The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-19

ssy:s Of Honossrla vas Of itself an act OK
war. url<ss made essae- with the consent
OF the government Of Hawaii or for fos
bors Ede purpose Of protesting the imper-
lied lives ard property Of citizens OF tne
United States, but there Is 10 pre.ense OF
say such consent On the part of the Kov-
eminent OF the queen, which was ~ snas
time uadssputed, and was both the de f1cso
and de lure goyernmenk In pozns OF fAcs
the existing government. insIe20 OF nc"
q9esst3g the presence OF armed force. pro-
tested against IL There is little basis for
the prstense that such forces we're landed
for the security Of American life and prop
erty. If %. they would have been sta.
toned In the vicinity Of sueh property and
80 as 20 protect il. instead of at distance
and 20 A. 20 com nand the Hawaiian gov
ernnens brlidfng and palace. Admiral
skerretf, the officer in command Of oar
naval force OF the Pacific station, has
frankly stated that in his opinion the ioca-
ton of troops wss inacvssa6se IL landed
for the protection Of American citizens
whose residences and places Of business. 50
well a. the legation and consulate. were IN
o distant part Of the city, but
the location selected Was wise
one II the forces were landed tor
the purpose OF supporting the provislonaI
erty calling for any such n ar tizi array had
existed Great Britain and the other foreign
powers interested would not have been be.
hind the United States in activity 70 pro-
tect their citizens. But they made no
sign in that direction When these armed
men were landed the city Of Honolulu Was
IN its customary orderly, peaceful condi-
ton. There was no symptom OF riot or
disturbance In any quarter. Men and
children were about the streets as usual,
and nothing varied the ordinary routine or
disturbed the ordinary tranquility except
the landing Of the bostou's marines and
their march through the town to the quar-
tiers assigned them Indeed, the fact that
after having called for the landing OF
United States forces on the plea of danger
TO life and property the COMMITTEES Of safety
themselves requested the minister TO post
pone action, exposed the untruthfulness OF
their representation of the present peril 10
life and property. The peril they saw was
growing out OF guilty iEten-
tons on their part. and something which.
though not then existing. they knew
would certainly follow their attempt 10
overthrow the government of the queen
without the Aid of the Z nited States forces.
Thus lt appears HAWAII was taken posses
sion OF By United States forces without the
consent or wishes Of the government OF
the islands or of anybody else. as far as
shown. except the United States minister.
Therefore The military occupation of
was wholly without justitica-
ton. either as occupation by consent or
necessitated by dangers threat
ening American life and property. IL
must be accounted for in some other way
and on some other ground, and its real
motive and purpose are neither obscure
nor far TO seek. United States forces
being now on the scene and favorabiy sta
toned, the committee proceeded 20 carry
ont their original scheme. They met the
next morning. Tuesday. perfected = plan
OF temporary government and fixed mp its
officers. ten OF whom were drawn
from the thirteen members of the conn
rnittee of safety. Between and O'Clock,
by squads and by different routes to avoid
notice, and having first taken the precau.
ton of ascertaining whether there was
any one to oppose them, they proceeded
10 the government building 10 proclaim
the new government. No sign of opposi-
ton was manifest, and thereupon an
American citizen began to read the procla-
nation from the steps of the governments
building almost entirely without auditors
quite concourse of persons. yariously
estimated at so TO l0O, SOME armed, some
unarmed, gathered about the committee
TO give them aid and confidence. This
statement IS not important, since the
one controlling factor in the whole
affair WAS unquestionSbly the United
States marines, who, drawn up under
readiness only seventy.six yards distant,
dominated the situation. The provisional
government thus proclaimed was by the
terms Of the proclamation ito exist until
terms of union with the United States
rould be negotiated and agreed upon"
The United States minister, pursuant to .
prior agreement, recognized the govern
rx-af ~. ftA~ - H. -
the proclamation and before O'Clock, and
IN answer to an inquiry on behalf of the
queen and cabinet he announced that he
had done So When our minister recog-
nized the provisional government the
only basis upon which IL rested was the
fact that the committee of public safety
had in the manner above stated declared Is
10 exist. Ii was neither government dc
Iacto nor de jure. That it was not in such
possession OF government property and
agencies as entitled il TO recognition is
proved by note found in the
dles OF the legation at Honolulu, addressed
by the declared head OF the provisional
to Stevens, dated January IL,
1898. in which he acknowledges. with ex-
pressions OF regret, that the provisional
government was not vet in possession Of
The station house, place where large
mum Der OF the queens troops we're quar-
tered, though the same had been de-
manded OF the queens officers in charge.
Nevertheless this wrongful recog-
milton by the minister placed the
government OF the queen in a position
one hand she had possession of the palace,
Of the barracks and of the police station.
md at her command were at least SOC fully
armed men and several pieces of artillery;
indeed, the whole military force Of her |
kingdom Was on her side and at her dis
posal, while the committee OF safety by |
actual search had discovered there were |
very few arms in Honolulu rot in the SER
vice OF the government In this state Of |
hings, II the queen could have dealt with |
he insurgents alone, her course would |
have been plain and the result unmistaka- |
bic. But the United States allied itself /
With her enemies. had recognized them as |
he true government of Hawaii and had /
1us her In position Of opposition against l
awful authority. She knew she could not /
sitbssand the power of the United States, |
lut she believed she might safely trust in /
Is justice. Accordingly. some hours after /
he recognition of the provisional govern /
neaI by the United States minister the /
'siace, barracks and police station, with !
NJ the military resources of the country. /
Fere delivered up b. the queen upon the |
representation made 20 her .ast her cause
hereafter would be reviewed at Washing |
on City, AZ the same time protesting that
he surrendered TO the superior force
i the United States, whose minister
'rdesed United States troops TO be
snded az Honolulu and declared |
IL would support the provisional govern.
neni, and that she yielded her authority
o nseyent collision OF armed forces and |
ass Of life, and only until such time AS the
uiied states, upon the fact being pre-
ented to Il. should nado the action OF IL, /
preventative and reinsIaie her In the au.
hoFity she claimed As constitutional SOW /