The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-22

3 o'clock that United States troops were
landed.
Not much time elapsed before it-was
given out by members of the committee
of safety that they were designed to
support them. At the palace with the
cabinet amongst the leaders of the
queens military forces and the great
body of the people who were loyal to
the queen. the apprehension came that
IL was a movement hostile to the exist
ing government. Protests were filed by
the minister of foreign affairs and by
the governor of the island against the
landing of troops.
'Messrs. Parker and Peterson testify
that on Tuesday at O'Clock they called
on Mr.. Stevens and by him were in
formed that in the event the queens
forces assailed the insurrectionary force
he would intervene. At 2:30 of the same
day the members of the provisional
government proceeded to the govern
ment building in squads and read their
proclamation. They had separated in
their march to the government building
for fear of observation and arrest"
Minister stevens Scored.
Mr.. Blount describes the location Of
the troops showing that the American
troops controlled the position of the
queens forces, and continues:
"They were doubtless so located to
suggest to the queen and her coun-
selloTs that they were in cooperation
with the insurrectionary movement and
would. when the emergency arose, mani
fest it by active support 1t did doubt
less suggest TO the men who read the
proclamation that they were having the
support of the American minister and
naval commander and were safe from
personal harm.
''why had the American minister To-
Gated the troops in such a situation and
then assured the members of the COM
mittee on safety that on their occupa-
tion of the government building he
would recognize il as a government de
facto. and as such give ii support?
Why was the government building desig-
mated to them as the place which, when
their proclamation was announced there
from would be followed by his recogni-
ton? 1t was not a point of any strategic
consequence. A building was chosen
where there were no troops stationed,
where there was no struggle to be made
to obtain access with an American force
Immediately contiguous, with the mass
of the population impressed with its un-
friendly attitude. Aye. more than this.
before any demand for the surrender had
even been made on the queen or on the
commander or any officer, or any of her
military forces at any of the points
where her troops were located the Amer
lean minister had recognized the pro-
Vtsional government and was ready to
give it the support of the United States
troops"
He shows the position which the queen
occupied, her protest, and describes the
race and citizenship of the men con-
cerned i'm the revolution.
The various commissioners of the pro-
visional government and Minister Stew
ems are quoted and commented upon.
Mr.. Blount shows that il was collusion
ON the part of the minister and the
revolutionists. He goes into the details
of the matter and points out by time
and place the haste with which Mr..
Stevens acted, and by quoting from
Stevens's report and the papers on file
at the legation declares that the min
lister misrepresented the revolution to
the United States government. He
points To the lack of harmony in the
ing:
''Mr Stevens consulted freely with the
leaders Of the revolutionary movement
from the evening of the 14th. These dis
closed to him all their plans. They
feared arrest and punishment He prom
ised them protection. They needed the
troops on shore to overawe the queens
supporters and government. This he
agreed TO and did furnish They had
few arms and no trained soldiers. They
did not mean to fight. IL was arranged
between them and the American min
lister that the proclamation dethroning
the queen and organizing a provisional
government should be read from the
government building and he would fol-
low It with a speedy recognition. All
this was TO be done with American
troops provided with small arms and ar
tillery across a narrow street within a
stones throw. This was done. The
leaders of the revolutionary movement
would not have undertaken il but for
Mr.. stevens's promise TO protect them
against any danger from the govern
ment But for this their mass meeting
would not have been held. But for this
no request TO land troops would have
been made. Had the troops not been
landed no measures for the organization
OF new government would have been
taken. The American minister and the
revolutionary leaders had determined on
annexation 10 the United States and had
agreed on the part each was to act to
the very end"
Mr.. BlOunts Closing Hint.
Mr.. Blount says that the native race
feel that a great wrong was done them
and their queen. When the queen re-
signed under protest he did not believe
that the action of Stevens would be in
dorsed and adds.
Indeed, who could have supposed that
the circumstances surrounding her could
have been foreseen and sanctioned de-
liberately by the president of the United
States? Her uniform conduct and the
prevailing sentiment among the natives
point 10 her belief as we'll as theirs that
the spirit of justice on the part of the
president would only restore her crown"
That is the only thing in the nature
of recommendation made. The special
commissioner closes with a description
of the industries Of the islands, statis-
tics, comparisons of the race, changes
i'm the conditions of the natives and in
formation tending TO show that they
have been badly treated.