Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-11-25
WHAT BLOUNT SAYS.
Some Extracts from the Hawaiian
Commissioners Report.
Queen Liliuolsalani, He Declares, Would
Not Have Been Deposed Only for
the Interference of Mr.. stevens,
the American Minister.
SYNOPSIS or TnE pocuMrNr.

purports to be large portion of the
report of Commissioner Blount. 1t
sums up as follows:
Commissioner Blount's report will show
that Minister Stevens landed the troops
from the Boston long before there was any
valid excuse for their presence on
Hawaiian soil; that he declined to re.
move them when requested to do so
by the government and informed that the
authorities were willing and fully able to
preserve order and to protect American inter-
ests; that these troops were stationed across
the street from the government building, in
which Minister Stevens knew the revolu-
tionists were about to read their proclama-
iton and that the revolutionist commit
tee relied upon the American troops TO
protect them in this act of rebel
lion; that Mr.. Stevens recognized the pro-
visional government according to precon-
ceived programme before that government had
obtained possession of the departments and
military power ut Honolulu, and that the mill
tary power vas surrendered, as the queen sur
rendered, only through awe of the superior
force of the United States"
WASHINGTON, Nov 21.-Secretary
Gresham decided Monday afternoon to
make public all the correspondence and
the report of James II. Blount, the
special commissioner sent to Hawaii by
President Cleveland to investigate the
revolution which dethroned Queen
Liliuollalani and the establishment of
the provisional government. The re-
port in substance does not add much
information to that contained in the
extract published in Monday $ dispatch.
He says:
Before any demand for surrender had even
been made on the queen the commander
or any officer of any of her military forces at
any of the points where her troops were 10.
Gated the American minister had recognized
the provisional government and was ready to
give it the support of the United States
troops"
He shows the position which the
queen occupied, and describes the race
and citizenship of the men concerned
in the revolution. The various COM
missioners of the provisional govern
ment and Minister Stevens are quoted
and commented upon.
Mr.. Blount shows collusion on the
part of the United States minister and
the revolutionists. He goes into the
details of the matter and points out by
time and place the haste with whi
Mr.. Stevens acted, and by quoting
from Stevens report and the papers on
file at the legation declares that the
minister misrepresented the revolution
to the United States government. He
points the lack of harmony in the
statements and criticizes Stevens, say
ing:
Mr.. Stevens consulted freely with the lead
ers of the revolutionary movement frC@ the
evening of June IL These disclosed 10 him all
their plans. They feared arrest and punish
ment He promised them protection. They
needed the troops on shore to overawe the
.ueen's supporters and government This
he agreed to and did furnish. They had few
| arms aud no trained soldiers. They did
not mean to fight II was arranged between
them and the American minister that the
proclamation dethroning the queen and organ
iZing provisional government should be read
from the government building and should fol-
low it with u speedy recognition All this was
TO be done with American troops provided
with small arms and artillery across narrow
| street within Il stones throw. This was done.
THE leaders of the revolutionary move
| ment would not nave undertaken it but for
Mr.. Stevens promise to protect them against
| any danger from the government 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
|
United States and had agreed on the part each
| was to act to the very end"
| Mr.. Blount says that the natives feel
that a great wrong has been done them
and their queen, when the queen re-
signed under protest, and did not be-
lieve that the action of Stevens would
be indorsed. He adds
Indeed, who would have supposed that the
foreseen and sanctioned deliberately by the
| president of the United States? Her uniform
conduct and the prevailing sentiment among
the natives point to her belief, as well as theirs
that the spirit OF justice on the part OF tht
president would restore her crown"
That is the only thing in the nature
OF recommendation made in the long
report
Commissioner Blount in his repor
gives the following account of tn,
causes leading up to the deposition o
Queen Liliuolialani:
"In the legislatures of ls9O ana 1892 man.
petitions were filed asking for n new constitu
tion. Many were presented to the king an'
queen. The discomfort with the constitution
of 1887 and the eagerness TO escape from i
| controlled the elections against the part.
| which had established it. Divisions OF
the mode of changing the constitution
whether by legislative action or by con
stitutional convention and the necessity o
Il two-thrds vote of the legislature to ei
feet amendments, prevented relief by eithe
method Such was the situation ut the prOrC
cation of the legislature of 1892 This was fo
lowed by the usual ceremonies at the palace o
the day of prorogation-the presence of tn
cabinet supreme court judges diplomat
corps and troops. The queen informed he
cabinet of her purpose TO proclaim new col
stitution and requested them to signit."
MIR. Blount tells how the cabinet re
fused to sign the constitution and tn
consequent displeasure of the queen
january is proclamation was issue
by the queen and her cabinet sayin
that what she proposed to do TIL
Saturday previous was compelle
by stress of her native subjects
This vas sent to Minister Stevens
Thers was no response. Januar
II she sent another letter, telling hin
that the present constitution would b
maintained On the back of this wa
1yrittan tha word nI)pclinad " also tb