The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1893-12-21
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Special Communication to Con-
gross on Hawaiian Affairs,
Outlining the Presidents Action In the
Matter. Together with an Abstract OF
the Instructions Given Min
lister Willis.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-In response
to resolution of the senate, asking
for documents in possession of the
executive department in relation to
the Hawaiian question, and in accord
ance with the presidents intention, rs
expressed in his message at the open
ing of the regular session of the Fifty
third congress, Mr.. Cleveland trans
mitted the following special communi-
cation to both houses:
To THE SENATE AND House OF REPRESENTA-.
fIvEs-ln my recent annual message to on.
gross | briefly referred to our relations with
mating further iutormoton or tho subject
when additional udviccs permitted. Though
/ am not able to now report n definite change
In the actual situation, / am convinced that
the dincutleS lately create both here and in
Hawaii, and now standing in the way OF n
solution through executive action OF the
problem presented, render IL proper and ex.
pedient that tho matter should lie referred to
the broader authority and direction of con.
grcSS, with full explanation OF the endCnvor
thus far made to deal vita the emergency, and
statement of the considerations which have
governed my action. | suppose that right and
justice should determine the path to be fol.
lowed IN treating this subject II national hon.
tsty Is to be disrcgarded and a desire for terri
toriai extension or dissatisfaction with a form
OF government not our own is to regulate our
conduct, have entirely misapprehended the
mission and character of our government and
the behavior which the conscience Of our pco-
ple demands Of their public servants.
When the present administration entered
upon its duties the senate had under consld.
GRAFTON treaty providing for the annexation
o. the Hawaiian Islands TO the territory OF the
United States
Surely under our constitution and laws the
enlargement of our limits Is n manifestation Of
Inc highest attribute of SOvcrci Inty, and IL en-
tered upon as an executive act, all things ro.
!atlng to the transaction should be clear and
free from suspicion
WHY THE TREATY WAS RECALLED.
Additional Importance is attached to this pc.
cular treaty of annexation. because II con
templated II departure from unhrOkcn Ameri.
can tradition in providing for the addition to
our territory OF islands OF the sea more than
900 miles removed from our nearest coast,
Thcsc considerations might not OF them
selves call for Interference with the compile.
tion OF a treaty entered upon by previous ad-
ministration But 1t appeared from the docu.
mcnts accompanying the treaty when submit
ted to the senate, that the ownership OF Ha.
wail was rendered 10 us by the provisional
government set up TO succeed the constitu
tlonal ruler OF the Islands, who hal been de.
thrOned and 1t did not appear that such pro
Visonal government had the sanction OF either
popular revolution or suffrage. Two other re.
markable features OF the transaction naturally
attracted attention. One was the extraorli.
nary haSte-not to SAY cipitancy-Charac.
ter2inR all the transactions, connected with the
treaty. 1t appeared that q socaled committee
OF SAFETY, ostenshly the source OF the revolt
against tue constitutional government OF IIa.
wall. was organized on saturday. the nth day Of
january; that ON Monday, the 18th the United
Stntcs forces were landed at Honolulu from
naval vessel then lying in its harpor: that on
the l1th the scheme OF II provisional govern.
m"nt was perfected. and q proc laLatlOn naming
It's Officers was on the same day prepared ami
read at the government buildings; that immc
dintcly thereon the United States minister rec
osn!z"d the provisional government thus ere.
atcd; TINT two days aftcrwari. on the lqth day
OF January. commissioners representing such
government sailed for this country in n steamer
especially chartered for the o 'casion arriving
IN San Francisco on the 18th day OF january
and i'll Washington on the 3l day OF February
that next day they had their frst interview
with the secretary OF state and another on
the llth, when the treaty annexing the islands
was practically agreed upon and that on the
lith 1t was formally concluded und on the 18th
transmitted to the senate. ,,,,, ,,.,,.,,,,.
for q provisional government in Hawaii on the
nth OF January and the submission to the sen
ate of tho treaty OF annexation concluded with
such government the entire interval was thr.
tytwo days. fifteen OF which were spent by the
Hawaiian commissioners In their journey to
Washington.
