Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-12-21
STEVENS HITS BACK
clevsland's Charges in h's Hsw-
allan Message Against Him
ARE OEtisERATE FAlsEHooDs


Arorsrs. Maine. Dee. 2o--Foilowing
il the snsues of sx. Minister John L.
Stevens % President Cisselsud's state
msnt regarding his ofscisl conduct at
Honolulu:
President Cisvrisnds rcceat message
In which he % s<versiy criticisss the
course of the recent American minister
At liouolulu 10 bat focLle repetition Of
the superficial report Of commissioner
Biount and the statement Of Secretary
Gresham. previously pubiished.
Ia my answer 20 Blount's report. ex-
tensisely pnblished In the United States.
showed eoociuslveiy. rs Mr. Thurston
and other thoroughly responsible wit
ncszes have sboun. that the
allegations In that report against
the Official conduct Of Captain Wiitx
/ and myself are grossly untrue. and in
manifest antagonism 20 Ill the rcasona.
ble probabilities circumstances and
logic ~ the sssustion ~ honolulu In
January last pfesident Cleyeland's
grossly untrue and shamefuliy unjust
allegation against myself and the naval
commander rest entirely on the state
ments u the four notoriousIy corrupt
ministers At the fallen queeo. Of Wilson.
/ the Tahitiaa hall white immoral favor
ite. and other thoroughly discredited
testimony.
No Hand in the Overthrow.
l only repeat here what has been
amply voiced again apd again that
neither by force nor threat or force or
by any advice or action OF mine was the
fall OF the monarchy precipitatcd. From
the hour ON which / entered on my
du;i.s at the head of tho United States
( legation TO the formulation OF my Official
responsibility. | maintained the deter
mination 10 call on the naval comman-
der for aid only in the event that
American liio and property were 10
danger, Cautiously. but firmiy. perhaps
sometimes too silently. l made this my
liked rule OK action. not only to the rep
resentatises to the queen, but to the
leaders OF the parties who saw no other
alternative in the welfare OF the islanda
but ia the total abolishment OF the mon
archy! President Cleveland sees lit TO
poiut against my official conduct that
months before the syertsof last January
had advocated annexation.
His Dispasch 90 blaine
l lIo ucitbrf0tCty 0ua Hat pt>Ity CtutCoto
what say IN my dispatch oE November.
1892 was contidential statement to the
deparfnenf OF state of the couditions Of
by the established rules and practice Of
diplomacy was in duty bound to make
known 10 my government At that date
my opinions were 80 privately held that
both in Honolulu aud in California it
was believed that the American minis
ter was averse 10 annexation. For
months prior to the date OF this dis
patch there had been q continual
struggle between the legislature
and the queen as to their re-
spcctive rights regarding the con-
stitufion J and responsibility OF the
cabinet. Ministry after ministry had
been appointed In defiance on the votes
OF the legislators aud responsible public
opinion. The queen and her immoral
favorite, Wilson, and the lottery ring,
openly defied the Legislature and the
property holders of the islands. Only
the remarkable self possession OF the
respectable and the Responsible men OF
the islands prevented an outbreak and
the overturn OF the monarchy at an
earlier date.
Revolution Was Ripe
when Captain wiltz and myself. in
the Boston. arrived 10 the harbor OF
Honolulu. from ten days ut Hilo, in the
forenoon OF January IA. ! was con-
pletely taken by surprise at what the
queen. the palace associates and the
lottery gang had accomplished in ten
days. The remonstrances OF the cham
bet OF commerce. OF tue numerous pc
tidns Of some OF the best people OF the
city, both whites and natives and the
earnest plcadings of those who had
previously adhered 90 the mon
archy had been defantly disre-
garded. I found the city in great
excitement and learned that for many
hours there had been an anxious desire
for the return of the Bcstoe. and its de.
sire was stroag among the more thought.
fol supporters II the monarchy, az we'll
az among the great body of the respon
nibIe citizens The surging. irresistible
tide Of revolution vas then obvious 20
all persons not wilfully blind. What
took place at the palace that afternoon
of January IA ended tho Hawaiian mon
archy forever.
Queen Net Driven From che Throne
I will not here repeat what | have
said to the American people as 10 the
false charge that the queen was driven
from her throne by American force or by
the threat Of American force In any
form OF manner whatever. As to ths
landing ~ Boet0n marines January l6
only did what had been done in & pre-
yious liawaiian crssss by Commaadel
Woodward on the request OF Minister
! Morrill,. acting under the Cieve
land liayard order August |. iss9
The prcsiAent's kfafoment that the
three poins st which oui
small naval force vas placed were noi
fasofably eboscn fuF the protection al
American life and property, - radical,
an error, a. all know sho are familiar
With the map and the buildines Of Hon
olulu. American property being in al
the various sections a the city. On The
18th refnved the uss oi force TO restor,
the queen 10 the throne. which she hat
recklessly lost three days before and 4
rscaxnlxs the pfovisionsi governmen
when IL had hseone master 81 the staa
ton.
stevetard's Position Absurd
There sesss sas . moro rFeposterosa
ssspmptlon than thls assertion a th'
president nat the queen. January II
bad ssspie foscs o. snsiAia her sed Z.
sasf.ie nsr g. caxry oa the government
Tkss stndDopsiy maiafsinsd assumption
~ toe pfes.tisss - insset 90 TIE isssi
naoy - ihs sotsri~usiy rsfFup
sepsesen ssiless of the Flngs ths
sufsoaa.ied i.sissokalaal that thi
llssailaa moBHfclY Wss overturned D.
tnifs.t state fefes sna sss apd ls pu