishment Is expressed by those
who are informed to the facts in the
case at the course Of the State Depart
ment in permitting. and as 1t Is believed.
encouraging, the insinuation to go abroad
that a damaging letter by Mr.. Blaine to
Mr. Stevens has been distracted from the
files of the State Department 1t is posi-
lively known to some who are now on the
outside that the files of correspondence in
the Hawaiian matter prior to the incoming
or this administration are complete, and
that fact cannot help being known to Mr..
Gresham himself, who has had the files
very carefully searched.
No Numbers Are Missing.
All correspondence In the State Depart
ment Is numbered In consecutive order
and careful examination Of the files of
the correspondence in the Hawaiian mat
ter during the Harrison administration
discloses the fact that the numbers through
out run consecutiveiy and that no dis
patch has been distracted This fact, 1t Is
asserted. has been reported to Mr.. Gres-
ham. and yet the insinuation goes forth that
letter by Mr.. Blaine Is missing. For some
days the very few gentlemen in Congress
who are willing to defend the administra-
or less in the confidence of the State De-
partment, have been insinuating to oppo-
nenIs Of the administration that a letter
from Mr.. Stevens and one in response to
II by Mr. Blaine would be disclosed which
would make it uncomfortable for the de-
tenders Of the Harrison administration.
Following these insinuations came the
publication Of the Stevens letter, which now
appears In the character Of boomerang,
but no letter from Mr.. Blame accompanied
II instead OF the letter came the insinua-
tion that 1t had been distracted, and the
statement that the department is searching
Tor Mr.. Blaine's letter is still repeated.
What One Who Knows Says.
A gentleman, who during the Harrison
administration was in a position to know
the truth of this matter, stated to Star
reporter today that he was with Mr.. Blaine
when the Stevens letter. which was pub
hshed yesterday, was handed him. He said
that Mr.. Blaine read the letter to him, and
spoke of 1T as If he regarded 1t as not of
great Importance. believing that Mr.. Ste
vens' apprehensions were in excess of the
provocation. The same gentleman stated
10 Star reporter that the only reply sent
10 this letter was a formal acknOwl-
edgment OF its receipt without any answer
10 the questions or further instructions.
This formal acknowledgment appears in the
records Of the correspondence of the State
Department, and IL Is asserted positively
that there is no break in the numerical or
der. all correspondence being absolutely
complete.
Mr.. Bayards Instructions.
The motive and reason of Mr. Stevens
letter is disclosed In the letter itself. Mr..
Bayard had given instructions to the Ameri-
can minister at Honolulu not only to pro-
tect American citizens and their property,
but to use the American forces to preserve
peace and order on the island in fact in
structions which amounted almost to a pro-
tectorate. With the possibility of an out
break and no instructions resembling those
of Mr.. Rayard. the inquiry of Mr.. Stevens
was directed to ascertain whether Ii was
the desire of the Harrison administration
that these instructions should still hold and
whether consequently he should use Ameri-
can forces to protect the queen. and the
import of Mr.. Stevens letter is regarded
generally as entirely antagonistic to the idea
that he and Mr.. Harrison's administration
were In conspiracy at that time to over
throw the queen, the question in contempla-
ton being whether they should protect the
queen against revolution.
An Extraordinary Attempt.
1t is regarded as extraordinary that the
State Department should attempt to throw
fnsinuations concerning this matter which
their official records prove to be unwar-
ranted, and the statement Is made by those
who familiar with the situation that II
will be dangerous thing for Mr.. Gresham
to dig into Mr.. Blaine's grave to sustain the
administration in the course they have
adopted
Confusion as to Willis Instructions.
There is still much confusion as to the
instructions given to Mr.. Willis. 1t Is as
serted tnat several members of the House
and Senate have seen these instructions in
Do far as they are in writing and that they
are mass of words put together to conceal
thought and subject to most any construc-
tiOn- 1t is asserted. however, that Mr..
Cleveland, either in writing or verbally, in
structed Mr.. Willis to resort, II necessary.
to the same means for the reinstatement of
the queen as were employed for her over
throw. The statement that such instruc-
tions were given Is attributed to Mr.. Cleve-
land himself.
One Case of Ohnissfon.
In connection with the subject OF abstract
ing documents II is said that the first
private communication of correspondence ts
Congressman made by the State Department
did not include the statement made by Mr..
Ashford. concerning the private character
OF Liliuokalani. The later prints OF the cor
respondence, however, do contain this.