In the next place, upon the face Of the paper
submitted with the treaty, 1t clearly appeared
that there was open AMI undetermined an is
sue OF the most vital importance The message
OF the president accompanying the treaty de.
clarcd that the overthrow OF the monachy
was not In any way promoted 10y this govern.
a
the secretary OF state. also submitted to the
senate with the treaty, the following passage
occurred:
AT the time the provisional government
took possession OF the government buildings
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 ahdica-
tioh and when they were in effective posses.
sion OF the government buildings, the archives.
hn tran ~ hu uplFg thn t,n1f
md all the potential machinery OF the govern
mcnt."
But protest also accompanied said treaty
signed by the queen and her ministers nj the
time she made way for the provisional gov.
ernment, which explicitly stated that She
yielded to the superior force OF the United
States, whose minister had caused United
States troops to be landed at Honolulu and d..
clared that he would support such provisional
government
The truth or fnlslty OF this protest was
surely OF the first Importance. II true nothing
but the conccalmcnt OF its truth could induce
our government to negotiate with the sem
blanCe OF government thus created, nor could
n treaty resulting from the acts stated in tho
protest have been knowingly deemed worthy
OF consideration in the senate. Yet the truth
or falsity OF the protest hal not been investi
gated,
BLoUST's MISSION AND ITS RESULTS
conceived 1t to be my duty. therefore, tc
withdraw the treaty from the senate for exam
ination, and meanwhile to cause nn accurate
of the facts attending the subversion OF
the constitutional government .ot Hawaii and
the installment in the place OF the provls lonal
government. ] selected for the work oil
investigation the Hon, James II. Blornt OF
Georgia whose service OF eighteen years US
member Of the house OF representatives and
whose experience rs chairman of the commit
tee on foreign affairs in that body and his con
sequent familiarity with International topics
Joined with his high character and honorable
reputation. seemed to render him peculiarly
fitted for the duties intrustedt to him. His re
port detailing his action under the instructio
given TO him and the conclusions derive
from his Investigation accompany this mes
sage.
These conclusions do not rest for their accent
ancc entirely upon Mr.. Blounts honesty ant
ability as q man, nor upon his aCumon and i'm
partiality as an Investigator They are accom-
panied by the evidence upon which they ar,
based, which evidence is also herewith trans
mttel. and from which it seems to me M
other deductions could possibly be reached
than those arrived at by the commissioner.
The report with its accompanying proof
and such other evidence as Is now before tn
congress or Is herewith submitted, justify II
my opinion the statement that when the presi
dent was led TO submit the treaty to the senate
with the declaration that the overthrow q
the monarchy was not IN any way promoted b.
this government" and when the senate wa
induced to receive and discuss 1t on that basis
both president and senate were mislcd
The attempt will not be made in this con
munication to touch upon all the facts whic
! throw light upon the progress and CONSUMING
-
| brief and imperfect reference to the facts an
| evidences nt hand will exhibit its characte
and the incidents in which it had its birth,
STEVENS PREPARED THE WAY.
1t is unnecessary to set forth tho reaso
| which, in January. 1893, led a considerable poi
| ton OF American and other foreign merchant
| and traders residing at Honolulu to favor III
| annexation OF Hawaii to the United States
| Is sufficient TO note the fact and to observ
| that the project was one which was zealousl
| prompted by the minister then representa-
| ihe United States in that country He ev
IDENTIFY had an ardent desire that IL should b.
come fact accomplished by his agency an
| during his ministry, and was not inconvenien
| ly INSCRIPTIONS us To the means employe
| to that end. On November 10, ls9
yearly two months before the FIR
| svert act tending toward the su
| Version OF the Hawaiian governmei
and the attempted transfer of Hawaiian teri
| tory to the United States, he addressed q lou
| letter to the secretary OF state, in which Il
| case for annexation was deliberately argued {
moral. political and economical grounds.
refers to the loss OF the Hawaiian sugar inte
ests from the operation Of the Mckinley bi
and the tendency TO still further depreciatic
of sugar property unless some positive measul
OF relief was granted. He strongly inveIgl
against the existing Hawaiian government
and emphatically declares for annexation. l.
says: