Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-11-16

protest. and impeled by said force yield M
| the United States SHALL upon the facts being
| presented to il. undo the actions of its repre-
| which claim az the Observation-Disclosures sovaraiag1
| OF tbs Hawaiian islands"
The Protest Unchallensed.
When this paper was prepared at the con-
| clusion OF the conference. ana signed by the
queen and her ministers. a number of persons,
| including one or more representatives Of the
| provisional government. were present and un-
| derstood its contents. and by their silence. at
| least, acquiesced in it's statements and when
| twas carried to President Dole he indorsed
| upon 1t: Received from the hands OF the late
| cabinet this nth day OF January 1888 without
| challenging the truth of any of its assertions.
| indeed. 1t was not claimed the 18th day of
| January. or for some time thereafter. by any
| of the designated officers of the provisional
| government, or any annexationists, that the
queen surrendered otherwise than as stated in
| her protest.
| Recognized by Minister Stevens.
In his dispatch to Mr.. Foster OF January 49,
| describing the so-called revolution, Mr.. Ste
venS says:
The committee Of public safety forthwith
took possession OF the government buildings
| archives and treasury and installed the pro-
vtSional government at the head of the respec-
| tive departments This being an accomplished
| fact. promptly recognized the provisional
government as the de facto government OF the
Hawaiian islands.
Secretary Fosters Statements.
In Secretary Fosters communication Of Feb
| uary Is, to the president. laying before him the
treaty Of annexation. with the view to obtain
ing advice and consent OF the senate thereto
he says:
AT the time the provisional government took
possession OF the government building no
| troops or officers of the United States were
present. or took any part whatever in the pro-
ceedings- No public recognition was accorded
to the provisional government by the United
States minister until after the queens abdca-
ton. and when thew in affecfiva
sion OF the government building. the archives
the treasury. the barracks. the police station
and all the potential machinery OF the govern
me2t.
Similar language is found m an official letter
addressed to Secretary Foster February 3.
by the special commissioners sent to Washing
ton by the provisional government to negotiate
n treaty OF annexation.
Utterly at Variance with the Evidence
These statements are utterly at variance
with the evidence, documentary and oral con-
tanned in Mir. Blounts replies. They are con-
tradicted by declarations and letters of Presi-
dent Dole and other anneXationists, and Mr..
stevens own verbal admissions to Minister
Blount. The provisional government was rec
OgniZed when it had little other than a paper
existence. and when the Legitimate govern
ment was in full possession and control of the
palace. the barracks and the police station,
Mr.. Stevens well-knowl hostility and the
threatening presence of the forces landed from
the Boston were all that could have caused
serious apprehension in the mind of the queen,
her officers and loyal supporters.
Deceived by Stevens and the Special
Commissioners.
1t is fair to say that Secretary Fosters
statements were based upon information which
he had received from Mr.. Stevens and the spe-
cial commissioners. but 1 am unable to see
that they were deceived. The troops were
landed not to protect American life and prop
erty. but to aid in overthrowing the govern
ment- Their very presence implied cosrcive
measures against 1t.
In a statement given to Mr.. Blount by Adj
miral Skerrett. the ranking naval officer at
Honolulu ne says:
Admiral Sksrrett Remarks.
II the troops were landed simply to protect
American citizens and interests. they were
badly stationed in Arion hall: but If the inten-
they were wisely stationed.
Read Under the Protection of American
Guns.
This hall was so situated that the troops in
it easily commanded the government building
and the proclamation was read under the pro-
lection OF American guns. At an early stage
OF the movement. IL not at the beginning, Mr..
Stevens promised the annexationists that as
soon as they obtained possession OF the gov
eminent building and read a proclamation of
the character above referred to. he would at
once recognize them q de facto government,
and support them by landing force from our
war ship then in the harbor. and he kept that
promise. This assurance was the inspiration
of the movement, .and without it the annexa-
tionists would not have exposed themselves to
the consequences OF failure.
They relied upon no military force Of their
own. for they had none worthy Of the name
The provisional government was established
by the action of the American minister and
the presence OF the troops landed from the
Boston: and its continued existence is due to
the belief of the Hawaiians that il they made
an effort to overthrow it. they would encounter
the armed orces of the United States.
The Absurdi.y of the Claim.
The earnest appeals to the American minis
ter for military protection by the officers Of the
provisional government after it had been rec
ognized, show the utter abSurdity of the claim
that it was established by successful revolu-
ton of the people of the islands. The appeals
were a confession by the men who made them
OF their weakness and timidity. Courageous
men. conscious OF their strength. and the JUS
tice Of their cause, do not thus act.
1t is not now claimed that O majority Of the
people having the right to vote under the con- |
stitution of 1897, ever favored the existing au-
thcrity or annexation to this or any other coun-
try. They earnestly desire that the govern |
ment of their choice shall be restored and it's
independence respected.
Afraid to Submit thu Question to the |
Natives.
Mr.. Bloun: states that while at Honolulu he |
did net meet single annexationist who ex-
o vote of the people, nor did he talk with one |
on that subject who did not insist that if the |
islands were annexed suffrage should te re- |
stricted as to give complete control to for |
eigners or whites, and representative annexa |
tionists have repeatedly made similar state |
ments to the undersigned.
Surrendered Under a Threat of War.
The government of Hawaii surrendered it's |
authority under threat of war until such |
time only as the government of the United |
States. upon the facts being presented to it, |
should reinstate the constitutional sovereign, |
and the provisional government was created tc |
exist" until the terms of the union with the |
United States OF America should have been |
negotiated and agreed upon.
A careful consideration of the facts will, I |
think convince you that the treaty which was |
withdrawn from the senate for further consid-
GRAFTON should not be resubmitted for its action |
thereon.
Justice to the Weak.
Should not the great wrong done to feeble |
but independent state by abuse of the
thority of the United States be undone by re-
storing the legitimate government? Any
thing short of that will rot, 1 re-
spectfully submit. satisfy the demands |
OF justice. Can the United States con-
sistently insist that other nations shall |
respect the independence OF Hawaii, while |
not respecting it themselves? Our government |
was the first to recognize the independence of |
the islands and ii should be the last to acquire |
sovereignty over them by force and fraud.
Respectfully submitted.
WALTER c. GRESHAM.
GEN. HARRISON is SATISFIED
With His Policy in the Hawaiian Matter |
If Mr.. Cleveland Is with His.