The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-11-24

that call does not APP ear on the hles or
the legation. That very night the COM
mittee of public safety assembled in a
house next to Minister Stevens resi-
dence. j. III. Soper, an American, was
elected to command the military forces
1t was on Monday evening. Jan. 10, at
o'clock that United States troops were
landed.
mot much time elapsed before it
was given out by members Of the COM
mittee of safety that they were de-
signed to support them. AT the palace,
with the cabinet amongst the leaders
of the queens military forces and the
great body of the people who were
loyal to the queen, the apprehension
came that 1T was movement hostile to
the existing government. Protests
were filed by the minister of foreign
affairs and by the governor of the
islands against the landing of troops
"Messrs Parker and Peterson testify
that on Tuesday at o'clock they called
on Mr. Stevens, and by him were in
formed that in the event the Queens
forces assaulted the insurrectionary force
he would intervene. At 2:3O OF the
same date members of the provisional
government proceeded to the govern
ment building in squads and read their
proclamation. They had separated III
their march to the government build
ing for fear of observation and arrest"
Mr.. Blount describes the location of
troops, showing that the American
troops controlled the position of the
queens forces and continues:
"They were doubtless so located to
suggest to the queen and her coun-
sellers that they were i'll Co opera
ton. with the insurrectionary move
ment and would when the emerg-
ency arose, manifest it by actual
support. 1t did doubtless suggest to
the men who read the proclamation
that they were having the support Of
the American minister and naval COM
manders and were safe from personal
harm.
A building was chosen where there
were no troops stationed. whore =. re
was no struggle to be mac a. oii,..l
access with an American force ilnmgul-
ately contiguous with the mass of tie
population impressed with its unfrie-d
ly attitude. Aye, more than this DE-
fore any demand for surrender had
even been made on the queen, or on the
commander, or any officer of any of her
military forces at any OF the points
where her troops were located. 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, her protest,
and describes the race and citizenship
of the men concerned in the revolution.
The various commissioners of the pro-
visional government and Minister
r,,,AtnI o,1 al
upon.
Minister Stevens Criticised.
Mr.. Blount shows that it was a col
fusion on the part of the minister and
the revolutionists. He goes into the
details of the matter and points out by
time and place, the haste with which
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 to the lack of harmony in the
statements and criticizes Stevens. say
ing:
Mr.. Stevens consulted freely with
the leaders of the revolutionary move
ment from the evening of the 14th.
These disclosed to him all their plans.
They feared arrest and punishment.
He promised them protection. They
needed the troops on shore to overawe
the queens supporters and government.
This he agreed to and did furnish
They had few arms and no trained
soldiers; they did not mean to fight. 1t
was arranged between them and the
American minister that the proclama-
ton dethroning the queen and organic
ing provisional government should be
read from the government building and
he would follow it with speedy recog-
milton.
'All this was to be done with Ameri-
can troops provided with small arms
and artillery, across q narrow street.
within stones throw" This was done.
''The leaders of the revolutionary move
ment would not have undertaken it.,
but for Mr. Stevens promise to protect
them against any danger from the gov
eminent. But for this their mass meet
ing 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 organ
iZation OF a new government would
have been taken. The American min
lister and the revolutionary leaders had
determined on annexation to the United
States and had agreed on the part each
was to act to the very end"
Mr.. Blount says that the native race
feel that a great wrong has been done
them and their queen, when the queen
resigned under protest and did not be-
lieve that the action of Stevens would
be Endorsed, and he adds:
'Indeed, who could have supposed
that the circumstances surrounding her
could have been foreseen and sanctioned
deliberately by the president of the
United States. Her uniform conduct
and the prevailing sentiment amongst
the natives point to her belief as well as
theirs that the spirit of justice on the
part of the president would restore her
crown
The special commissioner closes with
description of the industries of the
islands, statistics, comparisons of the
races, changes in the conditions OF the
natives aud information tending to
Il. Il 4 L.. l<.,1 4