Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-27
Our Grandiioquent President.

The full text Of the letter Mr. Cleveland
gave to James II Bioun. when he sent him
as eomrnlss oner to the Sandwich islands
has not appeared in the Eastern news
papers. only one paragraph was sent by
telegraph y iii the news that the American
Tag hal been hauled down in Hawaii. The
san francisco newspapers give the letter
IN full. as follows:
"Groyer Cleveland, President of the
United States Of america, to His Excel
ency, Sanford b. Dole. President of the
Executive and Advisory Councils of the
Provisional Government of the Hawaiian
islands t,Gext and Good Friend---I have
made choce Of James H. Rlount, one of
pur Distinguished citizens as my special
commissioner to yiait the Hawaiian Islands
and MAKE report to me concerning the
present status of affairs in that country
lie is we'll informed of our sincere desire To
culuvats and maintain to the fullest exte ut
The friendship which has so long existed be-
tseen the two countries, and in all matters
affecting relations with the government of
the Hawaiian islands his authority is para
mount. My knowledge of his high charac-
ter and ability gives me entire confidence
that he will use every endeavor to ad-
vance the interest and prosperity of both
governments. and so render himself accept
able to your E1cellcney.
Il therefore request your Excellency to
receive him favorably and to give full cred
tnce to what he shall say on the part of Inv
Ditcd States, and to the assurances which
have charged him to convey to YOU of the
best wishes of this government for the
prosperity of the Hawaiian islands.
May God have your Excellency in His
wise keeping.
Written at Washington this It'll day of
March in the year 1879. Your good friend
",RoFER CLEVELAND.
BY the President.
Nv. q. GRESHAM, Secretary of State"
1t is evident that Mr.. Cleveland does not
propose to let any one get the better Of him
in writing grandiosc letters aud messages
even If he does order the flag of his coun-
try hauled down aud abandon American
Interests in the Pacific ocean. Just imag-
tne Andrew jackson writing such a mes
sage as the foregoing and addressing the
president of the provisional government,
composed of dozen men, as his great
and good friend, and winding up with the
exclamation May God have your Excel
sncy in his wise keeping" Is ii possible
for any American to conceive of President
Jackson or any other President sending
such pompous message along with in
strnctIon that the American flag shall be
Inundated and the government made ride
ulous in the eyes of the world:
The comment of the san Francisco Bull
ls'tin on the document is pertinent. 1t says
This address is modelled after the most i'm
proved style of the crowned heads of Eu-
rope. 1t ought to have been signed Grover.
lmperator. The terms are those conven-
tionally used by Queen Victoria or the
Emperor of Russia when they have any
corresponding dignitary to write to. The
assumption of such an imperial style of
address by our government would be as
ridiculous AS the aristocracy with which
the Emperor Solouquc of Haiti once sur
rounded himself. lie conferred on il,
members titles derived from the menu
which he loved, and before the world
strutted the Duke of Charlotte Russo and
the Count of Marmalale. Such epstolary
high-tlyiDg on the part of the President OF
the United States is not more ludcrous
Probably nothing so ridiculous and humili-
ating to every intelligent American has is
sued from the State Department since the
government was founded.
On the same day that the news arrived
that the Stars and Stripes were to be
lowered from the government building in
Honolulu a Washington correspondent sen,
the following despatch to the New York
sun at has come III my knowledge, in a
way leaving no doubt, tina. Commissioner
Blount's instructions are to sit down on the
annexation of the Sandwich islands; and
above all. to find a way to beat the treaty
# it can be done. lie has gone for tia;
purpose and may he expected to accomplish
1t, all statements or hopes to the contrary
notwithstanding. So Mr. Clevelands first
great mistake is likely to be the hauling
down of the Stars and Stripes in Hawaii.
Events that have come to light since this
despatch was sent and the receipt of fuller
information from Hawaii show that the
correspondents information as to Mr..
Cl"veland's intentions was correct. The
result is likely to show that his conjecture
that Mr.. Cleveland has made his ''tirst
great mistake is also well founded