Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-13
The Attitude of the Administration
in the Hawaiian Matter.
CONGRESS TO LOOK INTO IT.
The Senate Kept in Ignorance
When Willis Was Nominated.
MR.. Meg UIRE'S VIEWS

Democrats are getting more cautious about
being quoted for their opinions, but the
opinions given in confidence are none the
less radical A number of democrats in
Congress have today declined to talk on the
subject on the grounds that their express
sions, If they said what they felt. would be
too Incorporate. Two or three said they
were too indignant to talk.
Congress Must Deal With 1t.
The general expression is that 1t is a ques-
ton of great gravity with which Congress
must deal. 1t is believed now that Mr..
Willis has restored the queen 10 the Hawa-
iian throne and that grave responsibility
has been assumed by Mr.. Cleveland which
1t will require the disclosure Of a most re-
markable state Of affairs to sustain
AS soon as Congress meets both the COM
mittee on foreign relations of the Senate
and the committee of foreign affairs of the
House are expected to take I'D the question
for investigation. If force Of arms is used
to restore the queen, the question of the
right OF the President Of the United States
to make war without authority Of Congress
Is one that Is expected to come up.
The Senate Kept in Ignorance.
1t Is regarded as most extraordinary
that when Mr. Willis was nominated az
minister to Hawaii nothing was said to the
Senate about the situation of affairs set
forth in Mr. Gresham's letter, and that
the Senate was kept in ignorance while
they confirmed a minister accredited to
government which he was instructed to
overthrow.
1t is said that the State Department has
testimony to sustain its position and that 1t
will be given out after the fire of the
enemy has been drawn"
1t Is understood that great stress Is going
to be placed on the fact that a secret COM
mission was here some time before the
revolution occurred. This commission was
here, and had talks with members of the
foreign affairs committees Of Congress, and
with members of Mr.. Harrison's admins
tration. Mr.. Blount saw and talked with
this secret commission. and knew all about
the object OF their visit before he was sent
to Hawaii
Secret Commission.
1t is believed that one Of the points made
to prove fraud and conspiracy in the over
throw Of the queen will be that this COM
mission was here plotting the revolution.
and they secured the assurances of sup
port they wanted from this government, and
then went home to Hawaiiand started the
made.
What testimony can be brought in sup
port OF this Gf the plea is made), except
the bare fact that the commission was here
seeking recognition and assistance for the
revolutionist party before the revolution oc-
Cured Is not known.
Representative McGuire's Views.
Representative Mcclure of California
administration. He said to a representative
of the Star:
Il have read Secretary Gresham's state
ment to the President concerning the
nd
stated by him IL seems to me clear that
vindication of our national honor re-
auires the restoration far as it is pos
sibe now to restore them of the govern
mental conditions existing on the 18th of
January. 1893 The documentary evidence
submitted by Mr.. Bount in connection
with the testimony of Commodore Skerrett
shows very conclusively that the revolu-
ton In the Hawaiian kingdom, which re-
suited in the dethronement Of the queen
and the establishment of the provisional
the beginning with strong probability
that it was instigated by authorized repre-
sentatives Of this government
And 1t further appears that the consti-
tutional government of Hawaii represented
by the queen, made a conditional abdication
and surrender of its authority under pro-
test and solely on account Of the menace
OF the military and naval powers of this
country. The Endorsement upon that writ
ten protest and conditional abdtcation
made by Mr. Dole. the president Of the
provisional government may be fairly
construed to have been a recognition of the
conditions of abdication stated in the docu-
ment Taking that view of the matter the
whole matter of the change Of government
there was submitted by the opposing par
ties to the arbitration Of this government.
Minister Stevens Part.
But however we may view the wretched
part which our government took in that
revolution the fact appears to be that Mr..
Stevens, while the accredited minister of
this government to the constitutional gov
eminent OF the independent kingdom of
Hawaii, a power at peace with this coun-
try, deliberately engaged in a revolution
airy intrigue with alien residents Of that
kingdom for the overthrow of that gov
eminent. and brought to the aid of The
revolutionists Immediately upon the dis
covery Of their plans the menace of he
superior military and naval power Of This
country.
The ministers OF civilized nations are no,
accredited to friendly nations for any such
purpose, and they are received by the gov
ernments to which they are accredited
upon the faith and belief that they have
no purpose in coming other than that
which is recognized as rightful by the law
of nations. The minister accredited by
this government to the kingdom of Hawaiia
mad no more right to engage in an intrigue
for the violent overthrow of that govern
ment than the minister or ambassador
accredited to the court of st. James has
to engage in a conspiracy to overthrow the
government of England, and the only diff
ference which l can see between the in
trigue In which the conduct of Minister
Stevens involved this country and the sup
posed intrigue against the government of
England is that England has greater power
to defend herself against such a menace
The worst feature of the whole situation
is that 1t looks very much as II Minister
Stevens in promoting the Hawaiian rebel
lion was acting in perfect accord with the
President Of the United States and his
cabinet officers. Just what should be done
now in view Of the complications that have
arisen out Of the recognition Of the provi-
sional government by other nations I am
not prepared to say, but that all the powers
of this government should be exerted to
right the wrong and outrage which was in
volved in that intrigue l am certain. JUS
tice should be the basis Of our treatment of
foreign nations, great and small. strong and
weak. We should not deal more lightly
with the rights of the weakest nation with
which we have treaty relations than with
the most powerful nations Of the earth"
The new afternoon paper Of Berkeley, Va.
the Daily Citizen, made its appearance yes
terday. Berkeley has two papers now. both
do{lx dailv Tribune.