The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-01

No defense can be pleaded for the action
Of President Cleveland in the matter Of
Hawaii. Minister Willis was the ac-
Hawaiian government, which the United
States had fully recognized. Minister
Willis presented his credentials to the pro-
visional government, and bore with him
President Cieveiand's official letter and
message of congratulations to that govern
ment. beginning in the usual form, Great
and Good Friend" Mr.. Willis on Deem
Der u addressed the following official COM
munication to Mr.. J. O. Carter. one of tho
partisans of the deposed queen:
LEGATION OF THE UsIrKp SrATEs,l
"HoSoLuLu. III. L., Dec. %. 1885.
'SiF: Will you inform her majesty the
queen. that on the goth inst. in obedience
TO my instructions. notified the president
and ministers of the provisional govern
ment that the president of the United
States had reached the decision that she
had been illegally deprived of her authority
as the constitutional sovereign of the
Hawaiian Islands. and that they were ex-
pected 10 promptly relinquish TO the queen
her constitutional authority On the 2fth
inst. received in reply q written commu-
nicston from the provisional government,
which was OF such nature that il became
my duty. as previously instructed, TO sub
nuIt II Ia the secretary OF state, the Hon.
". q Gresham, which Was done on the
same day. With assurances of high re-
''AIBERr g. Willis.
az. +. and NJ. F.. U. 5. A."
The Official letter of Minister Willis
recognized the deposed queen rs sovereign
authority in Hawaii, and was an act of
war against the actual government of
HawAii, which the United States had fully
recognized. and to which Mr.. Willis was
accredited.
As an act Of official perfdy this per-
formanes of Mr.. Cleveland Is without
precedent or parallel In the history of the
United States. No president of the United
States ever before instructed minister of
our government. regularly accredited TO a
government recognized by the United
States, 10 rr esent his credentials Of congrat-
alation 20 the actual government and a. the
same time directed him to secretly reeog-
nire The representative of the deposed gov
eminent as the lawful sovereign author
ity. This dupllc.ty and unlawful in
tfisue on the part Of President Cleveland
Was not only an act OF extraordinary and
inexplicsble folly. hut II was an utterly
dishonest and disengenuous performance.
No man of sound common sense woald
have acted IS President Cleveland did In
this matter. and no man Of sound moral
sense could possibly have entertained so
infamous a policy. Ii vas the &C, of an
Ignorant, insolent, self-suflieioat. arrogant
man. bat il was worse than this: Is was
an act that q mAa Of any sense Of neral
honor would have diSaained 70 commit.
As revelation Of President Cleveland's in
Ee.ieetaA and moral limitations his Ha-
waiiaa policy is fatai 20 his reputation for
/ al tsrne 20 come, tor il is the act Of man
7 without either ordinary brains or average
moral scase. 4 man OF brains wonld
I never have assumed 20 himself powers
( that 3id not belong 30 him but 10 con-
I grcss. and man Of conscience would never
( have stopped 10 such daplicity, trlckerv.
/ co~sriice and low intrigue SIS the presi-
/ dent OF the United States consented 10 in
/ this instance
intellectually and morally President
/ Cleveland has greatly fallen with men OF
/ al parties by his conduct in ,Als matter :
I re has lost ground that BE can never bore
- geEAia.