New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-14
BLOUNTrS PREJUDICE SHOWN
EXPOSED BY SENATOR FRYE.
SHARP DEBATE IN THE SENATE ON THE
HAWAIIAN RESOLUTION.

TIALITY-AN ELOQUENT DEFENCE OF
MINISTER sTEvENs's MOTIVES AND
CONDUCT EVEN MR.. VEST
AGAINST FORCIBLE RES
ToRATIoN OF THE
MONARCHY.
Washington. Dec 13-An extremely spirited
debate was carried on in the Senate to-day
based on Mr. Hoars resolution requesting the
President to furnish to the Senate certain in
formation in regard to the appointment OF Mr.
Blount as Commissioner to Hawaii. The debate
was opened by a speech from Mr.. Frye, In which
he drew a contrast between Mr.. Blount and the
late Minister to Hawaii, Mr.. Stevens. He
affirmed that Mr.. Blount in his report had not
written one single unvarnshed line Of truth, nor
given one unprejudiced opinion, nor rendered one
impartial judgment; and he also asserted that
in intelligence. education, integrity of character
and other qualities Mr. Stevens was para
mount to Mr.. Blount. Afterward, however. on
representations from Mr.. Gordon, he modified
these remarks to some extent and added that
Mr.. Blount was n good man, who had been
appropriated to an exceedingly bad purpose.
Mr.. Vest made one Of his usual eloquent and
mpetuous speeches ridicung the pretensions Of
Mr.. Stevens and the Hawaiian revoutionsts.
and saying that they had Chrstianized the ma
tives out of their country and divided the land
among themselves on the principle that the earth
belongs to the saints. and they the saints.
He defended the appointment Of Commissioners
Blount without the advice and consent Of the
Senate. and citing instances Of like appointments.
beginning with the Administration of Washing
ton said that according to Mr.. Hoars idea the
Father of his Country had then been treading on
ice that was slippery and thin Mr.. Vest was
emphatic in declaring that there should be no
interference on the part of the United States
with the de facto Government OF Hawaii but
the factions should be left decide the question
between themselves
At the close Of the debate the Hoar resolution
was referred to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions.
MR. FRYE STARTS THE FIGHT.
Mr. Frye said that he did not take the floor
for the purpose Of discussing the Hawaiian
question The Senate was not In condi-
ton for that discussion II was absolutely neces-
sary for an intelligent discussion that there should
be a thorough and complete official investigation
Of the facts and report made to the Senate.
He was hoping that the Committee on Foreign
Relations would make such investigation; and,
after that was done. he hoped to have an oppor-
tunity of addressing the Senate on the general
subject Mr.. Frye quoted from Mr.. Grays re-
marks last Monday sentence as to the Amerl-
can flag having been used for the purpose Of dis
honor and said that one or two other Senators
had made similar statements.
What. Mr. Frye asked was TO be inferred from
Mr. Gray's declaration? Nothing under the sun
except that the United States Minister to Homo
lulu had dishonored the flag of his country and
had undertaken to commit act Of piracy The
Senator could only have derived information au-
thorizng him to make such a statement from the
Blount report.
Mr. Gray said that his statement was founded
not wholly or in a large part on Mr.. Blounts
report but was founded largely on the docu-
ments sent to the Senate last February when
the treaty Of annexation was sent for the action
of the Senate. 1t was founded on the letters OF
Captain Witse and Mr.. Stevens.
Mr. FRYE did not see how Mr.. Gray could have
arrived at any such conclusion from the papers
to which he referred and he quoted a sentence
from President Harrison's message.
Mr. Gray said that he did not refer to Presi-
dent UarrisOn's message, but TO the documents
accompanying II.
MR. STEVENS PARAMOUNT TO BLoUNT.
Mr. FRYE said that he did not know how far
Mr. Blount's report before the Senate. He
did know that 1t before the country In its
entirety and that it was before the House IN lts
entirety He did not see. therefore, that there
ought to be any delicacy about reference to the
Blount report for it was to-day public property
In his Judgment that was most dangerous re-
port-too dangerous for any Senator to base
any serious attack upon against the character
of any private citizen of the United States He
,Mr Frye affirmed, without hesitation that Mr.
Blount in his report had not written one single
-.rf,.a ana, N rapail IL
diced opnion. nor rendered one impartial judg
ment He assumed that Mr. Grays statement
was an attack on Mr. Stevens who was charged
with having dishonored the flag and committed
an act of piracy. Mr.. Stevens had been born
IN the state of Maine over seventy years ago.
For more than forty years he had been a promi-
nent figure in that State. The public eye OF
Maine had necessarily rested upon him. For
more than thirteen years he had represented the
United States Government as Minister to Para
guay Uruguay Sweden and the Hawaiian
islands and he had made International law a
careful study. Such man had been made the
target for abuse, and had been charged with
an act of piracy. The President of the United
States Mr.. Frye exclaimed passionately could
and did in spite of Constitution and law. make
Mr. Blount paramount to Mr. Stevens but in
intelligence in education, in integrity of charac-
ter. I'm familiarity with affairs in experience OF
life especially Of public life. in knowledge OF
international law In acquaintance with the
usa ges and disagreements of diplomacy, in devo-
tion to the interests and honor Of his country.
in fidelity to our Christian civilization, Mr.
stevens is paramount to Mr.. Bount; and no
President-not even Mr. Cleveland. with all his
power-can change that condition.
DIsHONORING THE FLAG.
4 10, Mr.
newspaper statement, and said: 80 much for
the charge of dishonoring the flag" He thanked
Heaven that no citizen of Maine had ordered the
American flag hauled down, and he compli-
mented the Admiral who did haul 1t down (Ad-
miral SkerretD that in his dispatch he said he