The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-31
THE CONSTITUTION VIOLATED.
May the President Appoint an Ambas-
sador Without Senate's Sanction.
II 30, why May he Not select Judges
Same Way?-ouesston Now IL, Not
What Dole and stevens DID. but
what the Conspirator In the white
Hsuss Attempted.

on the resolution presented by Chairman
McCreary on the day congress adjourned,
as substitute for the Hi;t resolution.
The report was prepared by Storer. OF
| Ohio, and is signed by HIT, Blair, Draper
and Van Voorhis, of New York. II is
voiuminous and goes in detail into the
whole history Of Blount's appointment as
commissioner paramount" and of the
course of the administration. The report
says:
when PRESIDENT Cleveland was in
augura;ed March 4. 1s9S. the Hawaiians
were under control of . republican govern
ment. already recognized not only by the
United States, but by every civ
iiirsd nation. This government
was tn name provisional, but
Was in fact TO remain in existence for an
indefinite period. until time when terms
of union with the United States should
have been agreed upon. The minister
plenipotentiary of the United States to
Hawaii was IN person at his post and the
senate OF the United States was in session.
The president sent TO the senate the name
OF Gresham as secretary of state. and tha
body on March confirmed the appoint
ment Ii was at that time publicly slated.
though as yet not officially known. that
James H. Blount had started from Wash
ington City March ! on q mission to the
Hawaiian islands. with verbal secret in
structions from the president. II this be
true, his subsequent written instructions,
not made pu6lic until November last
must have been forwarded to Blount after
his departure from Washington City, a.
they bear date of March H.
The report discusses at length the presi-
dents powe. to appoint q diplomatic
officer armed with the powers given
Blount without the consent of the senate.
This" the report says. ''covers all that
is needed TO show how the president
ignored the plain language ofthe constitu-
tion. He assumed to appoint OF his own
voiition. and without the advice of the
mount powers. Tho real purpose of
Biount's mission was not expressed in
written words, but cannot be concealed.
He was to make case against the Amer
lean minister and discredit the friendly
government he was accredited 70. He was
apparently, to use the words Of President
Cleveland to President Dole, to advance
the interests and prosperity of both gov.
ernmenss. In reality he was TO try and
discover such state Of facts ~ might APP
pear to be stain on both that friendly
government and the views and recon-
mendations of the former administration
of his own government. Not content with
Withdrawing the Foster treaty from the
senate, which may have been his constitu-
tional right. the president was led 70 en-
pioy unconstitutional means and an un-
constitutional agent to reverse and dis
credit the policy of the preceding
administration. This 10 more than an
innovation in our foreign policy. hitherto
consistent and steady since the first DAYS
of the republic. Is is an unwritten but
universally accepted law that no admins
tration of any representative government
ever condemns the International policy OF
. preceding administration, for in so doing
II would attack its own government.
The secret and confidential instruc-
tions to Minister Willis were made
known to congress only after a
resolution calling upon the executive
for the same had been unanimously
adopted in the house. The official report
of the secretary of state Was kept secret
from October is until week after the No
vember elections. and when made public
aroused an almost universal expression of
public disapprovai and resentment among
the American people. The language of
the report OF the secretary Of state. ad-
mjttedly approved by the president, and
currently believed and stated to have been
dictated by him, was clear and explicit.
Nothing short of reinstating the abdicated
queen could reach the level Of justice. A
friendly. firmly established and univer-
sally recognized government was TO be de-
posed: a tlnsel monarch, q queen OF shreds
and patches, was TO be set up by a minis
ter Of the United States in the name OF
Justice. The falsepess OF the situation
thus created by giving secret instruc-
States to intrigue and negotiate
for the oyerturn OF the government to
which he had been formally accredited,
does not seem TO have struck the admins.
tration. IL did strike the people of the
United Ctates, however. Public opinion
has spoken and would speak still louder.
and ii success was TO be gained IL must be
gained quickly. Therefore, on November
"a. ten days before the assembling OF con-
gress, the secretary of state telegraphed
Willis to put an end to the delays. saying,
You will insist upon amnesty and recog-
niiion of the obligations OF the provisional
government as essential conditions to re-
storation. All interests will be promoted
by prompt action How the interests OF
the existing friendly government OF Ha-
waii were to be promoted by prompt ac-
tion in restoring the monarch IS not self
evident"
The report discusses the presidents pc
culiar position in imposing upon the queen
as n condition precedent TO reinstatement
certain peremptory demands as to am
neAtft etc. NHHl8 "eic W Nb-
.olute dictation and completely subversiys
of independent sovereignty OF the govern
ment to be reinstsied. The ex-queen vas
evidently distrus,fui of the influence or
power of the president. and asked what
assurances she would have for the faithful
carving out OF the scheme on the part Of
the administration. Whatever may have
been the form Of her request the answer,
true but tardy. was teiegraphed Willis De-
cember 3. the day before the opening Of
congress: "You will say the president can
not use force without the authority Of
congress" The rsprrt says:
There is no question here before us Of
annexation; no issue as 70 the proprietv
OF Minister Stevens action, for as TO that
We know only one aide, prepared by an
agent hostile to the administration OF
which stevens formed part. There is no
ground of debate nov as 20 whether
the present Hawaiian government vas
rightly or wrongly established nearly
twelve months ago. The issue directly
before the house is whether 10 approve or
condemn the course OF the present admin
istration disclosed by Itself. II the presi-
dent. without consent OF the senate, can
send . paramount dipiomatie officer 20
supersecs 3 minister, leaving the latter
only routine duties. he may do il In Great
Britain or IA Germany ss yell as ia the
Hauaiian Islands That officer, accord
lag 70 the presidents apoaogists. Is only
the prestdenss commissioner. and net