The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-28
THE HAWAIIAN INQUIRY
THE SENATE COMMITTEE BEGINS
ITS INYESTIGATION.
Rev. %. T. Einnerson, Of Honolulu, Exam
ined at Length His Testimony Strongly
In Favor Of the New Government.


executive branch Of this government in
the matter, met very promptly at %
o'clock this morning al the Capitol. But
one member Of the subcommittee was
absent Senator Rutler, Of South Caro-
lima. who is spending the holidays In ms
native State. The members present were
senate. Morgan, chairman. ana Senators
Gray Of Delaware. Frye Of Maine and
Sherman Of Ohio.
Aside from the rather unusual prompt
ness shown by the members oi the $50
cor nittee IN assenibling, there were "'.
signs Of a determination to prosecute uhe
inquiry with vieor and earnesiness.
A sterographer was installed ana Dusl-
ness was begun al once with the reading
OF the resolution under which the cOii''''i'
tes is acting. 1t IS as follows
Hfsolved. That the Committee on u or
aign relations shall inquire and report
vvbether any and. n so, what iffeb eidii-
ties have occurred in the diplomauc oI
otber intercourse between the hl'eu
States and Hawaii I'm relation TO tNe re-
- nol'tic.I revolution In Hawaii anu
90 tbis end said commigee is auihoi ii@tu
a. end for persons and papers anu ~
administer oaths 10 Witnesses.
,r,go witnesses awaited al the ooo1 ~
,ho oornu ittee-room while tnese pi
narles were passing.
the rs, witness
Thev were Rev. o. J.. LNlel 9o -,
.',',or- General Alexander. both cItiN' 'i'7
- t4ovau and both believed 10 m
et,onr sympathy with the prov 'S'3i'''' me,
couee Rev. Emerson - a hallNe I-.,ttl4
,,.aU hut was educated III tho he
states. He is present secretdlS ,,,en
Roard Of Missions. AleNanuel ia, l'a and
I'm Washington for a few Weeh9 - 49, Ia
has been stopping Temporarily aI '''
Waiian legation here a,.t and only
NJ En,erson was the hist an" -
- roard to-day. He Is about lOl'S
f,,,e years OF age and tolo une Ia the
- that ne had spent nearly an w
-. 90 mis- life on the ia o''.''-
,s,,, tIc was well acquainted WIN ~
yata,,t,ua and described al lelb,i
80. stirrinq events of the troubleN Ie's'
- '''tS r,otontate. treating at length Oh ll'
- -, of tho constitution 10 nlch Ooi''
l.,.-;l.,,cr ploiint i'm his report a't'luU'e'
1T, an tho troubles that nave sli'.e -.
l',,,',.ed on I'M, islands. lie was aDout
,,r1,, duvinq the overthrow OF Quee" IN
,,ot,oiani and the landing OF lhe ~.
forces and the establishment vi ~ 70
,.ietonal Government, ana ioIu ol "' 49,,
these events, of which ne s"'o '0
witness. ,f,,. Of score
~ tho Hawaiian Missionary bodIu'
h.S occasion 10 travel eXttnsNel> 0Nei
tno Islands and wa. I'm consequence ol
,-,,i,s we'll acquainted with the peop''
and tbelr characteristics. Ills onl.e
hca5o,iarters is I'm Honolulu, ana dt 'i'
- ~ the overthrow OF the queen he
80 +, mat city. and so became an 'S
,,.f,,oas of the whole trouble. be totN '"t
'.,-,,,.l.,nroittoc that United States naval
rorces were landed at Honolulu De'au
Of threats which had been made against
the pcrsons and property OF American
citizens. ., ,,
He was positive they took no part ih
the overthrow of the queen ana len. I'
Ia to the men who established the fro-
,.iD,,',,oi Government SIR. Emerson has a
personal acquaintance with the men AZ
Inc bead of the existing Government ana
,,aid' Them a high tribute as men OF hohoI
and integrity. He remained IN fia"ali
until after the departure OF Mr.. blouhi
coming 10 the United states IN ordei 20
tend the Religious Congress al lhe
Worlds Fair. II left the Islands about
the tin.e. OF little before the arrival Of
Minister Wills.
To he Conduc ell secretly.
7,be committee adjourned at l.l5 O'Clock
,,,tif next TUESDAY morning, the sergeant
ot-arrne having been notified 10 subpoena
a number Of witnesses, who VIII be IN az
tendance on that day, among them MI
Alexander the survcyor-general or the
Islands. who is anxious 10 get back 10
Hawaii IN order 10 escape the WiAlei
weather. and whom the committee was
unable to examine to-day, and eN-Mihlstei
st.,.e,s who will reach Was hirgtOn p~-
fore Tuesday morning. The committee
win adhere 10 its conclusion To cohuucl
the inquiry I'm secret, not with a view ol
conceaIing the facts from the people bu'
I'm order TO prevent the publication OF any
thing that might interfere with our re-
lations with foreign governments haNau
eeueotaVv. and for the further purpose
of nreventing expressions and sentiments
Of a purelv personal nature, which may
clop out during the investigation from
finding uublicity. But Chairman Morgan
is credited with the intention TO lnsls'
upon the utmost publicity as to the md
ines of fact. and the conclusions OF m,
committee after they have been collected
and prepared for submission 40 the sen
ate
VIII Can for Those Letters.
The two letters which We're Withheld
from the correspondence sent TO con
gress. will be called for by the commit
tee. and it is thought that the President
will not refuse 20 submit them. II was
urged this morning that these letters
were absolutely essential to fun under
standing by the committee of the condi-
tions of the country before and after
the revolution that resulted in the over
7hrOw of the Queen, and the establish
ment of the provisional government.
one Of these letters was from Minis
ter Was. sent 10 the State Department
shortly after his arrival on the Islands.
and presumably the one which caused
the change in the policy Of the admin
'stration. The other was from Minister
Stevens, when he was still I'm charge
Of the affairs OF this country I'm Hawaii.
Another letter about which up 70 this
time, very little had been said is one
written by Minister ThurstOn 20 Gresham
just before his departure 10 Hawaii. The
speech OF Senator Hoar IN the Senate
she other day indicated that he al
least had an inkling Of the text OF this
letter. II is said 10 be a very remark
able document bearing upon the subject
Of international relations and presenting
some views which win be OF interest 10
the committee. Mr.. Gresham may b call
cd upon TO deliver this letter 10 the
Senate Committee. At all events II Is
known that an effort will be made TO
get IL.
a number Of witnesses will be sum.
moned by telegraph, and are expected to
be here for the next hearing OF the COM
mittee.
Hawaiis's Value to the United states.
There h an evident disposition on the
part OF the committee 10 discuss the Ha-
waiian question from the STANDPOINT OF
he Nalne OF the I.landa In the I-nIt.l