The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-28

basel apon fair Inference drawn from
Eecretary Greshasn's letter that tbs pres
idert had exercised or bad plannsd TO
exercise the us.-rmaking power without
the authority Of congress. IL the president
could have regsted this inference be would
hare instantly Submitted al the insrrEc-
tons given Minister Willis and the repre-
ssatativss Of the naval department At
Honolulu. together with al the dispatches
received from them. Inssssd Of doing
this President Cleveland devotes his spe-
c4al message chiefly TO review Of the rev
citation which took place n Honolulu last
January
The logic Of the president seems 70 be
sha. il he coald prove 20 his own salts
faction that wrong had been wrought by
Minister sseTess IN January last be would
be eonstitutionaliy justified in doing an
other wrong in November. Cleveland
stupidIy argues that II Minister Stevens
last January encouraged rsvolt against
Queen La, then the president is justified
in attempting TO overthrow the present
Hawaiian government. The presiden; 10
so dali that he cannot see that The whole
force Of this plea Is nullIfisd By his adj
mission that the present Hawaiian gov
ernmen, Is de faeto government, which
has been formally recognized not only BY
President Harrison ard Mr.. Cleveland
himself. bat by the heads OF foreign gov
ernments The moment the existence of
q de f;cso government had been acknowi-
edged it vas for congress, not Mr.. Cleve-
land TO decide whether ex-Minister
Stevens had done anything last January
which would justify this country in max
Ing war upon a friendly government.
President Cleveland had no business TO
instruct Minister Willis 20 inform the
Hawaiian government that he. Cleveland,
had assumed to determine questions
which could only be constitutionaiIy de-
cided by the American congress. Such ar
announcement by Willis was q gross in
suit, for the president of the United States
had no more authority 10 order the Ha-
waiian government to dispense than has
the mayor of Seattle. Willis soon found
out that the Hawaiian government not
only would not disperse at the command
Of President Cleveland. but that it would
require the actual use of a very considera-
BILE United States force TO upset that gov
eminent. so being a man of common sense
he asked the administration for further
instructions, which dispatch Cleveland
has withheld from congress.
The presidents attempt to restore Queen
LII has failed because the Hawaiian gov
eminent refused 90 obey Mr.. Cleveland's
unconstitutional fiat. President Cleve-
land has TO thank the sound common
sense of Minister Willis for preventing q
States. which the execution of Minister
Willis origina! instructions would have
been without question.
Senator Hoar, In his speech In the SEN
ate, made an unanswerable argument in
his denunciation of President Cleveland's
national representative in violation of
Law. The president can Of his own mo-
ton, independent of the senate, send q
representative to- inquire, investigate or
even to negotiaO a treaty, the act OF
negotiation in no sense and in no way
committing the government.
Such an agent is the presidents personal
agent and representative. and nothing
more, but Mr.. Paramount Blount repre-
scented the nation; enjoyed the immunity
and security of a minister: superseded a
minister regularly appointed and con-
firmed, and he was put in command of the
naval forces of the United States This
arnointmen. of Mr.. Blount was clear vi
olation of the constitution aud the laws
The senate was in session, and Mr..
Blounts appointment was a. clearly I'm
constitutional as Mr.. Clevelands appoint
ment of the fishery commissioners in his
first term who acted with Secretary Bay
ard. President Cleveland had no power to
send Mr.. Blount to Honolulu to represent
the United States. 10 give him authority
To land troops or refuse to land them, to
act officially for the United States govern
its policy and purpose.
In this whole Hawaiian business Presi-
dent Cleveland has exercised personal gov
eminent in clear violation Of the constitu-
ton and the laws, for he directed Admiral
Skerrett to obey any orders he might re-
celve from Blount regarding the course
TO be pursued at Hawaii by the force
under his command" Mr.. Cleveland, I'm
defiance of the fact that diplomatic and
naval officers are esteemed by the Law so
important as to require TO I'll them an
elaborate process OF selection involving
concerted action by two branches OF the
government the executive and the legis.
lative, and although the constitutional
power of the president 10 make appoint
ments applies To only such offices as are
established by law" presumed of his own
motion, and while the senate was sitting.
TO create an office higher in authority than
those of minister and admiral combined,
10 ill il without consulting the senate.
and to empower Its holder TO exercise
every function of sovereignty Mr. Cleve-
land in all this matter, from beginning 10
end. has behaved like a exar rather than
an executive Of limited constitutional au-
ihority.
Gov Isueifgp- IF E,oS.s r~-.,,f~ L.