St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-21
RITH UNITED STATES TROOPS.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 20. Secretary
Gresham decided this afternoon TO make
public all the correspondence and the
report OF James Ii. BIount. the special
commissioner sent to Hawaii by Presi-
dent Cleveland to investigate the revO-
luton which dethToned Queen LiliuO-
6aIani and the establishment of the
provisional government. Mr.. BlOunt
arrived at Honolulu March 20, 1898. In
his report he calls attention to his re-
leptiOn by Minister Stevens, who, ''ac-
eompanied by a committee from the
annexation club, came On board the
vessel which had brought me. He in
formed me that this club had rented an
elegant house. well furnished and pro-
Vided with servants, a carriage and
horses for my use; that L could pay for
his accommodation just what L chose,
rom nothing up. He urged me very
earnestly to accept the offer. l declined
T, and Informed him that l should 90 to
1 hotel"
The committee renewed the offer.
which was declined. He also refused
10 accept profered fayors from the eX-
lueen. Concerning the position of the
United States in the islands, he says:
The troops from the Boston were doing
military duty for the provisional gov
srnment. The American flag was floating
over the government building. Within it
heprovisiOnalgOver conducted its
business under an american protecto-
rate, to be continued, according to the
# mi
.ster. during negotiations with the
United States tor annexation. My in
structions directed me to make in
quiries. which. II the interest of candor
and truth. could not be done when the
minds Of thousands of Hawaiian citi-
zens were full of uncertainty as to what
the presence of
AMERICAN TROOPS,
the American flag and the American
Drotectorate implied. 1t seemed neces-
sarv that all these influences must be
Withdrawn before those inquiries could
be prosecuted in manner befttiug the
dignity and power OF the United States.
Inspired with such feelings and conf
dent 10 disorder would ensue, l direct
ed the removal OF the flag of the United
States from the government building.
and the return of the American troops
to their vessels. This was accom-
plished without any demonstration of
Joy OF grief on the part Of the pOpulace.
The afternoon befOre.in an interview
with President Dole. in response to my
inquiry. ne said that the provisional
government was now able to preserve
order. although it could not have done
so for several weeks after the prOcIama-
tion establishing it."
Mr.. Bl0unt then tells how Minister
Stevens called upon him with W. +.
Smith. VINO represented that the with
drawal of the United States marines
meant that the Japanese would land
troops from a man-Of-WaT in the harbOr.
The American minister expressed his
belief in the statement. The Japanese
commissioner put a stop to these ru-
mors by having the vessel ordered away.
The provisional government left to its
own preservation, left him free to pur-
sue his negotiations.
Commissioner Blount says that "the
causes OF dethrOnemeut of the queen
and the establishment OF the provisional
government are both remote and prox-
Innate"
He then reviews the history of the
Islands at some length. beginning with
the constitution of 1852. and the changes
made in the system of government since
down 10 the
REVOLUTION OF 1887,
which resulted in the constitution of
that year, and which is to a great extent
given by Mr.. Blount as the cause of the
revolution of 1898. Under the constitu-
ti0u preceding 1887 there were abuses.
especially those resulting from the eIec-
tion of 1856, when the legislature
passed a number of bad laws. including
the lottery and opium license laws. in
which it was charged that the king was
very corrupt. Mr.. Blount says this
legislature would not have caused a
revolution in any Of the United States.
but reformers in the islands declared
that''the native is unfit for government
and his power must be curtaiIed."
Nj Blount then gives the version OF
Chief Justice Judd and himself touch
in- the means adopted to extort the
constitution OF 1887"
Among those mentioned in forcing
King Kalakaua is MIR. Thurston, now
minister from Hawaii. Mr. Blount pre-.
sents a portion of the constitution oi
1851, in which he notes the change:
which were especially unsatisfactory Il
the monarch, such g, as removing thJ
power OF appointing the mobiles, one