The Helena independent., 1893-11-21
WHEN BLOUN1 ARRIVED.
He Found the Whole Hawaiian Gov
ernment Dominated by U.
S. Troops.
Were Withdrawn and tho Provi-
sional Governments Main
tainod Peace.
When tho Oussn Was Dspssed the Troop
Were 10 stationed ~ to support
the Rebels.

olution which dsthToned Queen Llioukal-
AMI and she establishment Of the provis-
ional government. In the report Blount
says no found troops from Boston doing
military duty for the provisional govern
mont. the AmsrioAn flag floating over tho
government building; within IL ths pro-
visional government conducted business
under the American proteotoSate. to be
continued, according TO tho avowed pur-
pose Of the American minister. during
negotiations with the United States for an.
uexation.
''My instructions directed mo to mako
inquiries which. In the interest Of oandor
and truth. could not be done when the
minds Of thousands Of Hawaiian oitizens
were full Of uncertainty - to what the
presence of American troops. the American
flag and the American proteetorate implied.
directed tho removal of the flag of the
United States from the government build
ing and The return Of Anne loan troops to
their vessels. This WAS accom- plished with
ont any demonstration Of Joy OF grief ON
the part Of the populass. President Dole
said the provisional government was now
able TO preserve order. although il could
fishing it,"
Commissioners Blount then reviews The
history Of The islands. beginning with the
constitution Of 1862 and the changes made
In the system of government down to the
revolution Of 1887, which resulted In the
constitution Of that year. and which. to q
great extent. 10 given by Blount as the
| cause of the revolution Of 1899.
His description OF the revolution 10 40
follows: Nesyly AZ the arms ON the island
Of Oahu. Ia wfioh Honolulu 10 situated,
were ir 2~.session Of sne queens govern
ment, A military force. organized aud
drilled, ceoppied the station house. The
barracks and palace were the only points
| OF stsStegio significance In the event OF a
conflict. Tho great body of the people
moved ON their usual course, and yet there
were score. conferences had by small
body of men. some Germans, some Amsri-
cans and somo native born subjects of TO -
eign origin. Saturday evening, Jan. IA.
they took up ths subject Of dethroning the
queen and pzoclaininR new government
with . view to annexation to tho United
States. The hrst and most nomentous
! question was to devise some plan to have
United States troops landed.
ThuHston. who appears to have been
leading spirit, on Sunday sought two msua-
| ber of the queens cabinet and urged them
| to head movement against the queen and
| ask Stevens to land troops, assuring them.
| in suoh event. that Stevens would do so
Failing to enlist any OF the Queens cabinet
| in the cause 1t was necessary to devise some
other mode of accomplishing the purpose.
A committee of safety, consisting of thir-
teen members. was formed from little
| body Of men assembled In W. o. Smiths
office, . dc, ,.atation Of these Informing
Stevens that their plans were arranged.
with him to land troops il they would ask
1t, for the purpose OF proteotinR life and
property It was agreed that in the event
they should occupy the government build
would 1sooaize it. Two leading members
| of the committee, Thurston and Smith,
went TO Stevens to know il he would pro-
tsot them In the event Of their arrest by tho
authorities, to which he gave assent.
A. q mass meeting called by the commit
nioation 10 the crowd Of any parpose to de-
throne the queen or change the form Of
Qovexnmsnt. but only to authorize tho COM
mittss to take steps TO prevent the consum-
nation Of the Queen's purposes and have
guarantees OF public safety. The commit
public view At the mass meeting, aud at
small gatherings. for fear of proceedings
against them by the government OF the
queen. After the mass meeting closed .
call ON the American minister for troops
was made and signed indisotiminately by
Germans. by Americana and bv Hawaiian
subjects Of foreign extraction.
| Tho commissioners says the response to
that call does not appear on the fles OF the
legation. That very night ths committee
on public safety assembled In the house
next TO Minister Stevens' residence. J. H.
Sopsr, IN American, was elected 10 COM
mand the military forces.
| 1t was On Monday evening. Jan. 16. at
i've O'Clock, the United States troops wsrs
landed. Not much time had elapsed before
it vas given out BY members Of the oom-
mitsse Of safety shnt shsy were designed 10
sup. ort them. AT the palace. with tho
cabinet, amongst the leaders Of tho qussn's .
military forces, and the great body OF the
psoplo Who were loyal to the queen. the
apprehension oams that 10 was movement
hostile to the existing RovernnsnI Pro-
tssts were dlsd by tho minister OF foreign
| affairs and BY the governor of the islands
against the landing Of ths troops.
Parker aud Pete son testify that on
tuesday ~ one O'Clock they called ON
Stevens, and by him were informed that in
the event the queens forces Assailsd the
insurreotionary foroe he would intervsno.
The provisionHl aovs nmsnt proceeded TO
the government building in squads and
read q proclamation. They separated in
their march 10 the government building for
fear Of 0bse alton aud arrest.
Blount describes the location OF the
troops showing that the American troops
controlled the position of the ousen's
forces, and continues: "rhsy doubtless
were 90 located 10 suggest to the queen and
oounssilors cooperation with the inssrreo-
tionnry movement aud that they would,
when emeR0snsy arose. manifest II by ac-
tive support. II did doubtless suggest that
they had ths support of The American
minister aud naval commander. and were
safe from personal harm.
why has the American minister located
the troops In suoh situation aud then as
sured members of the committee Of safety
that on their ocou patton vt the governmsnt
building he would recognise u as the gov.
srnmeAt de faoto and give such govern
mont his sspport2 Why VAS the govern
msns building designated 10 them ~ tbs
place which. when the proclamation vss
announced thsrsfRom, would be followed
by his reooRnitionp II was not point OF
strategic consequence. II did not involve
tho employment of . single soldier. A
building was chosen whore there were nc
troops stationed; where thors was NO strug
J gle to be made to obtain access, with ths
American foToes Immediately contiguous