Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-12-07
Hawaii.

|
It is hardly necessary for me to state that
the questions arising from our relations
with Hawaii have caused serious embar-
IasSment Just prior to the installation of
the present administration, the existing
government of Hawaii had been suddenly
Overthrown and treaty of annexation had
been negotiated between the provisional
government of the islands and the United
States and submitted to the senate fJr rati- I
fication. This treaty withdrew for exam ;
ination and dispatched Hon. James A. !
Blount, of Georgia, to Honolulu as
special commissioner to make an impartial
investigation CT the circumstances attend
ing the change ofgovernment, and OF all the
conditions bearing upon the subject OF the
treaty. After thorough and exhaustive ;
examination Mr.. Blount submitted to me
his report, showing beyond all question
that the constitutional government of
Hawaii had been subverted with the active
aid Of our representatives to that govern
meDt and through the intimidation caused
| by the presence of an armed naval force or
| the United States, which was landed for
that purpose at the instance of our min
| lister.
Upon the facts developed it seemed to
me the only honorable course for our gov
| ernment to pursue was to undo the wrong
| that had been done by those representing
| US and to restore as far as practicable the
status existing at the time of our forcible
| intervention. NlUu d View Ol dCCUulplISl- |
ing this result within the constitutional
limits of executive power and recognizing
/ all our obligations and responsibilities
| growing out of any changed conditions,
brought about by our unjustitiable inter
ference our present minister at Honolulu
has received appropriate instructions to
that end. Thus far no information of the
accomplishment of any definite results has
been received from him..
Additional advices are soon expected.
When received they will be promptly sent
to the congress, together with all other in
formation at hand, accompanied by a |
/ special executive message fully detailing |
all the facts necessary to complete under
standing of the case, and presenting his |
tory of all the material events leading up |
to the present situation.
Arbitration.
By a concurrent resolution, passed by |
the senate Feb. IA, 1890, and by the house |
of representatives on the Sd of April follow
ing, tho president was requested 10 in |
vite, from time to time, as lit occasion may |
arise, negotiations with any government |
with which the United States has or may
have diplomatic relations. to the end that
any differences or disputes arising between
the two governments which can not be ad-
justed by diplomatic agency may be refer
red to arbitration and be peacably adjusted
by such means"
April 1S, 1890, the international Ameri-
can conference of Washington, by resolu-
! tion, expressed the wish that all controver-
sizes between the republics of America and
the nations Of Europe might be settled by
. arbitration and recommended that the gov
! { lment of each nation represented in that
conference should communicate this wish
to all friendly powers. A favorable re-
, sponse has been received from Great Brit
ain in the shape of resolution adopted by
I. parliament July 16 last, cordially SYM
pathizing with the purpose in view and ex-
pressing the hope that her majesty's gov
: ernment will lend ready cooperation to
: the government Of the United States upon
u u the basis of the concurrent resolution above
$ quoted.
: 1t affords me signal pleasure to lay this
) parliamentary resolution before the con-
4 gress, and to express my sincere gratifica-
tion that the sentiment of two great and
G kindred nations is thus authoritatively
] manifested in favor of the rational and
u peaceable settlement of international quar-
: rels by honorable resort to arbitration.
g Ambassadors
y Since the passage Of the act of March 8,
1893, authorizing the president to raise the
e grade of our envoys to correspond with the
e rank in which foreign countries accredit
b their agents here, Great Britain, France,
# Italy and Germany have conferred upon
G the Representatives at this Capitol the IL
e tie of ambassador, and have responded by
S accrediting the agents of the United States
8 in those countries with the same title A
It like elevation of mission is announced by
r Russia and when made will be similarly
met. The step fttingly comports with the
70 position the United States hold in the fam
b lily of nations
e During q former administration 1 took
occasion to recommend recast of the
IS Laws Relating to the Consular Service
o In order that it might become more
a nffinapt W in tho of tho in
terests it was intended to subserve. The
l. duties and powers of consuls have been ex-
IS panded with the growing requirements of
IS our foreign trade Discharging important
q duties affecting our commerce and Ameri-
can citizens abroad and in certain countries
b exercising judicial functions. these officers
5 should be men of character, intelligence
l. and ability.
y Upon proof that the legislation of Den
Il mark secures copyright to American citi-
n zens on equal footing with its own, the
privileges of our copyright laws have been
d extended by proclamation to subjects Of
e that country.
Treasury.
l. The secretary OF the treasury reports
y that the receipts of the government from
IS all sources during the fiscal year ended
If June 80, 1898, amounted to $46l, TIC. SOL 81
5 and its expenditures to $459,3i4, ,614 20.
E. There was collected from customs $205, $685.
y 016.73 and from internal revenue $161, ,027,-
l. 623,93. Our dutiable imports amounted to
s. $421 S56, I'll, an increase of S52 453 907 over
% the preceding year, and importations free
of of duty amounting to $444, ,544,211, de-
d crease from e preceding year of $13,455,-
he AT. Interna revenue receipts exceeded
a those Of the preceding year by 81, ,147, ,445. 49,
IS On the first day of November 1898, the
amount of money of all kinds in circula-
rs tion, or not included in treasury holdings
sr was 81, 1854, $50, an increase for the year
is of $1l2,404,947. Estimating our population
n at 67, 426, 900 at the time mentioned, the pSr
d capita circulation was $25.49. On the same
o date there was in the treasury gold bullion
d amounting to 500, ,657 ,273 and silver bullion
4, which was purchased at a cost of $126, ,261, :
h 553.
ID The purchases of silver under the law of
of July IA, 1890, during the last fiscal year,
aggregated 5400S 1862 SO fine ounces, which
Of cost $45, ,53l ,3A53. The total amount of
cG silver purchased from the time that the
+, law became operative until the repeal of
ii its purchasing clause, on the first day of
n November. 1888, was 168674 59046 fine
le ounces, which cost $155, $50, ,94OS S4 Between
ee the first day of March, 1873, and the first
W day of November, 1898, the government
lie purchased, under all laws, 503003 III fine
ounces of silver at cost of $51S, ,622, ,94S.
r The silver dollars that have been coined
d under the act of July A. $780,, number
T. S6,0S7,2S5 The seigniorage arising from
IS such coinage was s6,977, ,o9S 80, leaving on
" hand in the mints 140, ,699, ,760 fine ounces of
20 silver which cost $126, ,75S,3 ,31S
a Our total coinage of all metals during
n the last fiscal year consisted of 81 1885,
S75 pieces valued at s43, ,665, 17S 80, of which
sr there are S30 OBS, 40 in gold coin, $685. III
o. in silver dollars, S7,2l7, ,230. 80 in subsidiary
,e silver coin and 81 ,0S3, ,102 80 in minor coins
i. 1t is estima 5ed that on the first day of
le July, 1893, the metallic stock of money in
/ the United States consisting of coin and
G. bullion, amounted to ST. ,213, 559, 1859, of
H. which $597, ,697, ,6S5 was gold and $6l5, ,861 4S4
d was silver
j. The recent repeal of the provision of law