Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-12-22

committee OF safety q mass meeting
OF citizens was held that day to protest
against the queens alleged illegal, I'M
lawful proceedings and purposes. Even
at this meeting the committee OF
safety continued to disguise their real
purpose contented themselves with
procuring the passage OF the resolution
denouncing the queen, and empower
ing the committee to devise WAYS and
means "to secure the permanent
maintenance Of law and order and
protection OF life, liberty and pro
perty in Hawaii" unwilling to take
further steps without the cooperation
oi the United States Minister, addressed
a note representing that public safety
was menaced, that lives and property
were in danger, and concluded as fol-
lows: 1--WE are unable to protect
ourselves without aid, and we here
fore pray for the protection Of the
United States forces"
A DEMONSTRATION OF WAR.
The landing of the troops on the
soil Of Honolulu was itself an act OF
war, unless made either with the con-
sent OF the government OF Hawaii or
for the bona yfde purpose of protecting
imperiled lives and property of the
United States, but there is not any
pretense of any such consent on the
part OF the government of the queen,
which was at that time undisputed,
and was at that time both a de facto
and de jure government.
Admiral Ske:rett, officer in com.
mand OF our naval forces of the Pacific
station, has frankly stated in his opin-
ion that the location of the troops was
inadvisable if landed for the protection
of American citizens, whose residences
and place of business, as we'll as that
OF the legation and consulate, were in
a distant part of the city, but the loca-
ton selected was wise one if the
forces were landed for the purpose of
supporting the provisional govern.
ment. If any peril to life and prop
erty calling for any such martial array
had existed, Great Britain and other
foreign powers interested would not
have been behind the United States in
activity to protect their citizens.
Indeed, the fact that after having
called for the landing of the United
States forces on the plea of danger to
life and property, the committee of
safety themselves requested the minis
ter to postpone the action, exposes the
untruthfulness of their representation
of the peril of life and property. The
peril they saw was anticipated growing
out OF that guilty intention of their
party, which, though not then exist
ing, they knew would certainly follow
their attempt to overthrow the govern.
ment OF the queen without the aid of
the United States forces. Thus it ap-
pear that Hawaii was taken possession
of by the United States without the
consent or wishes OF the government
of the islands or Of anybody else as far
as shown except the United States
minister.
THE REAL MOTIVE.
The military occupation therefore OF
Honolulu by United States was wholly
without justification, either as occupa-
ton by consent or occupation necessi-
tated by dangers threatening Ameri-
can life and property. 1t must be
accounted for in some other way and
on some other ground and its real mo-
tive and purpose are neither obscure
nor far to seek. The United States
forces being now on the scene and
favorably stationed, the committee
proceeded to carry out their original
scheme. They met the next morning,
Thursday, II, projected a plan for a
government, fixed upon its
principal officers, ten of whom were
drawn from the thirty members OF the
of safety. Between l and
2 O'Clock, having first taken precau-
ton to ascertain whether there was
any one to oppose them, they pro-
ceeded to the government building to
proclaim a new government. No sign
of opposition was manifested, and
thereupon the American citizen began
TO read the proclamation from the
steps of the government building al
most entirely without auditors.
LEFT IT TO THE UNITED STATES.
The Queen had possession of the pal
ace, OF the barracks and of the police
station and at her command then were
at least 500 fully armed men and several
pieces Of artillery; indeed the whole
military force of her kingdom were on
her side and at her disposal.
In this state of things, if the Queen
could have dealt with the insurgents
alone, her course would have been plain
and the result unm;stakable. But the
United States had allied itself with her
enemies, had recognized them as the
true government of Hawaii and had put
her in position of opposition against
lawful authority. She knew that she
could not Withstand the power of the
United States, but she believed that she
might safely trust its Justice.
According some hours after the recog-
milton OF the provisional government by
the United States minister, the palaces,
barracks and police station, with all the
resources of the country were
delivered up by the Queen who sur
rendered to the superior force of the
United States whose minister ordered
the United States troops to be landed at
Honolulu and declared that he would
support the provisional government and
that she yielded her authority to prevent
collision OF armed forces and loss of life,
and only until such time as the United
States, upon the fact being presented to
1t, should undo the action of its repre-
sentative and reinstate her in the au-
thority as the constitutional sovereign
OF the Hawaiian islands.
The Queen instead of finally aband-
oning her power, appealed to justice of
the United States for reinstatement in
while the provisional govern
ment with this unanswered protest in
its hand fastened to negotiate with the
United States for the permanent banish-
ment OF the Queen from power and for
the sale of her Kingdom.
believe a candid and thoruagh ex-
of the facts will force the con.
viction that the provisional government
owes its existence to armed invasion by
the United States.
/ shall not again submit the treaty of
to the Senate for its cOnsid-
Grafton, and in the instructions to Minis
ter Willis copy of which accompanies
this message have directed him to SO
inform the provisional government. But
in the present instance our duty does
not, my opinion, end with the refusing
to consummate this questionable tran
saction. 1t has been the boast of our
government that it strives to do justice
in all things without regard to the
or weakness Of those with
whom it deals. l mistake the American
people if they favor the odious doctrine
that there is no such thing as interna-
tional morality; that there is one law
for strong nations, and another for weak
ones.