Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-11-17
GRESHAM ON HAWAII.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SENDS A COMMUNICATE
Regarding Hawaiian Matters to Presi-
dent Cleveland-The Question the
Talk of the Capital City.

Talk of the Capital City.
Wants to Give the Queen Her Throne.
A letter addressed to President Cleve-
land by Secretary Gresham has been
given out for publication. The secre-
tary reviews in detail the acts leading
up to the revolution in Hawaii on jan
uary last and takes the ground that
the marines landed from the United
States steamer Boston at the time of
the revolution were not landed to pro-
tect American life and property, but to
aid IN oyerthrowing the existing gov
eminent. Their very presence, he
said, implies coercive measures against
it. The provisional government was
established by the action of the
American minister and the presence of
troops landed from the Boston, and its
continued existence is due TO the be-
lief of the Hawaiians that if they made
an effort to overthrow it they would
encounter the armed forces of the
United States. He cites much evidence
! from Mr.. Blount's report and from the
report of Mr.. Stevens TO sustain his
views.
Mr.. Gresham quotes Minister Ste
ven's reports of the revolution, and also
communication from Secretary Fos-
! ter to the president at that time,
based upon Mr.. Stevens reports. Mr..
! Foster said: ''At the time the pro-
visional government took possession
of the government building no troops
or officers of the United States were
present or took part whatever in the
| proceedings. No public recognition
was accorded to the provisional gov
eminent by the United States minister
until after the queens abdication, and
when they were in effective possession
of the government building, the
archives, the treasury, the barracks,
the police station, and all the poten-
tial machinery of the government"
Similar language is found in an Off
! cial letter addressed to Secretary Fos-
ter on February 3 by the special COM
, missioners sent to Washington by the
| provisional government to negotiate a
! treaty of annexation.
Mr. Gresham then quotes Mr.. Blount's
reports at length, and comes to the
| conclusion that these statements are
! utterly at variance with the evidence,
! documentary and oral, contained in
Mr.. Blount's reports.
James Hyde Pratt, of Albany, n. Y,
! who has been connected with interests
/ in the Hawaiian Islands for over 30
! years, had an interview with President
| Cleveland, in which he attempted TO
| show the president that Mr.. Gresham
was wrong in his position. He then
! questioned the accuracy of the state
mcnt that Minister Stevens aud Capt.
| Wiltse had been instrumental in serv-
! ing the revolutionists, and that the
! success of the revolution was dependent
upon the aid they rendered it. They
! did no more, he asserted, than had
been authorized by Secretary Bayard
in instructions to Minister Merrill in
July, 1887, for guidance in similar
period of disorder.
The President closed the interview
by saying that he had absolute faith
in the accuracy of all conclusions
drawn by Secretary Gresham, and
that Minister Stevens and Capt. Wiltse
had committed an act of usurpation
and done wrong to helpless power,
which it was the duty of the United
| States government TO undo.
Minister Lorrin A. Thurston, of
Hawaii, in speaking of the action of
the administration in this matter said:
Il do not hesitate to reiterate what
was said last February, that American
troops took no part in the movement,
/
by the late queen and forced upon the
people of Hawaii, who in self-defense
took action, terminating a condition
of affairs menacing to life and prop
erty and which was no longer toler-
able. The claim of the provisional
! government is that, regardless of the
method of how it got there, it is to-
! day the only government in Hawaii,
recognized as such at home and abroad,
and that any attempt to forcibly over
turn IT by foreign power is in the
nature of war against a friendly
! government, which, as / understand,
requires the consent of congress.
! The monarchy cannot be restored ex-
cept by force from without, and if that
supporting force is withdrawn it will
! be forthwith overthrown. There will
| be no safety for those who have sup
| ported the provisional government if
the queen is restored, and if the at
| tempt is made | fear that the results
will be of the gravest character. / be-
lieve that bloodshed will be the newt
| able results in which Americans,
American property and American in
! terests will be the greatest sufferers.
ExMinister to Hawaii Stevens said:
1.-THE position to which Secretary Ores
ham has seen fit to commit himself is
so extraordinary, so void of real
foundation of truth, SO caluminous of
the living and the dead, that 1 have no
extended reply to make at this time.
The way the United States minister
and the officers of the Boston dis
charged their responsibilities at Homo
lulu in January last was more than
covered by Secretary Bayard's instruc-
tions, approved by President Cleveland
on July ~, 1887 Secretary Gresham
has allowed his party prejudices and
animosities to raise an issue, which
Congress, full sitting of facts, and an
intelligent public opinion will deter
mine justly"