The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-19

Conditions-Tho Message n Docu-
mont Which is More of an Exhibit
tion of Bad Temper Than Anything
Elso-Totally Ignores All Evidence
Except the ono.sidcd Elk partc
Statements OF Blount.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 1s,-.Follow-
ing is President Cleveland's message
sent to Congress to-day with the accom-
panying papers on the Hawaiian affair;
10 he Senate and House Of Representatives.:
In my recent annual message to the
Congress I briefly referred to our rela-
tions with Hawaii and expressed the in
tention OF transmitting further informa-
ton on the subject when additional ad-
vices permitted. Though am not able
now to report definite change in the
actual situation, l am convinced that
the difficulties lately created both here
and in Hawaii and now standing in the
way OF solution through executive ac-
tion OF tho problem presented, render it
proper and expedient that the matter
should be referred to the broader au'
thority and discretion of Congress, with
a iull explanation OF the endeavor thus
far made to deal with the emergency,
and statement OF the considerations
which have governed my action.
l suppose that right and justice
should determine the path to be fol-
lowed in treating this subject II ma
tional honesty is to be disregarded and
q desire for territorial extension or dis
satisfaction with form Of government
not our own is to regulate our conduct,
l have entirely misapprehended the
mission and character OF our gevern-
msnt and the-bnhaxior which the con-
science OF our people demands OF their
public servants.
When the present administration en-
tered upon its duties the senate had
under consideration n treaty providing
for the annexation of the Hawaiian
islands to the territory of the United
States. Surely, under our constitution
and laws, the enlargement OF our limits
is manifestation OF the highest attrib-
ute Of sovereignty, and If entered upon
rs an executive act all things relating to
the transactions should be clear and
free from suspicion.
Additional Importance is attached to
this peculiar treaty OF annexation, be-
cause it contemplated departure from
unbroken American tradition, in pro-
viding for the addition 10 our territory
of islands of the sea more than two
thousand miles removed from our near
est coast. These conditions might not
Of themselves call for interference with
the completion OF a treaty entered upon
by previous administration.
TOO GREAT HASTE CHARGED.
But it appeared from tho documents
accompanying the treaty when sub
mitted to the senate that the owner
ship OF Hawaii was rendered to US by a
provisional government set up to sue
ceed the constitutional ruler OF the
islands, who had been dethroned, and
it did not appear that such provisional
government had the sanction Of either
popular revolution or suffrage.
Two remarkable features OF the tran
saction naturally attracted attention.
Ono was the extraordinary haste; not to
say precipitancy, characterizing all the
transactions connected with the treaty.
1t appeared that a so-called committee
OF safety, ostensibly tho source of the
revolt against the constitutional govern.
ment of Hawaii, was organized on Satur-
day, tho l4th day of January; that on
Monday, the 10th, the United States
forces were landed at Honolulu from q
naval vessel lying in its harbor; that on
the 18th, the scheme OF provisional
government was perfected, and pro-
ciamation naming its officers was on the
same day prepared and read at the gov
ernment buildings; that Immediately
thereupon the United States minister
recognized the provisional government
thus created thattwo days afterwards, on
the 10th day OF January, commissioners
representing such government sailed
for this country Ia steamer especially
chartered for the occasion, arriving in
San Francisco on the 2Sth day Of Janu-
ary and in Washington the Sd day OF
February; that the next day they had
their first interview with the secretary
of state, and another on the llth,
when the treaty annexing the islands
WAS pIHChAChly hgIGCN upOHI anu 1hbb
on the 14th it was formally concluded
and on the 10Th transmitted to the sem
ate. Thus between the initiation oil
tho scheme for n provisional govern
ment in Hawaii on the l4th of January
and the submission to the senate OF the
treaty OF annexation concluded with
such government the entire interval
was thirty-two days. fiiteen OF which
we're spent by the Hawaiian commits
sioners in their journey to Washington.
AN "UNDErERMINED" ISSUE
In the next place, upon the face OF
the paper submitted with the treaty, it
clearly appeared that there was open
and undetermined an issue Of fact of
tho most vital Importance. The mes
sage OF the President accompanying
the treaty declared that "the overthrow
OF the monarchy was not in any way
promoted by this government" and in a
letter to tho President from the secre.
tary of state, also submitted to the SEN
ate with the treaty, the following pas
sage occurred:
"At the time the provisional gov
ernment took possession of the govern
ment buildings, no troops or officers OF
A. TTr;3ad gtokno mara vrnaant ~ tonb