Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-12-22


contrary, stationed so as to command the
palace. Furthermore If life and property
had been In peril Great Britain and other
foreign powers would have landed men.
But they did not. Therefore the military
occupation of Honolulu by the United
States on the day mentioned was wholly
without justification, either as an occu-
patton by con.ent or as an occupation
neccssltated by dangers threatening
American life and property. 1t must be
accounted for in some other way and on
some other ground, and its real motive
and purpose are neither obscure nor far to
seek.
the scene and favorab.y stationed the
committee proceeded to carry out their
original scheme. They met the next
morning, Tuesday, the 18th, perfected
the plan Of temporary government, and
fixed upon it's principal officers, ten of
whom were drawn from the thirteen
members of the committee of safety. Be
tween l and o'clock having first taken
the precaution Of ascertaining whether
there was anyone TO oppose them, they
proceeded to the government building to
proclaim the new government. No signs
OF opposition We're manifest, and there
upon an American citizen began to read
the proclamation from the steps of the
government building, almost entirely
without auditors. 1t is said that before
the reading was finished quite con-
course of persons, VariouSly estimated at
from fifty TO leo, some armed ana some
unarmed, gathered about the committee
and gave them aid and confidence. This
controlling factor in the whole affair was
unqueStionably the United States marines
who, drawing up under arms and with
artillery in readiness, only seVenty-siX
yards distant dominated the situation.
The provisional government thus pro-
claimed was by the terms of the procla-
with the United States had been nego-
tiated and agreed upon The United
States minister, pursuant to prior agree
ment, recognized this government within
aff Of = "A
When our minister recognized the pro-
visional government, the only basis upon
which 1t rested was the fact that the
committee of public safety had in the
manner above stated declared IL 10 ex-
list 1t was neither a government de factO
nor de jure. Nevertheless. this wrongful
recognition by our minister placed the
government of the queen in position Of
most perilous perpieXity on the one
hand, she had possession of the palace,
of the barracks and OF the police station.
and had at her command at least 500
fully armed men and several pieces OF ar
tillery. Indeed, the whole military force
of her kingdom was on her side and at
her disposal In this state OF things, If
the queen could have dealt with the in
surgents alone, her course would have
been plain and the result unmistakabie.
But the United States had allied Itself
with her enemies. had recognized them
as the true government Of Hawaii, and
had put her and her adherents in the po-
sition OF opposition against lawful au-
thority. She knew that she could not
Withstand the power Of the United States
but she believed that She might safely
trust TO its justice. Accordingly some
hours after the recognition Of the pro-
N.sional government by the United states
minister the palace, the barracks ana the
police station, with all the military re-
sources Of the country, were delivered up
by the queen upon the representation
made to her that her cause would there
after be revived at Washington, and
while protesting that she surrendered
TO the superior forces Of the United
States.
This protest was delivered 10 the chief
Of the provisional government who in
dorsed thereon his owedgement Of
it's receipt. The terms Of the protest were
read without dissent by those assuming
to constitute the provisional government,
and yet the provisional government, with
the unanswered protest in its hand, has
tened to negotiate with the United States
for the permanent Punishment Of the
queen from power and for sale Of her
kingdom.
our country was in danger Of occupy
ing the position Of having actually set
up temporary government on foreign
soil for the purpose of acquiring, through
that agency, territory which we had
wrongfuhy put in our possession, and
we have as a precedent against such ac-
ton the refusal of President Jackson to
recognize Texas as independent from
Mexico after the battle of San Jacinto.
1 believe that candid and thorough
examination of the facts will force the
conviction that the provisional govern
ment owes it's existence 10 an armed in
vasion by the United States. Fair-mnd-
ed people, with the evidence before them,
will hardly claim that the Hawaiian gov
eminent was oVerthrown by the people
of the islands, or that the provisional
government has ever existed with their
consent.
AS ! apprehend the situation, we are
brought face to face with the following
conditon5: The lawful government of
Hawaii was overthrow without the
drawing of sword or the firing of a
shot, by 4 process, every step OF which
IL may 81 fely be asserted, is directly
traceabie 20 and dependent for its sue
cess upoT the agency of the United States
government through it's diplomatic and
national representatives.. But for the no
torious predictions of the United states
minister for annexation the committee
of safety, which should be the commit
tee of annexation, would never have eX-
listed. But for the landing of the United
states forces upon false pretexts. re-
speeding the danger to life and property,
the committee would never have exposed
themselves to the pains and penalties Of
of the queens government. But for the
presence of the United States forces in
the immediate vicinity and In position to
afford all needed protection and support
the committee would never have pro-
claimed the provisional government from
the steps of the government building; and
finally, but for the lawless occupation OF
Honolulu under false pretexts by the
United States troops, and but for Minis
ter Stevens recognition OF the provisional
government when the United States
forces were It's sole support and consti-
tuted it's only military strength, the
queen and her government would never
have yielded to the provisional govern
ment, even for n time, and for the sole
purpose of submitting her case to the
enlightened justice of the United States.
Believing therefore. that the United
States could not under the circumstances
disclosed, annex the islands without just
~ mourning the imputation of acquiring
them by unjustifable methods, l shall
not again submit the treaty of annexa-
ton to the senate for its consideration,
and in the instructions to Minister Willis,
a COPY of which accompanies this mes
sage, / have directed him to so inform
the provisional government.
But in the present instance our duty
does not, in my opinion, end with refus-
ing to consummate this questionable
transaction. 1t has been the boast of our
government that IL seeks to do justice in
all things without regard to the strength
or weakness of those with whom II deals.
/ mistake the American people IL they
favor the odious doctrine that there is
no such thing as international morality.
that there is one law for a strong ma
tion and another for q weak one, and that