Omaha daily bee., 1893-12-19

MIR. CLEVELAND's HAWAIIAN MESSAGE
The American people are at last in
formed as TO the real position Of the
government regarding Hawaii, concern
ing which there has been q great deal
Of misrepresentation and unwarranted
apprehension. The president gives a
plain, straightforward, lucid history,
from the official information at his com-
maud, of the vents connected with the
overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy
and the installation of the provisional
government, related with such evident
candor, sincerity OF conviction and
earnest desire to deal justly with
reference to maintaining the honor and
integrity OF the United States, that
it cannot fail to make a most
favorable impression upon all fair
minded men. Having stated the rea-
sons, which are entirely valid, why pro-
posed annexation was interfered with
by the present administration, the
president devotes considerable space to
showing the spirit and minus which
prompted the course Of Minister Stevens
in affording every assistance and sup
port to the revolutionary movement, and
his comments upon the conduct of the
minister are pointed and severe.
In regard to the demonstration made
by the forces of the United States on
the soil of Honolulu, Mr.. Cleveland
characterizes it as of itself an act of war,
''unless made either with the consent of
the government of Hawaii or for
the bona fidc purpose of protecting the
imperiled lives and property of citizens
of the United States" But there was
nothing of the kind to justify the land
ing of the American forces, and the
president implies that the only excuse
for landing them was the eager zeal Of
the American minister in behalf OF the
revolutionists and the cause of
ton, which was at the bottom of the
movement. Thus tho whole RESPONSE
bility for the overthrow of the monarchy
is placed by the president upon the
diplomatic representative of the United
States. ''Iubelieve," he says, that a
candid and thorough examination of
the facts will force the conviction
that the provisional government owes
its existence to an armed invasion by the
United States. Fair-minded people, with
the evidence before them, will hardly
claim that the Hawaiian government
was overthrown by the people of the
islands, or that the provisional govern
ment has ever existed with their con-
sent" Taking this view, the president
says that a substantial wrong has been
done which a due regard for our ma
tionai character, as well as the rights
OF the injured people, required that we
should endeavOr to repair.
AS to the policy of restoration it con-
templated no use of force on the part of
the United States. Those who fancied
that the president might have decided
upon a course that would overstep the
limitations of his powers in this respect
will learn from the message that he
knew fully the extent of his authority
and did not propose to exceed it. Min
lister Willis was simply instructed to
assure the deposed queen that the presi-
dent desired to aid in restoring the
status which existed before her abdica-
ton under protest and with a view to
submitting the situation to the govern
ment of the United States. and in order
that she should receive this aid the con-
ditions were imposed that the resto-
ration should be without preju.
dice to any n identified with
the revolutionary movement and thai
the bona fide acts and obligations of the
provisional government should be recog-
nized. These conditions the queen de.
clined, at last advices, to accept, anG
thereby probably lost all chance of re.
gaining power.
So far as the question of annexation is
concerned, the president will not give IT
further consideration, but he will CO
operate in any legislative plan for the
solution of the problem that is ''con
sistent with American honor, integrit,
and morality"