The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-14

OAPaholNS3 territory acquiring govern
ment, even to the islands of the ocean and
the uttermost parts of the earth.
BLoUNT APPOINTMENT.
Mr.. Vest defended the appointment of
Mr.. Blount as commissioner, and cited
from minority report from the commit
tee on foreign relations numerous in
stances of like appointments in the past,
dating back to the administra tion of
Washington, and said that, according to
the suggestion of Mr.. Hoar last Monday,
the father of his country was
then threading on ice very slip
perry and very thin, too He
would have liked to see senator
of that day threaten Washington with
impeachment for having done what
Cleveland has done to-day. There has
been $50 odd appointments made in that
way by the Presidents with the advice
and consent of the Senate and it had been
reserved for the senator from Maine to
find out that the constitution had been
violated and to solicit applause from the
galleries by threatening to impeach the
President for having done what all his
predecessors had done.
DON WANT WAR
In the further course of his argument
Mr. Vest said that, as he understood, the
provisional government of Hawaii was a
de facto government. A de facto govern
ment, he argued, had the rights of a de
jure government, so far as other nations
are concerned. Whether that government
had been established rightfully or wrong
fully, 1t was to-day de facto government
and any assault upon it by the armed
forces of the United States would be an
act, which could alone be brought about
by action of congress. He did not under
stand that Mr.. Gresham, the Secretary
of State, in his instructions to Minister
Willis, wanted an armed force to be en-
plOyed in restoring the queen, No one
would deprecate or resist more than he,
(Vest), such a doctrine. Such action
would be an act Of war. 1t seemed
to him impossible that the Secretary of
State and resident of the United States
should have come to the conclusion that
without action of congress they could do
any such thing. He understood the in
structions to Commissioner Blount to be
simply repetition and affirmation of the
time-honOred doctrine of the country un-
der every administration not to interfere
in the domestic affairs of other people.
LET THE HAwAuANs Plight 1T OUT.
In conclusion, Mr.. Vest said: eff had
the power l would Withdraw every
shadow of United States authority from
the Hawaiian Islands, except so far as it
may be necessary to protect, under inter
national law, the property and persons of
American citizens legitimately residing
there. / should leave the opposing fac
tions to settle the question of sovereignty
for themselves. There can be no solution
of this question so absolute and de-
terminate as that which would
then be had between the
adherents of Queen Liliuokalani and
those of the provisional government.
The policy of the United States through
all our history has been that the people
should determine their own government
not the educated people, not the titled
people, not the opulent people but under
God, the people high aud low. And
would leave the people of those islands,
of all classes, who are legitimate residents
there and citizens, to determine, this
question for themselves. For this gov
ernment now to put the queen back upon
the throne and depose this provisional
government de facet would be an
act of war, and / will not believe
that the President has contemplated it.
For us to take part in this provisional
government would be to give proof that
the military authority of this govern
ment is to be used in doubtful issue, by
turning the scales against an overwhelm-
ing popular majority of the people
our prestige as a great republic, and
either course would strike down the doc
trine of popular sovereignty upon which
our government is esta blished and upon
which it must stand. If the queen has
behind her enough of her people to put
her back upon her throne, then the gov
ernment of the United States should
recognize that as the government
defacto and de jure of the Hawaiian
= Fr,1,, L, NLO& A.
let her go down before the decree of the
great tribunal to which all true Ameri-
cans bow in this land, and for which they
pray throughout the world. Mr.. Frye
said that with the conclusion of Mr..
Vests speech he was in hearty accord.
He believed that the people in the Hawai-
ian islands were too"
81 would like to make the same remark
that the Senator from Maine has made, -
said MIR. Hoar.
Mr. Gray cited numerous precedents in
support of the appointment of Mr.. Blount
as commissioner to Hawaii.
MR.. GORDON OBJECTS.
Mr. Gordon, of Georgia, took exception
to that portion of Mr.. Frye's speech in
which that senator criticised Mr. Blount S
report containing nota single unvarnished
line of truth, and quoted against that as
SorJlOD Lne TESTIMONIALS DOF06 70 us llRn
character on leaving the House of Repre-
sentatives after service of 20 years in
that body He added that he deplored,
beyond the power of expression, the fact
that any senator should have thought it
necessary for party reasons, or for any
other reasons, to attack the high reputa-
ton of a man whose whole life stood like
a polished pillar without blot or blem-
ish upon it.
Mr.. Frye disclaimed any purpose of
attacking Mr. Blount's integrity. He
had used the word "unvarnished' pur-
posely, understanding by them only that
Mr. Blount's report was preiudiced re-
port. In his opinion Mr.. Bount was
good mana good man appropriated in
this matter to an exceedingly bad pur-
pose. In his Judgment Mr.. Blount had
acted under instructions. He (Frye) had
also drawn a sort of parallel between
Mr.. Blount and Minister Stevens in
which he said that for integrity
of character Minister Stevens was para
mout TO MIR. Blount but in revising the
report of his remarks a few minutes ago
he had struck that out, as he had inten-
ded the parallel only as to mental, not
moral qualities,
Mr.. Gordon expressed his satisfaction
at the explanation given by Mr.. Frye,
The resolution was then referred to the
committee on foreign relations.
Mr. Morrill,, in long and carefully pre-
pared speech, addressed the Senate on
the tariff question.
The Senate at AS o'clock, after a short
executive session, adjourned till to-mor-